--- title: "Black Widow" year: 2021 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/black-widow" fi1m_score: 63 critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 30 published: "2026-09-19T12:23:48.245672+00:00" updated: "2026-09-19T12:24:02.565706+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Black Widow (2021) Directed by Cate Shortland · 2h 14m · MPA PG-13 · Action, Adventure, Science Fiction **Fi1m score: 63** · Critics 67 from 30 reviews *In a sentence:* The best scene is dinner with a fake Russian family; the last half hour is weather > Cate Shortland’s spy film is at its best as a comedy about a fake Russian family around a kitchen table, and Florence Pugh runs off with it. The villain is a man at a desk and the last half hour is digital weather. ## Synopsis Ohio, 1995. Alexei (David Harbour) and Melina (Rachel Weisz) pose as an ordinary suburban couple with two young daughters, until a night flight to Cuba ends the pretence and the girls are handed to Dreykov (Ray Winstone) and his Red Room. Years later, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is a fugitive from Secretary Ross (William Hurt), living in a caravan in Norway on supplies brought by her fixer Mason (O-T Fagbenle). A parcel from her estranged sister Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) brings a masked assassin to her door, and Natasha goes to Budapest to find out why. The parcel holds a red gas that frees Dreykov’s Widows from his control, which means the programme both sisters believed was finished is still running, and they are the only two people outside it who know. ## Review Cate Shortland’s *Black Widow* arrives eleven years after the character first appeared in [*Iron Man 2*](https://film.one/film/iron-man-2) (2010) and slots itself into a gap between earlier films, which means it can change nothing. Eric Pearson’s screenplay, from a story by Ned Benson and Jac Schaeffer, gets round this by making a film about a family rather than a hero: four Russian agents who once pretended to be a household in Ohio and have not spoken since. When those four are in a room together, *Black Widow* is as good as anything Marvel has made in years. When it remembers it also needs a villain and a fortress, it becomes the film you were expecting. Florence Pugh is the reason to see it. Yelena Belova has spent her adult life as one of Dreykov’s controlled Widows and has just been freed, and Pugh plays her as someone who has decided to be unimpressed by everything as a matter of policy. The sisters’ first meeting, in a Budapest flat, is a fight Shortland stages at close quarters with curtains, a sink and a hob, and Gabriel Beristain shoots it hand-held and near enough that we can see both women getting tired. Then they sit on the floor and talk, and when Yelena says the Ohio years were real to her whatever they were to everyone else, we were caught off guard and moved. Pugh says it as an accusation, not a plea, and that is why it works. David Harbour is Alexei, once the Soviet answer to Captain America and now a heavy man in a prison yard, arm-wrestling for a living. He plays a boastful, sentimental father who has forgotten the daughters were not his, and he gets most of the laughs. Rachel Weisz has the harder job as Melina, a scientist alone on a farm where the pigs do what she tells them, and she plays her cool and tired and gives the dinner scene its only adult. She deserved another twenty minutes and the film spent them elsewhere. The craft is steady rather than distinctive. Charles Wood’s production design is best when it is smallest: the Budapest flat, the farmhouse with its clutter of chemistry and feed. Beristain lights Norway in flat grey and the prologue in the orange of a suburban evening. Lorne Balfe’s score leans on low choir and a slow, mournful theme that suits the family and has nothing to offer the action. Matthew Schmidt and Leigh Folsom Boyd cut the first hour with room to breathe and the last half hour in fragments, which is what happens when there is little to cut between except falling metal. Ray Winstone plays Dreykov from behind a desk, and he is given speeches about controlling women and no scenes in which he does anything but sit. Behind him is the darkest material Marvel has touched: girls bought, trained, sterilised and steered like drones. Yelena describes the surgery, flatly, to a father who does not want to hear it; the scene is sharp and the film then moves on, and that is the last we hear of it as anything but plot. When the last act turns grey with digital smoke and debris, we watched with the resignation of people who have seen this ending eight or nine times under other titles, and we had stopped caring which sister landed where. Shortland’s *Lore* (2012) followed children across Germany at the end of the war and trusted silence for long stretches. That director is here, on the Budapest floor and at the farmhouse table, and there are other stretches where it could be anyone. The film keeps nodding towards Bond: Natasha watches *Moonraker* (1979) alone in her caravan, and the plot has a lair and a henchman with a gimmick. Bond films stop for dinner. This one does too, once, and it is the best scene in it. It runs 134 minutes at 12A, and about ninety of them are worth your evening if you want to see what four good actors do with a kitchen table. Watch it with someone who will laugh at the dinner, and put the kettle on when the smoke comes in. *Fi1m score 63, published 19 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics come away pleased, if not thrilled. The reviews lean positive by a clear margin, and the praise clusters on Florence Pugh, whose Yelena is named again and again as the film’s chief asset, with Weisz and David Harbour close behind. The bickering assassin family is the part almost everyone enjoys, and Shortland’s fight scenes are credited with a grounded, Bourne-flavoured physicality that several reviewers find refreshing after the usual Marvel scale. The reservations gather around the final act, which many find cluttered and formulaic, and around how little room Natasha herself is given in her own film. The spread is wide. The Times and the Evening Standard treat it as an outright delight, while the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times argue the Marvel machine flattens both Shortland and Johansson, and The i Paper calls the result visually interchangeable. The dissenters are few, but they are not quiet. ### Reviews we read (30) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (90/100, inferred): This is a wondrous, hilarious goodbye to Natasha that might be 2021’s funniest film, thanks to perfect comic timing from Johansson and strong additions from Pugh, Weisz and Harbour. The film celebrates diverse body types and women’s agency while delivering satisfying fights. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/black-widow-release-uk-marvel-review-scarlett-johansson-florence-pugh-b943244.html) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a stellar vehicle for Johansson with first-rate support from Pugh, Weisz and Harbour, praising Shortland's propulsive direction, humor, emotional interludes and shift into espionage thriller territory with strong family dynamics. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/scarlett-johansson-in-marvels-black-widow-1234975052/) - **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): The critic praises the film as a sublime, exhilarating spy romp that benefits from being free of the Avengers, with Florence Pugh as its secret weapon who brings soul and heart. It singles out the family dynamics and character work for praise. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/black-widow-review-marvels-secret-weapon-florence-pugh-dfg878r7c) - **Total Film** (90/100, inferred): The long-overdue solo movie delivers action and emotion as a rousing addendum to Johansson’s MCU story. It succeeds in injecting emotion into the backstory while foregrounding intimate character moments amid non-stop action. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/black-widow-review-mcu/) - **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (B+): The review finds it a solid, quaint Bourne-meets-Marvel romp that gets the job done with effective banter and fights between Johansson and Pugh. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/black-widow-review-scarlett-johansson-1234646575/) - **Little White Lies**, Fatima Sheriff (3/4/3): The review calls it an enjoyable adventure about messed-up families that fulfils cravings for big-screen action. It praises the energetic set-pieces and Pugh’s charismatic performance but complains that it loses standalone value with plotlines added to set up future films. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/black-widow/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film highly enjoyable as a standalone MCU episode that delivers the long-overdue backstory for Black Widow, with strong comic turns and family dynamics. It singles out David Harbour’s scene-stealing Red Guardian for particular praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jun/29/black-widow-review-scarlett-johansson-the-russian-super-spy-with-an-electra-complex) - **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The critic praises the satisfying mix of muscle, emotion and spy-movie influences, especially the dynamic between Johansson and Pugh. It singles out the vigorous fight scenes and humour for praise while noting flaws including a sluggish final act and overlong runtime. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/black-widow-2021) - **The AV Club**, Katie Rife (B): The critic highlights the film's focus on chosen family dynamics among the assassins and the strong rapport between Johansson and Pugh as highlights amid the action. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/paging-dom-toretto-black-widows-best-parts-of-are-all-1847256641) - **Slant Magazine** (★★★): The review finds the film bewildering in execution but singles out its final stretch for exploring atonement and a different resolution to revenge, giving the heroine more humanity. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/black-widow-review-scarlett-johansson/) - **Empire**, Nick de Semlyen (70/100, inferred): The film is a pleasure as an inessential character piece that gives Natasha a past and a soulful, funny requiem. It humanises the Widow through strong family dynamics and creative action sequences despite a silly plot. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/black-widow-3/) - **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (★★★★☆): The review highlights the film as a refreshing change with strong performances from Johansson and Pugh, noting its human fight scenes and droll supporting turns. It singles out the sibling dynamic and Pugh’s audition as a future Marvel star for praise. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/d3295e86-901d-4193-a37a-9321cdcf403b) - **RogerEbert.com**, Brian Tallerico (70/100, inferred): The film confirms Black Widow could have carried her own movie long ago, with strong performances especially from Florence Pugh and tight action choreography echoing classic spy films. It is a sleek, character-rich MCU entry that enriches the franchise despite some third-act clutter. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/black-widow-movie-review-2021) - **Variety** (70/100, inferred): The film is grittier and more layered with feeling than expected, with Shortland establishing a deliberate, earthbound mood closer to neorealism. Scarlett Johansson holds it together with soul while Florence Pugh shines as the cooler, more jaded sister. [Read](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/black-widow-review-scarlett-johansson-florence-pugh-1235007198/) - **Radio Times** (3/5): The review finds it a relatively fun Marvel-meets-Jason-Bourne adventure with laughs and heart. It singles out Florence Pugh’s breakout performance for praise while complaining of strange beats, thin characterisation and missed opportunities that keep it from being a classic. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/black-widow-review-marvel/) - **The Telegraph**, Robbie Collin (60/100, inferred): The review calls the film briskly enjoyable in its espionage and action elements but argues it fails to earn real gravitas from its darker themes. It singles out the limitations of the Marvel formula when tackling serious subject matter for complaint. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/black-widow-review-flaw-marvel-movies-exposed/) - **Vulture** (60/100, inferred): The critic describes it as a barbed farewell to Natasha that critiques the character while introducing Yelena, noting serviceable action and self-reflexive elements but viewing it as a narrative cul-de-sac. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/black-widow-movie-review-adieu-to-mcus-first-female-supe.html) - **Screen Daily** (50/100, inferred): The critic calls it an energetic placeholder in the MCU that proves diverting rather than gripping. It praises muscular action and some performances but singles out the lack of inventiveness, stakes and a story that lets Johansson truly shine for complaint. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/black-widow-review/5160983.article) - **Sight and Sound**, Kim Newman (50/100, inferred): The critic finds that Black Widow fails to balance low-key pseudo-familial bickering with conventional CGI-smashing action set-pieces. It singles out the stronger mid-film prison-break avalanche sequence for praise while noting that fantastical elements clash with the generally sombre tone. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/black-widow-avengers-scarlett-johansson-familial-bickering-cgi-action) - **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (30/100, inferred): Shortland brings intensity to the action but the film feels programmed into submission by the Marvel machine, turning an overdue solo adventure into both a treat and a missed opportunity. Johansson is treated as a franchise afterthought in a story that homogenizes its talents. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-06-29/black-widow-review-marvel-scarlett-johansson-florence-pugh) - **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (30/100, inferred): The film is fun to watch with solid storytelling and thrilling action but loses the essence of the story in the middle and absorbs independent talent without allowing it to shine. Marvel’s chokehold results in a visually interchangeable product that is very little else. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/black-widow-review-once-again-marvel-sucks-the-creativity-out-of-its-talent-1088839) - **The New York Times**, Maya Phillips (30/100, inferred): The movie uncomfortably mashes a family reunion story with a spy thriller and lets Scarlett Johansson get overshadowed by Florence Pugh. It is an overdue but uneven solo outing for the character. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/07/movies/black-widow-review.html) - **NME**, Alex Flood (75/100, inferred): The critic calls it a surprisingly adventurous spin-off that serves as a palate cleanser, praising the new cast members especially Pugh and Harbour for their chemistry and humor in the family dynamic, and notes it cycles through various tones successfully for a fun experience. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/black-widow-review-2980905) - **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (75/100, inferred): The film is treated more as a vehicle to introduce new characters than a deep dive into Natasha Romanoff, resulting in a baton-passing effect. It works best as Marvel’s take on a 007-style spy adventure, with capable women in front of and behind the camera, strong action set pieces, witty banter, and standout performances from Florence Pugh and the supporting cast. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/black-widow-film-review-scarlett-johansson-florence-pugh-mcu-2021/) - **Consequence**, Clint Worthington (B-): The film is a solid mid-tier Marvel entry focused on family dynamics and well-staged action, serving as a victory lap for Johansson and a star vehicle for Pugh. It falters in the third act with clichéd plotting and villains. [Read](https://consequence.net/2021/06/black-widow-review-marvel-movie/) - **Den of Geek**, Rosie Fletcher (4 out of 5): The critic praises the film as a thrilling swansong for Natasha, highlighting its action, humor, emotional nuance, and focus on family dynamics, especially the relationship with Yelena. It notes some typical Marvel pitfalls in the final act but concludes it does justice to the character. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/black-widow-review-marvel/) - **Film Stories**, Katie Smith-Wong (70/100, inferred): The critic finds Black Widow a welcome return to the MCU despite inconsistencies, praising its thrills, wit, action, and performances especially by Johansson and Pugh. They single out the sisterly bond and Shortland's assured direction for praise, while noting some uneven supporting performances and narrative issues in the final act. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/black-widow-review-as-it-turns-out-worth-the-wait/) - **/Film**, Hoai-Tran Bui (6/10): The critic views it as a disappointment and too little too late, praising Florence Pugh's performance and the fight scenes directed by Shortland, but complaining that it squanders potential by crowding the story and not giving Natasha enough focus. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/581985/black-widow-review/) - **Digital Spy**, Gabriella Geisinger (55/100, inferred): The review finds it almost the movie Natasha deserves but not quite, praising the performances of Pugh, Weisz, and Harbour for elevating the story, but criticizes it for glossing over dark themes and feeling like standard MCU fare with emotional shortcuts. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a36802235/black-widow-review-disney-plus/) - **Paste**, Michael Burgin (6.0): Black Widow delivers calorie-free entertainment with strong performances from Pugh but suffers from familiar spy-thriller weaknesses, weak villains, and excessive plot contrivances. It works best as a bridge to future MCU entries. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/marvel/black-widow-review) ## Details - **Director:** Cate Shortland - **Director:** Cate Shortland - **Screenplay:** Eric Pearson - **Story:** Jac Schaeffer, Ned Benson - **Cinematography:** Gabriel Beristain - **Editor:** Matthew Schmidt, Leigh Folsom Boyd - **Music:** Lorne Balfe - **Production design:** Charles Wood - **Costume design:** Sue Bradbear, Kate Collis, Lorraine Cooksley, Jessica Davis, Natasha Freeman, Eniko Karadi, Susan MacKenzie, Gary Page, Margarethe Schmoll, Zoe Taylor, Jany Temime - **Producer:** Kevin Feige - **Cast:** Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow; Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova; Rachel Weisz as Melina; David Harbour as Alexei; Ray Winstone as Dreykov; Ever Anderson as Young Natasha; Violet McGraw as Young Yelena; O-T Fagbenle as Mason - **Runtime:** 2h 14m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 9 July 2021 - **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Science Fiction - **Budget:** $200 million - **Box office:** $380 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp9pNPdNwjI ## Where to watch in the US - Disney+: streaming, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $5.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-19.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Americans* (2013): Soviet agents playing an American family for six seasons, and the marriage is the mission - *Haywire* (2011), Fi1m 74: Soderbergh’s spy film where every fight hurts and nobody quips afterwards — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/haywire.md) - *Lore* (2012): Shortland’s earlier film, quiet and hard, about children walking through a ruined Germany - *Captain America: The Winter Soldier* (2014), Fi1m 77: Natasha’s best outing before this one, in a proper paranoid thriller — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/captain-america-the-winter-soldier.md) - *Nikita* (1990), Fi1m 76: Besson’s original: a girl made into a killer, and the cost of it counted — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/nikita.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/black-widow