Black Widow is the first film in Phase Four of the MCU and will launch simultaneously in theatres and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 9, 2021. The film is everything we love about Marvel movies. It’s packed with action, imminent danger, wonderful comedy, found family, and badass superheroes. I cannot recommend this film enough.
We have had a decade worth of Marvel films and television series. But this is the first time since her Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) appearance in Iron Man 2 that we will see her in a titular role. The film stars Scarlett Johansson reprising her role as Natasha/Black Widow, Florence Pugh stars as Yelena, David Harbour portrays Alexei/The Red Guardian, and Rachel Weisz as Melina.
We love a redemption story
One of the biggest appeals for audiences when the first Iron Man movie came into our lives was Tony Stark himself. Yes, I know that Tony Stark is not always relatable, he’s a super-genius billionaire, I get it.
But what is relatable is his desire to be better. The fact that when faced with seeing the world and himself for what it really is, he wanted to be better. And it speaks to our desire to believe that no matter how horrible our past, redemption is possible. Tony was an undependable playboy arms dealer and then became one of the Earth’s mightiest heroes.
Natasha Romanoff’s cinematic story is relatable in that same way. She is a person with a dark past who has to come to terms with that past. Making amends for that past and making the decision as to what type of person she will be going forward. There is so much more appreciation for Black Widow as a character when you finally understand what that journey entailed.
We love an action-packed film
If you were a big fan of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier then the Black Widow film will be right up your alley. It has a lot of what TFATWS brought us without being too similar in storylines. However, in true MCU fashion, this film will connect and tie into events happening both in the previous Marvel films as well as with the Disney+ TV series.
This film has a little bit of super-soldiers, a lot of nonstop action, and ordinary people who get turned into government agents and spies. It’s a race to save the world from those with very nefarious intentions and a struggle to overpower and control. You do not necessarily need to have seen all the MCU films and TV stories to know what’s going on. The film does a good job of recapping information for new viewers. But some moments won’t hit you as deeply if you aren’t following along with some of the other Marvel cinematic properties. Although they are not alienating, there are definitely a lot of moments in the film that are geared towards long-time fans.
We love stories that are funny
The Marvel Cinematic Universe would be a very dark place without the humor. Natasha Romanoff grew up in the “Red Room” where she and many other children were being trained for the Black Widow program. There is no way to discuss truly dive deep into Natasha Romanoff’s past without getting into the darkness of it. And if it wasn’t for some hilarious and well-placed comedic relief, this story could have gone very dark, very fast. Comedy in the MCU is what I believe makes the Marvel films so successful. Comedy takes the edge off and helps to relieve the anxiety in a scene. It changes the tone of a film and it’s what keeps these films from being too scary for children. Which, let’s be honest, having kids and families pouring into theaters for the newest Marvel films has been very profitable for Marvel.
Black Widow’s History
There are only a handful of moments where her history is explained in the MCU. In Avengers: Age of Ultron Natasha is enchanted by Wanda Maximoff (Scarlett Witch) and made to remember darker moments of her past like her assassin training. It is a quick but scary moment where you see her forced to kill an unknown person and then taken into a room for a “graduation ceremony” where she is forced to have surgery that will keep her from having any children of her own. (See the video below for the scene from the 2015 film Avengers: Age of Ultron).
This scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron is closer in tone to what you’ll find in the Black Widow film. BUT it isn’t limited to just that. This film has everything from action, emotional moments, and lots of funny and heartwarming moments. If you’re someone who has laughed out loud or cried during a Marvel film, you’ll most likely do both here.
We love a found family story
When you take a look at the Avengers individually, they are very different and unique characters. Aside from Bruce Banner and Tony Stark’s genius, they all have very little in common. Yet somehow they have fused together as a wonderful family of superheroes. A family that comes together and falls apart much as real families do. In this film, Natasha Romanoff explores what truly makes a family. Who really matters in her life and what it means to be part of a family.
And much like in real families, there is plenty of dysfunction and chaos that you can’t help but laugh about. Some of the best scenes in the film revolve around the moments in which Natasha is interacting with her “family”. And when it comes to family, it doesn’t matter if you are an Avenger, family has a way of humbling you really quickly.
The Road to Black Widow
If you’re looking for suggestions on where to catch on the road to Black Widow, I suggest watching these films and shows before watching the movie.
- Iron Man 2 (2010) – Black Widow’s first appearance
- The Avengers (2012)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
And although Black Widow is not referenced at all in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier it’s helpful to have watched the series because of the Super Soldier references and plot points in the film. In Black Widow, Alexei “The Red Guardian”, played David Harbour is a Russian super soldier and “father figure” to Natasha.
What sets this film aside from other Marvel Films
The women! SO MANY WOMEN ON SCREEN. It’s very noticeable that there are more women on screen in this film than in any other Marvel film. Which is fantastic and makes sense. The film revolves around Natasha’s origins in the Red Room as part of the Black Widow program. The Black Widow program trains young girls. So it makes perfect sense that the film would have a ton of women in it. It fits the storyline and you love to see it.
It also doesn’t do the age-old story trope of pitting one woman against the other. As if there could only be one powerful woman at a time. There are many powerful women highlighted in this film and it’s something worth celebrating. The film is worth seeing in theaters if you can do so safely. Although I fully believe Black Widow deserved her own film long ago, this film was worth the wait.
Black Widow will launch simultaneously in theatres and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 9, 2021.
Check out the Black Widow trailer
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Check out the cosplay from the Black Widow Worldwide Fan Events
Looking back at Black Widow and her KGB, SHIELD, and Avengers history
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