Black Widow (2021) Review

So after a delay of over a year Black Widow is finally out and I watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha Romanoff is on the run and forced to reunite with figures from her past to uncover a mystery. 

Main Character

Scarlett Johansson is back for potentially her final time as Black Widow and she is really good in the main role here. We have always seen her as a supporting player but she is thrust into the main character and thrives. Her really interesting backstory is further explored and it allows us as an audience to get more time with her and really see and learn more about her. She is also great in the action sequences and has great chemistry with the rest of the cast as well. 

Supporting Characters

Florence Pugh plays Yelena and for me she was the best part of the film. The chemistry between her and Johansson is fantastic and was the emotional crux of the film, she is great in the action scenes and nails the humorous and emotional scenes that are required. Dave Harbour and Rachel Weisz play there bizarre parents and they are both great, Harbour is sometimes seen as comic relief and does it well but also has some good emotional moments for him to deliver. Weisz is more stoic and intense but plays an important role and you see how these four are so dysfunctional but really need each other. As seen in the trailer Taskmaster is the villain here and I think diehard fans of the character will be disappointed but I thought it worked for this film. He reminded me of the T1000 from Terminator 2 and was just a warrior hunting Black Widow but there is very little character there to bet invested in. That links to the greater issue that is Ray Winstone as the villain and that whole part of the film, it is really generic and he isn't given anything interesting to work with and his motivations and whole arc is kind of in the background and it just didn't work for me. 

Story  

The story is decent, this is basically a film about the concept of family and how it isn't always the people you choose and that part of the film was good for sure with all the actors really selling it and I grew to care about all of them and the relationships that get built up. But again my main criticism was the whole villain angle of the film, Taskmaster isn't as interesting as he could have been and the whole generic Russian bad guy is surely played out but used here and I also had an issue with the actual ending of the film. It is really abrupt and doesn't really make sense when linked up to its place in the timeline. 

Script 

I thought the script was good, I have seen some criticism of the amount of humour involved but I actually though this film took itself quite seriously for the first act. The model for the MCU is to try and balance the humour and drama and I thought the film did it well, I felt the drama when it wanted and I laughed when it wanted so I give the film credit for that. 

Style  

The film has some huge action set pieces but I thought they all worked really well, obviously there is a difficulty to raise tension and stakes with a prequel but the film did as good as possible with those limitations. The film is paced well, and felt an appropriate length, though maybe 5 more minutes at the end would have been appreciated. 

Overall

Overall, Black Widow is a great fun film that is worth the year long wait for big Marvel fans. If you are on board with The MCU then go and see Black Widow as you will enjoy it and there is a big post credit scene here too. 

Rating - 8/10

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Review

It's ironic that with the week that The Falcon & The Winter Soldier came to Disney+ the next film in my Marvel review series is the one that saw both characters debut - Captain America The Winter Soldier. I watched the film today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Steve Rogers trying to adapt to the modern world working for SHIELD when a mysterious enemy called The Winter Soldier targets him. 

Main Character

Chris Evans once again plays Captain America AKA Steve Rogers and he is fantastic in this film, he has transitioned from the naive boy scout and is a really well developed character here. Evans has a charm and charisma that really works for the character and makes him so likeable but you see how his ideals really come out and conflict with this modern world that he has become a part of. He is great in the action scenes and provides the emotion needed for a really great super hero. 

Supporting Characters

Scarlett Johansson plays Black Widow again and she is also great here and a spotlight is really placed on her here more then in previous films and she shines. Her character is given really great development and you see how her friendship with Rogers has changed and adapted since The Avengers and it makes her the most interesting she has been in the films here. Samuel L Jackson is always great as Nick Fury and he is the same here, his character is examined closely here and the dynamic between his methods and Rogers believes is highlighted and explored in an interesting way. He is also part of one of my favourite MCU action scenes in this film so there is that. Robert Redford plays Alexander Pierce and I always find it crazy that one of his last roles is in a Marvel film and he is also really good, he is just a solid hand in his role and he seems to be having a good time. This is the first time we see Anthony Mackie as The Falcon and I actually forgot just how good he is here, he is a really nice character here and his down to earth nature really fits well alongside the Avengers we already see on screen. Sebastian Stan plays The Winter Soldier and this is one of the best villains in the MCU, he is mysterious and a really awesome threat to the heroes and feels like he is truly capable of taking out Captain America. 

Story 

The story for this film is really great, the whole character of Captain America gets explored in depth and this film has a clear message to it which it shows in a mature and unique way. Then there is the interesting stuff involving the villain of the film and what that means, with twists that are genuinely surprising it mixes to have a story that will keep you engaged throughout. 

Script

The script is also fantastic, a really good mix of humour and drama. This film is funny when it needs to be but it also hits some emotional moments that feel deserved and like they actually have weight to them. The film keeps you on your toes with its developments and it is written very well in this case which rises it above other films in its genre. 

Style 

This films style is one of the best parts of the film. The action scenes are some of the best you will see in not only comic book films but also action films in general, this film made Cap one of the truly best fighters in the MCU and that is great to see. Hell, every character is great in their action sequences and they all feel so different that it never gets dull. 

Overall

Overall, this is a truly epic film. The Winter Soldier has intrigue, great characters, great action scenes and twists and turns. This is one of the best MCU films there are and comic book film fans and just film fans alike will love it. 

Rating - 10/10 

The Avengers (2012) Review

On my way to reviewing all the MCU films I have now made it to the end of the first phase which means I have made it to The Avengers and I re-watched it today and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of superheroes have to come together to save the world from an alien force. 

Main Character

He was the first star of the MCU and he is one of the main focuses here, I'm talking about Robert Downey Jnr as Tony Stark AKA Iron Man and I think he is great in the film. He has so much charisma and the one liners are coming at a really high rate in the film, the key thing for me though is that his character develops and I think what this film does really well is show you how much has changed in him since the first Iron Man film. Chris Evans is back as Captain America and it is fun seeing this man who is from another time having to deal with modern times, I also like how his character interacted with the others, also in the action scenes Cap still shines and this film doesn't even montage past all of it. The dynamic between Downey Jnr & Evans is great here and shows just how different their personalities are and how difficult it is for them to work together despite the world literally being on the line. 

Supporting Characters

Okay, there are so many characters so in order for this review to not be longer then it needs I will try and keep this as short as possible. Chris Hemsworth is great as Thor, he adds more humour and presence in the role and like all the other characters he really gets to excel by bouncing his presence off of the other characters. Tom Hiddleston plays the villain Loki and what a shock he is great too, we saw the start of the character in Thor but he has clearly progressed since then and I liked how the relationship between the two brothers develops from the previous film. Scarlett Johansson is back as Black Widow and she is much better here then she was in Iron Man 2, she is actually given a character and real time to shine and the best thing I can say is that she stands alongside these gods and super powered beings and doesn't look out of place. Jeremy Renner plays Hawkeye and they don't give him that much to do, or more like they handle the character poorly, but by the end of the film I came around to Renner in the role and given more to do he is a great fit for the character. Over the first phase of the MCU we have seen flickers of Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury but this is the most we get of him so far and he is great, he is just so cool and interesting with his motivations not being as black and white as you would expect for this film. Now onto The Hulk, Mark Ruffalo takes over the role in this film and he is great as Banner, yes it is different to Edward Norton but he feels like a natural fit and I really liked his character here. But The Hulk is the star of this film, when he gets going he is amazing and looks incredible, The Hulk has never been better then he is in this film I believe and credit has to go to him for that. Clark Gregg, Colbie Smulders & Stellan Skaarsgard are also all good in their roles. 

Story  

As you can see by the lengthy cast list there is plenty going on here but it all balances nicely. I love the fact that the film shows that despite these characters all being heroes they don't all necessarily get along and have different views on things and it adds some much needed drama. I think the fact that we have seen their solo films aids in that as the film doesn't have to waste time with backstories and that allows the film to move at a really fast pace. Yes, there are some conveniences but I don't care, this film is so fun and the final act is comic book film greatness and delivers truly memorable moments. 

Script

The script is great, it just has that very snappy dialogue with plenty of one liners and dialogue that just fits the characters appropriately. There is also some depth and drama to this popcorn blockbuster film and that is good and credit to the people behind the script as this aids in making these god like characters interesting and a bit relatable. 

Style 

The style of the film is one of the best things about the film. As I mentioned above, the pacing of the film is incredibly quick and that aids in making this an incredibly fun film. The action scenes are huge in scale and the CGI is at its best here then any MCU film that came before. Which brings me onto The Hulk, he looks amazing, the action scenes involving him are the the most exciting part of the film and finally the MCU had a Hulk that delivered in looking and fighting like he deserved. 

Overall

Overall, The Avengers is a special film that is a must watch for not just Marvel fans but all film fans. I think because of what The MCU now is we sometimes forget about this film and take it for granted. But without, The Avengers there wouldn't be an MCU and it is an amazing film that is honestly one of my favourite movies possibly ever. 

Rating - 10/10