The review embargo has lifted for Black Widow, and it looks like this is going to be another critical hit for Marvel Studios. For the most part, these reviews are extremely positive, and while some outlets weren't quite as keen as us, the vast majority of verdicts end up being in the 3* - 4* range.
We'll start with the trades, and in Variety's review, they heap praise on the movie's lead. "[It’s] Scarlett Johansson who holds the film together and gives it its touch of soul. Natasha’s desire for vengeance is pulsating, but so are her inner wounds, and Johansson, unusual for the comic-book genre, makes the most vulnerable emotions part of the humanity of her strength."
The Hollywood Reporter was similarly impressed, and conclude by singling out the work of director Cate Shortland. "The production represents a huge leap in scale for Shortland, who made her name with the intimately observed Somersault before segueing to the Holocaust drama Lore and the psychological abduction thriller Berlin Syndrome," they note. "Those features all explored the lives of young women with sensitivity and genuine curiosity, something the Australian director continues to do here, adding unexpectedly rich dimensions to a genre that often shows too little interest in character."
Moving to our fellow entertainment websites, ComicBook.com gives Black Widow 4.5/5 and are quick to point out that "if you have the chance to see it on the big screen, you should absolutely take it." IGN awards the movie 7/10, and are a little more reserved with its praise, concluding by explaining that "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." Total Film goes with 4/5 and says, "Natasha Romanoff’s long overdue solo movie delivers action and emotion in a rousing addendum to Scar-Jo’s stellar MCU story."
Over at The Guardian, we have another 4/5 review as the site exclaims, "For fans of Black Widow and everyone else, this episode is great fun and Harbour could well ascend to spinoff greatness of his own." Unfortunately, Slash Film wasn't convinced, and give the movie just 6/10. "Black Widow is at its best when it’s a wacky family drama between Natasha, Yelena, Alexei, and Melina, with dashes of a spy thriller," the site explains. "But Marvel films can’t content themselves with staying small, and Black Widow falls victim to the big bombast characteristic of the studio. The result is a disappointing solo movie that ends up burying Natasha Romanoff once again."
Believe it or not, even The Playlist mostly enjoyed Black Widow with a "B" score and a review that ends with, "Ultimately, Black Widow is mostly an entertaining and adequate tribute to Natasha Romanoff, Black Widow, and Scarlett Johannson’s time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, it’s not quite the bittersweet, moving, or resonant send-off one might have hoped for based on the initial movie’s promise of exploring a dark and damaged past and what that does to the soul."
In our review, we concluded by saying, "Black Widow is Bourne meets Bond meets Terminator...with two outstanding, badass female leads. Action-packed, funny, and at times surprisingly gut-wrenching, Cate Shortland's vision for the MCU is bold, empowering, and utterly unmissable."