The first batch of Black Widow reviews are in, and after a two-year long break, critics are ready to dive back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe even if the overdue Scarlett Johansson solo film feels more like a Jason Bourne or James Bond movie than another MCU entry. If the film is truly meant to mark Johansson’s final ride as Natasha Romanoff, she’s going out with a bang, and the consensus is that the baton has been safely passed to Florence Pugh‘s Yelena Belova, who is now primed to be an ass-kicking presence in the ever-expanding Marvel universe.
On top of noting Black Widow‘s mastery of the spy genre, critics also enjoyed that the film is a throwback to Marvel’s Phase 1 set of standalone movies. Well, as standalone as you can get in the MCU because at the end of the day, Black Widow is bridging the gap between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War even if it does a good job of not burdening the audience with that baggage.
You can check out the reviews below.
Angie Han, Mashable:
It’s almost possible to forget Black Widow is a Marvel movie at all, and that’s a good thing. It’s the palate cleanser the franchise needed after the intense cross-pollination of the Phase Three films and Disney+ shows: a self-contained, back-to-basics adventure that works just as well for newbies and casual viewers as it does for longtime fans. With Black Widow, we finally get a deeper understanding of a fan-favorite character who’s been popping up in supporting roles for a decade. We also get a pretty solid action thriller about a weird little family of Russian spies.
Pete Hammond, Deadline:
Johansson is again a great presence in the role, showing expert action and acting chops throughout, while Pugh is clearly ready to lead her own franchise after this MCU debut.
Johnny Olensinski, New York Post:
The movie’s vibe isn’t like your average MCU entry at all, really. What it reminded me of are the many James Bond films where 007 goes rogue and cavorts around world cities seeking his revenge du jour.
Mike Ryan, Uproxx:
Black Widow just might be the most self-contained MCU movie since way back in Phase 1. And, look, being a self-contained movie and being a movie that doesn’t move the greater story forward aren’t necessarily bad things. It’s just, at this point, unusual.
Joshua Rivera, Polygon:
The stakes couldn’t be clearer, and for the first two-thirds, Black Widow has a focus that’s refreshing in the MCU, allowing it a sense of style and fun that’s genuinely enjoyable once you get over the strangeness of the film’s place in MCU continuity.
Brian Truitt, USA Today:
“Black Widow” nicely takes a few pages from the playbook of fellow spy-friendly effort “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” in terms of blockbuster-ready action sequences. The new film also pays off lines and tales mentioned before by Black Widow in the various “Avengers” films to paint a clearer picture about why she worked so hard to make up for past sins and “the red in her ledger.”
Eric Kohn, IndieWire:
Overall, “Black Widow” amounts to a satisfying addition to “The Bourne Identity” franchise. Of course, it’s actually a solid beginning to the latest cycle of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the appeal of the MCU has always stemmed from the way it plays off existing formulas with dollops of spruced-up action strewn throughout, and the 24th entry hits all of those beats with style to spare.
Black Widow arrives in theaters and Disney+ with Premier Access on July 9.