Black Widow Review Round-Up: What Do The Critics Think?

After long delays thanks to an unprecedented viral pandemic, Marvel Studios' latest movie, Black Widow, is finally here--well, at least the reviews are. The movie will hit theaters on July 9, and it will also arrive to Disney+ that day under Premier Access for an additional $30. Now that critics are talking about the movie, here's what they had to say.

Over at GameSpot's sister-site, Metacritic, Black Widow has scored a 69 so far, out of 28 reviews, one of which was negative, 6 of which were mixed, and 21 of which were positive. Over at Rotten Tomatoes, Black Widow sits at 86% fresh currently. This is still over a week from theatrical release for the movie, so these scores will likely change.

Below, you will find a selection of some of the many reviews for Black Widow, and you can check out some early social reactions as well. For more from Marvel, you can check out Disney+'s Loki, which airs on Wednesdays. Recently, the series revealed that Loki is bisexual and where TVA agents really come from. Additionally, a new trailer for the upcoming Shang-Chi movie got a new trailer, which has a giant dragon in it.

Black Widow

• Directed by: Cate Shortland
• Written by: Jac Schaeffer, Ned Benson, and Eric Pearson
• Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and David Harbour
• Release date: July 9 (US theatrical and Disney+ Premier Access)

GameSpot - 6/10

"Fans hungry for any MCU entry at all will find plenty to chew on in Black Widow, but ultimately the movie is unsatisfying. That may be partially down to real-world issues that are outside of anyone's control, like the pandemic pushing release dates around. But despite strong performances from the leads and the addition of a couple of welcome new characters who may spice up the MCU's future, this Natasha side story has plenty of inherent problems that drag it down regardless of any external factors." -Michael Rougeau [Full review]

Deadline

"Johansson is again a great presence in the role, showing expert action and acting chops throughout, while Pugh is clearly ready to lead her own franchise after this MCU debut." -Pete Hammond [Full review]

The Hollywood Reporter

"On the craftsmanship side, Black Widow is top-notch, with muscular camerawork from Gabriel Beristain and a wonderful score by Lorne Balfe that ranges from gentle piano to high-intensity suspense and almost into the operatic as it incorporates stormy choral elements. The editing of the fight scenes is perhaps a touch too unrelentingly fast, often blurring the choreography, but the physical side never feels overwhelmed by CG enhancement." -David Rooney [Full review]

IGN

"Marvel's long-awaited Black Widow film shakes up the classic superhero movie form. Styled like an espionage thriller, the film digs into Natasha Romanoff's mysterious past as a trained assassin--opening up about her 'family' and introducing an inventive villain, Taskmaster. But while the film is plied with eye-catching action sequences, it struggles to strike a balance between action and family drama, and reinforces some of Marvel's tired tropes of women superheroes. It ultimately captures Natasha as a formidable fighter with unshakeable morals, making her inadequate Endgame send-off all the more bittersweet." -Nicole Clark [Full review]

ComicBook - 4.5/5

"Black Widow is well-paced and filled with exciting action sequences, led by director Cate Shortland. Making the movie a prequel to the last two Avengers films lowered the stakes by a large margin, but sometimes a fun little side quest is a preferable treat. The balance of action and comedy is an enjoyable return to Marvel's simpler days and while the movie isn't the franchise's all-time best, it has some of Marvel's best character dynamics to date. Black Widow never quite matches up to the perfection of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but the film still marks the franchise's strongest action-packed spy thriller since the Cap sequel was released back in 2014." -Jamie Jirak [Full review]

Roger Ebert - 3/4

"As with a lot of the MCU, the third act here gets a little cluttered and repetitive but then the film recovers with a remarkable final action sequence that sends characters and debris hurtling through the sky (an MCU staple but Shortland’s choreography makes it feel urgent again). It’s ultimately a film that works on its own terms, a long-delayed enriching of the story of a beloved character that will make her ultimate sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame feel even more powerful in hindsight." -Brian Tallerico [Full review]

Consequence - B-

"Black Widow is actually aided by its status as a posthumous ode to a dead character in the Marvel franchise. The audience already knows Nat’s fate, which means Shortland’s action adventure can turn into a kind of tragedy: We get to see how, before she died, she got to reconcile with both of her respective families. It’s absolutely mid-tier Marvel, alternatively harmed and aided by its late position in the slate. But as a reintroduction to the cinematic universe after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s definitely worth a look." -Clint Worthington [Full review]