Review - Black Widow (2021)

          Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, two months ago, we caught up with the second and third phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe during Marvel May, now we finally have the first film of Phase Four: Black Widow. I just got home from seeing it at my local theater, so let's dive right into it. 

        So, the movie opens with a prologue set in 1995, which shows Natasha Romanoff in her younger years, raised by Aleksi Shostakov and Milena Vostokoff, along with Yelena Belova. The four are forced to flee when S.H.I.E.L.D. agents track the four down, and they fly to Cuba, where General Dreykov takes Natasha and Yelena to be trained in the Red Room. Years later, after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha finds herself on the run from Secretary Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, who wants to arrest Natasha for violating the Sokovia Accords. Natasha gets away, and plans to stay in hiding. However, when a masked assassin named Taskmaster attacks her, she must reunite with Yelena, Aleksi, and Milena to bring down the Red Room for good. 

        Okay, I personally feel like the writers on this movie, along with director Cate Shortland, must really enjoy movies like Skyfall and The Bourne Ultimatum, because this film plays out like both a James Bond film and a Jason Bourne film. Ironically, there's a scene where Natasha is watching Moonraker on a laptop. The movie is definitely a spy thriller through and through, so comparisons to Bond and Bourne are pretty much to be expected. I will admit, I did enjoy the performances by Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, and Ray Winstone. Each of them were terrific. On top of that, the hand-to-hand combat in the movie was really good. The fight scenes, along with all the action scenes, were exactly what I wanted from a Marvel Cinematic Universe film. 

       Unfortunately, there is one twist that, while you definitely see it coming from a mile away, I won't spoil it here. But be warned, if you are a die hard fan of the comics, you might be a bit pissed by this twist. I do like the post-credits scene, however, which sets up Yelena's role in the upcoming Disney+ series Hawkeye. I won't spoil how, but just watch through the credits, and you'll see what I mean. 

        Overall, I had a great time with this movie. The year-long wait was too much, but definitely worth it. I give Black Widow a rating of 4.75/5. This is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time. 

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