‘Black Widow’ definitely a Marvel movie – for better and for worse

It seems like it’s been forever since an entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has graced screens at the local multiplex. In fact, the last MCU flick we got to see in theaters was “Spider-Man: Far From Home” which hit screens a full two years ago. So sitting down to watch “Black Widow,” the long-delayed latest MCU movie, in a dark movie theater with a bunch of other movie fans seems like a major return to normality in the wake of COVID.

Come to think of it, “normal” is a suitable descriptor for “Black Widow” as a cinematic experience, at least as related to its status as a Marvel movie.

“Widow” picks up the story of Natasha “Black Widow” Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) between the events of “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War.” Natasha is drawn into a conflict between her sister, Yelena (Florence Pugh), and the powerful and evil oligarch, Dreykov (Ray Winstone). Natasha is forced to reconnect with the parents that abandoned her and Yelena, Alexei (David Harbour), and Melina (Rachel Weisz).

Entering this battle leads Natasha to deal with the fallout from the Sokovia Accords and confront ugly truths about her past and who she really is.

This movie is quintessentially Marvel. It’s well-paced and packed full of bone-breaking punch-ups and breathtaking action scenes. The characters spar verbally with one another and crack a few jokes. The overall mythology is filled out a little more and good times are had by all.

That said, being a quintessentially Marvel flick is a double-edged sword and “Widow” suffers from a lot of flaws that have afflicted past Marvel entries. The MCU is at its best when it’s at its most quirky or epic and “Widow” is neither mind-blowingly epic, like the “Infinity War” and “Endgame,” nor is it anywhere near as quirky or flat-out weird as the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies.

“Widow” is much closer to “Ant-Man” or “Captain Marvel” in terms of quality, perfectly enjoyable but it doesn’t rise to the level of the best of the MCU. Part of that can be blamed on a script that leans too hard on tired uncovering-the-truth plotting other films have done to death and a villain whose motivations are boring. Dreykov works because Winstone is a fantastic actor who is worth watching regardless of what he’s in. But if it wasn’t for Winstone’s performance, Dreykov would be another completely forgettable MCU villain.

However, Winstone’s performance is a good point to start talking about what “Widow” gets right. His performance is far from the only great acting job in the movie. Johansson and Pugh shine in their roles and their scenes together, where they play off one another and feel like two people with a shared history and deep feelings for each other, are the best part of the film.

Harbour and Weisz also turn in terrific work. Harbour’s former national hero who’s nostalgic for the old days is just perfect.

I’m also happy to report that the comedy has been dialed back and not used to inappropriately undercut every big dramatic moment. Here, the laughs mostly serve to build relationships between characters and it works pretty well.

Throw in a couple of eye-poppingly spectacular action scenes (the one that ends the film triggered my fear of heights) and a minimum of set-up for future events in the MCU and “Black Widow” is a pretty good time. It might not be a top-shelf Marvel movie, but it’s perfect for beating the summer heat by taking in a blockbuster flick in an air-conditioned movie theater.

3 ½ Indy Fedoras out of 5

MPAA Rating: PG-13