‘Black Widow’ First Reviews Praise Action-Packed Backstory: “Marvel Movies Are Back!”

By Fletcher Peters @fIetcherpeters
Published June 17, 2021, 1:25 p.m. ET

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Black Widow (2021)

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Black Widow (2021)

Marvel movies are back! At least, that’s what the critics are saying about Black Widow, based on reactions from early screenings for the new movie.

It feels like we’ve been waiting forever to see Black Widow — or at least, ever since Scarlett Johansson‘s debut as the mysterious Natasha Romanoff in the MCU‘s Iron Man 2, which premiered over a decade ago. The heavily demanded, heavily anticipated feature has been asked for by fans pretty much since that first appearance, and was finally put into official development in 2017. Then the pandemic hit, and the premiere date moved three times, from the originally scheduled May, 2020, to well over a year later.

So was Black Widow worth the wait? Marvel fans, strap in: this is going to be one action-packed backstory.

According to Decider’s own Brett White, Black Widow is “a hard-hitting romp with thrilling action sequences.” And get ready for Marvel’s own Fast and Furious chapter, because there’s also “a fantastic car chase.” Other critics commented on the “bad-ass action” and “ballet-like stunts” that make the film “one of Marvel’s best solo films.”

Black Widow also introduces a bevy of new Marvel characters, including David Harbour‘s Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz‘s Melina Vostokoff. The real stand-out newby, though, is clearly Florence Pugh. The Oscar-nominated actress stars as Yelena Belova, and early viewers lauded her performance, comparing the banter she shares with Johansson to Thelma and Louise.

Ultimately, did the backstory live up to the decade-long expectations we’ve had since the introduction of Black Widow? There was a resounding “yes” from these early viewers. “It’s wall-to-wall action,” commented Cinema Blend’s Sean O’Connell. “But the movie’s heart, and display of a broken family, hit me hard. Very much appreciated this deeper dive into Natasha.”

Black Widow will land on Disney+ and in theaters simultaneously next month, on July 9. The Marvel film will be released as a part of Disney+‘s Premier Access tier, meaning viewers will be charged a one-time fee of $29.99 to watch the movie at home. Other new releases from Disney that have been released to Premier Access, like Raya and the Last Dragon and Mulan, have arrived on the platform for free just three months later.

Scroll up to watch the latest trailer for Black Widow, and stay tuned for Decider’s longer than tweet length review of the film.

Watch Black Widow on Disney+ Premier Access