--- title: "Black Widow: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/black-widow/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/black-widow" critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 30 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): what the critics said Critics' score 67 from 30 reviews: 19 positive, 8 mixed, 3 negative. 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. ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/black-widow-release-uk-marvel-review-scarlett-johansson-florence-pugh-b943244.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/scarlett-johansson-in-marvels-black-widow-1234975052/) ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★☆. 8 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/black-widow-review-marvels-secret-weapon-florence-pugh-dfg878r7c) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/black-widow-review-mcu/) ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn Rating B+. 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/black-widow-review-scarlett-johansson-1234646575/) ## Little White Lies — Fatima Sheriff Rating 3/4/3. 5 July 2021. 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 the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/black-widow/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2021. 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 the review](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 Rating 4/5. 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/black-widow-2021) ## The AV Club — Katie Rife Rating B. 10 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.avclub.com/paging-dom-toretto-black-widows-best-parts-of-are-all-1847256641) ## Slant Magazine Rating ★★★. 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/black-widow-review-scarlett-johansson/) ## Empire — Nick de Semlyen Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/black-widow-3/) ## Financial Times — Danny Leigh Rating ★★★★☆. 7 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.ft.com/content/d3295e86-901d-4193-a37a-9321cdcf403b) ## RogerEbert.com — Brian Tallerico Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/black-widow-movie-review-2021) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/black-widow-review-scarlett-johansson-florence-pugh-1235007198/) ## Radio Times Rating 3/5. 30 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/black-widow-review-marvel/) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 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 the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/black-widow-review-flaw-marvel-movies-exposed/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/black-widow-movie-review-adieu-to-mcus-first-female-supe.html) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/black-widow-review/5160983.article) ## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/black-widow-avengers-scarlett-johansson-familial-bickering-cgi-action) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-06-29/black-widow-review-marvel-scarlett-johansson-florence-pugh) ## The i Paper — Christina Newland Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 6 July 2021. 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 the review](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 Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 7 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/07/movies/black-widow-review.html) ## NME — Alex Flood Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/black-widow-review-2980905) ## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 8 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.thewrap.com/black-widow-film-review-scarlett-johansson-florence-pugh-mcu-2021/) ## Consequence — Clint Worthington Rating B-. 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://consequence.net/2021/06/black-widow-review-marvel-movie/) ## Den of Geek — Rosie Fletcher Rating 4 out of 5. 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/black-widow-review-marvel/) ## Film Stories — Katie Smith-Wong Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2021. 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 the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/black-widow-review-as-it-turns-out-worth-the-wait/) ## /Film — Hoai-Tran Bui Rating 6/10. 29 June 2021. 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 the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/581985/black-widow-review/) ## Digital Spy — Gabriella Geisinger Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a36802235/black-widow-review-disney-plus/) ## Paste — Michael Burgin Rating 6.0. 5 July 2021. 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 the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/marvel/black-widow-review) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/black-widow.md