Okay, okay, so I really watched 2021's Black Widow this time. Mostly it stacks up with everything I'd heard--it has good performances and some sweet moments but lacks a real sense of suspense and the action sequences are weak, both in terms of special effects and composition. The choreography isn't bad, though.
I can imagine a conundrum at Disney. Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is a character defined by her lack of family who gradually gains one in the Avengers. A standalone movie for Black Widow can't have the other Avengers but Disney, for whatever arcane pact with the corpse of Walt, must always make their movies about family. So what do you do? Give Black Widow another family.
She jokes at one point in the film that she's the girl with no family who now has two. Which is a bit of lampshading, if you ask me, so Disney can have their cake and eat it, too. You know, in this era of "representation", I wonder how anyone who grew up without a family feels about this decision to hook Natasha up with a couple of them.
One of the more charming moments shows her watching Moonraker and speaking along with all the dialogue. One remembers how Winter Soldier was filled with sexually playful dialogue between her and Captain America and rather misses that tone here. Watching her sit down to dinner with an admirable cast is kind of sweet but seems like it should belong in another movie. It certainly does nothing for this film's lagging momentum.
Florence Pugh is really cute as Black Widow's adopted sister though I don't know why Disney is so committed to these "pass the torch" characters. Why not just concentrate on introducing other Marvel characters?
David Harbour is great Russian stereotype as big gentle dad. Rachel Weisz as the mother figure doesn't get much personality. Ray Winstone as the villain is wonderfully effective, a real conceited asshole, and I wish he'd had more screentime.
I suppose after the years of build-up it would be inevitable for the first, and only, solo Black Widow movie to disappoint. Even so, I can't help feeling, "Is that really all?"
Black Widow is available on Disney+.
Twitter Sonnet #1494
A metal pipe could stifle pencil lead.
A running bike awaits the clever three.
To choose a jacket, crouch behind the bed.
Collect a hive to buy a single bee.
A curse prevents a fabric lion fight.
The drifting pair could sing when far apart.
Along the river, flags prohibit sight.
We loaded cubic bags in box's cart.
A blinking dot's a world if dots are great.
We sat again against the bluer grass.
A shadow sought a starless cloud to mate.
The dream's dismissed as something cute but base.
Another orange collapsed the cherry cask.
Enormous roots support the shadow task.
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