THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2021 Page 15 ~ ADVOCATE MOVIE REVIEW ~ Black Widow’s first solo mission fails to meet objective; rating: D+ A By Mitch Ringenberg common criticism lobbed towards the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is that each of their movies all look, feel and move pretty much the same. When a promising indie director like Taika Waititi (the New Zealand filmmaker who helmed 2017’s “Thor: Ragnarok”) or recent Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao (this year’s upcoming “Eternals”) is scooped up by Disney to direct their latest Avengers-adjacent blockbuster, it’s often difficult to see their thumbprints in the final product. It’s like when Quentin Tarantino directed a couple episodes of “CSI” back in 2005; these directors are there to film one chapter of a larger story and collect a handsome paycheck while they’re at it. Thus, credit should be given to director Cate Shortland for imbuing “Black Widow” with a noticeably darker tone than previous MCU outings. Set shortly after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” this prequel focuses on the tortured backstory of Scarlett Johansson’s Russian-superspy-turned-Avenger Natasha Romanoff (codename Black Widow). The film is a spy thriller about survivor’s guilt and the trauma women carry after spending time with abusive, domineering men. At least that’s what “Black Widow” wants to be about. Unfortunately, all that thematic ambition is undermined by graceless, CGI-heavy action and lackluster storytelling. This movie desperately wants to capture the grim espionage thrills of “The Bourne Identity,” but it ultimately feels like an inferior imitation. The film begins with an opening credits montage of female child soldiers being brainwashed and trained in lethal combat as a breathy, female-sung cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” MOVIE | SEE PAGE 17
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