Black Widow reviews praise Scarlett Johansson-Florence Pugh dynamic in superhero spy thriller
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As a pandemic-delayed Black Widow finally arrives in theaters (and Disney+ premier), fans are wondering if it was worth the wait.
From the majority of critics, whose reviews went live on Tuesday, Scarlett Johansson's seemingly last Marvel film and first Black Widow solo outing, is an above-average tale, with big action sequences for mere mortals (no superhumans, here), with captivating on-screen chemistry between Natasha Romanoff and her "sister," Yelena, played by British actress Florence Pugh.
EW's own Leah Greenblatt called the pairing "the real love story" of the film, where "Johansson plays the straight woman, stern and a little bit melancholy," who lets "Pugh bloom as Yelena, whose Slavic wit and wounded honesty register as almost surreally normal in a setting like this."
Nicole Clark, of IGN, also praised the pair, writing, "Black Widow is strongest when its leads, Natasha and little sister Yelena Belova, are fighting, whether against one another or working together. Florence Pugh does excellent work as Yelena… Her deadpan is pitch-perfect, coaxing humor out of a traditionally stoic Scarlett Johansson."
The women have "feisty back-and-forths that often verge on screwball comedy," Indiewire's Eric Kohn writes, noting that "few stories of sibling rivalry include quite as many punches as they do zingers, but this one juggles both with aplomb."
Johansson may not have the jokes as Romanoff, but she is the film's emotional core, writes Variety's Owen Gleiberman. "It's Scarlett Johansson who holds the film together and gives it its touch of soul," he says in his review. "Natasha's desire for vengeance is pulsating, but so are her inner wounds, and Johansson, unusual for the comic-book genre, makes the most vulnerable emotions part of the humanity of her strength."
Marvel Studios Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh in 'Black Widow'
BBC reviewer Caryn James gave the film four stars, calling it "entertaining and full of action," likening it to a universe outside of the Marvel realm. "The action is sleek, well-paced and more Mission: Impossible than Avengers," James wrote. Variety's Gleiberman likened it to another spy franchise, noting, "Black Widow amounts to a satisfying addition to The Bourne Identity franchise.
Deadline's Pete Hammond, like some others, suggested Pugh's debut as Yelena sets the British actress up for a seemingly bigger Marvel future. "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."
That's a view Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post also recognized, writing that Pugh, "delivers a funny, tough and compelling performance in a movie that is clearly meant to launch her character into her own patch of the franchise stratosphere."
But overall, the WaPo reviewer felt the film didn't deliver on its promise. "It still feels like Johansson has gotten short shrift over the course of several Avengers movies in which Natasha has been little more than eye candy, despite her skills, sober-minded pragmatism and personal roots that intersect with geopolitical history in tantalizing ways," Hornaday wrote.
L.A. Times reviewer Justin Chang saw things in a similar way, writing, the "long-awaited solo adventure is both an overdue treat and a missed opportunity. Like the young Natasha herself, Black Widow feels as though it's been programmed into submission — and scarcely allowed to live and breathe before it's suddenly over."
With no superhumans in Black Widow's core cast, Vanity Fair's Richard Lawson wrote, "The physics are different here than in other Marvel movies, more finely attuned to the hardness and weight of things. It all feels a bit more real, I suppose, even when Natasha is accomplishing superhuman feats of endurance and agility."
Summing it up, The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney said Black Widow shifts "away from the superhero template into high-octane espionage thriller territory, it makes a far more satisfying female-driven MCU entry than the blandly bombastic Captain Marvel." Rooney also praised Johansson's "touching vulnerability," in scenes dealing with the character's missed childhood.
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