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This is a super solid, fun, well choreographed action entry in the Marvel universe. Very similar feel to the winter soldier and civil war. Acting is great, fight scenes are awesome, and the humor is well timed and refreshing.

Rewatching this film was something I needed-because now I appreciate it far more than before, despite all the flaws working against it.

The CGI, for example, hasn't aged well at all; it's still bad. Some scenes needed more polish, and it was even used for things that felt unnecessary.

As for the story, the villain should've had a stronger presence throughout. The transition from the second to third act was anticlimactic. Alexei's character honestly struck me as annoying, disruptive, and completely pointless. And the Red Room's metaphor for human and child trafficking of girls was something I wish it had been explored more deeply across the entire narrative.

Despite that, I've grown to appreciate the action and characters far more: Natasha and Yelena shine. The action truly excels in the hand-to-hand combat scenes, which were the highlights.

Florence Pugh as Yelena was the perfect casting choice. They gave her character so much charisma, personality, and layers that it was impossible not to love her-and to want more of her in future MCU films or shows. Her chemistry with Scarlett as sisters is heartfelt and portrayed flawlessly.

Natasha Romanoff feels like a completely different character compared to her past MCU appearances-and that's a good thing. Here, Natasha has far more depth: her vulnerability, regret, anger, determination, sadness, tastes, goals, and dreams are all explored. This version of Natasha was a joy to meet, and I'd have loved even more of her. With her rich backstory, she deserved a full trilogy. We'll miss you, Black Widow.

For fans of Black Widow and everyone else, this episode is great fun and Harbour could well ascend to spinoff greatness of his own. It shouldn't really have taken 11 years for the Widow to get her own standalone adventure. But thanks to some zesty new character dynamics and smart twists, Marvel have finally done her right. Whether the narrative is in amped-up overdrive or idling, the director and her magnetic cast keep us fully invested in their cautious reconnection and their ability to survive a series of life-threatening encounters. Marvel's Black Widow is a strong solo superhero effort that feels both timely and also way too late.

After many years and many movies, Black Widow, one of the original Avengers, finally got a movie. And while it wasn't anything groundbreaking, it was still a fun watch. Taking into consideration the splash of spy genre, a pack of new and interesting characters, plenty of action and intensity, I'd say this wasn't a bad movie. It's something exciting, while not totally memorable in the large expanse of the MCU. Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh both did great. David Harbor's character was good and definitely became a favorite in the movie, but I think he still has some things to unravel. The ending "big reveal" was kind of mediocre, but the final fight swept it under the rug mostly. Hopefully we'll get more of some of these characters in the future so they'll have the time they need to grow. Overall, if you haven't watched it and want a movie to watch while you're bored, I'd recommend this one.

I was expecting a typical, CGI-infused Avenger movie, and it certainly is that. Black Widow, though, has a lot in common with James Bond movies. There's even a scene in which 007 is playing on TV. The Black Widow must stop a Russian General called Dreykov, a sort of SPECTRE czar megalomaniac who "rescues" unwanted girls and turns them into super assassins, called widows. Widows go through extensive training. A select few get chosen. The rest are killed. This makes Dreykov a monstrous misogynist, in a movie, directed by a woman, Cate Shortland, which has unmistakable feminist themes. There are two main Black Widows: Scarlett Johansson's character, and Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh. Belova is impulsive where Romanoff is introspective. The two are sisters only in that they grew up as part of a Russian cell, in an Ohio suburb, along with Rachel Weisz as their brilliant scientist mother, and David Harbour, as Red Guardian, Russia's version of Captain America, as the dad.

The action set pieces, and fight scenes were good, but no better or worse than your typical Marvel Avenger movie. There are the standard wisecracks, as Johansson and Pugh riff on each other. Yelena teases Natasha's signature landing move, with one arm extended behind, the other hand on the floor, and legs spread apart, a fighting stance Yelena finds diva-like and pretentious, and is disgusted with herself when performing the same pose. The chemistry between Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh is nimble and enjoyable. The scenes with David Harbour, arm wrestling people in a gulag prison, are also very funny. In summary, this is a solid, fun Marvel movie, with a hint we will be seeing more of Black Widow Yelena Belova.