Marvel Studios' BLACK WIDOW..L to R: Yelena (Florence Pugh) and Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson)..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2020
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Early “Black Widow” Reactions Hail Visceral & Emotional Spy Thriller

June 17, 2021
By The Credits

The first reactions to director Cate Shortland’s Black Widow are appearing online, describing an action-packed spy thriller that completes Natasha Romanoff’s (Scarlett Johansson) story in a visceral, emotional way. What more could we want from the first Marvel movie to hit theaters since 2019, and from the first stand-alone film featuring Johnasson’s beloved, and dearly departed, assassin-turned-Avenger? Unsurprisingly, Johansson is getting praised for an excellent final turn as the titular Black Widow, but there’s also a lot of chatter about Florence Pugh, a newcomer to the MCU, who critics are saying absolutely nails her character. Is there a role Pugh can’t make her own? No.

Black Widow is set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, with Natasha confronting her past, and the people she left behind, to become an Avenger. Those people include Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) and Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour), who, along with Yelena, all appear to be allies against the Taskmaster, the film’s masked villian, and the shadowy forces trying to take Natasha out.

The spoiler-free reactions are assembled below. Black Widow opens in theaters and on Disney + Premiere Access on July 9.

For more stories on what’s streaming or coming to Disney+, check these out:

Two New Epic “Black Widow” Videos Reveal Marvel’s Big Return to Theaters

Review Roundup: “Loki” Mixes Wit, Wackiness, and the MCU’s Most Beloved Antihero

“Black Widow” IMAX Screenings Will Boast 22 Minutes of Expanded Aspect Ratio

New Footage Revealed in Ripping “Black Widow” Featurette

Featured image: Marvel Studios’ BLACK WIDOW..L to R: Yelena (Florence Pugh) and Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson)..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2020

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The Credits

The Credits is an online magazine that tells the story behind the story to celebrate our large and diverse creative community. Focusing on profiles of below-the-line filmmakers, The Credits celebrates the often uncelebrated individuals who are indispensable to the films and TV shows we love.