Black Widow (2021) | FIRST TIME WATCHING! | Movie Reaction

Thank you so much for watching #BlackWidow with me! I LOVED this movie! Wasn't sure what to expect going in, but it was such an enjoyable watch!
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[@emme]

This movie was AWESOME! My next two movie reactions are up on patreon now! The first LOTR movie and also into the spider-verse! patreon.com/emmereacts

[@clarktownsend8991]

Yelena is the best of the new characters easy!! she gets better each time she pops up

[@matthewdunham1689]

I knew you'd love this one! The only complaint for a lot of people was that it took too long to tell! The old misogynistic head of MCU Disney didn't think a woman could carry a movie. (Captain Marvel made over a billion), and they still sabotaged her. She had to sue in order to get appropriately compensated for it. Thankfully, they smoked him, and the original boss came back and let Kevin run the show, eventually.

[@littlebiglsteele4158]

into the spiderverse? so excited

[@2nd3rd1st]

Good movie but it could have been very good or great without Captain Russia and his gross jokes and misogyny. Who at Disney thought that would be soooo funny in a women-led movie that finally gave BW her time to shine? Just goes to show, you let a man talk and he'll ruin your day...

[@Nuisance291]

I thought it was pretty good but they changed taskmaster as a character too much

[@NPA1001]

I think it’s a very underrated MCU movie. A lot of people didn’t like it but I enjoyed it, .. and Florence Pugh is a great addition to the series

[@jacksonconley5117]

Yelena was such a funny character who really stole the show. Great performance by Florence Pugh. I really loved that end credit scene because it’s sets up one of my favorite shows to watch around Christmas.👍🎄❤️💖

[@leftofpunk]

Criminally underrated show as well.

[@testfire3000]

I know what Christmas show you are talking about and I love it too! I can't wait for Emme to get there.

[@stanleysmith2221]

So very true emme gonna love it 😊

[@skylarconstantine99]

Honestly they did Natasha dirty , it felt like they gave Yelena more attention because she was going to be "the next black widow", I like her but they should've given Natasha more focus instead of splitting it because she finally got a movie and it was not mainly about her😢

[@defunctus408]

Alexei broke his fellow inmate Ursa's arm. In the comic books, Ursa Major is a Soviet superhero who has the mutant power to transform into a bear.

[@HelloThere.GeneralKenobi]

The best thing about reaction videos is that for all of you who watch (the MCU movies) for the first time others like myself get to revisit the experience and enjoy it all over again. I can't remember who saw this last but it's been long enough that seeing this again is a great visit.

[@tech_smurf]

That's what I love about watching people react to the MCU I get to also relive it.

[@testfire3000]

Reaction channels are such a great idea. I remember trying to explain it to my sister and she couldn't grasp why I wanted to watch other people watch movies. She doesn't get it but you do, so that's OK. lol

[@tech_smurf]

@testfire3000 hahaha. I watch soooooo many of these channels. My wife is the same doesn't understand why I do it lol 🤣

[@prometheuszero9]

Yeah, I agree, but I also really enjoy watching people watching stuff I like for the first time. It's great when people like the same things we do and I think we all naturally kinda want people to like the same stuff we like. Like when you have a really favorite movie or album or show or whatever, and you keep telling your friend or co-worker or family about it and FINALLY you get them to sit down and watch it and they're like "That was awesome!" and then they end up becoming big fans... it almost feels like an accomplishment or something lol Like you've helped convert another person to something awesome haha

[@tech_smurf]

@@prometheuszero9 💯

[@zumedusa]

This movie happens to be before the Avengers: Infinity War timeline. Natasha wearing the Yalena's vest in Infinity War. In the after credit scene, the woman was Valentina, the same woman who was recruiting US Agent in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

[@Dark_eVader]

Spoiler

[@ghstdnsr]

@@Dark_eVader Not a spoiler, she's been watching it already

[@zumedusa]

@@Dark_eVader how it's a spoiler?

[@nintenmetro]

A fun fact: David Harbour revealed in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel back in June 2021 that he secretly took photos of the Russian prison set and sent them to the Duffer Brothers, but it was for good reason. He wanted to help make sure that the Kamchatka prison set and costumes in Stranger Things season 4 wouldn't be direct copies of what was used for this film.

[@CNTconnoisseur]

Yelena Belova is my FAVORITE new MCU character. She pops up in something else after Endgame and she's AMAZING in that. She is what the first Black Widow movie should have been in the MCU

[@willracer1jz]

40:52 Emme the vest Yelena gives Natasha, is what Natasha wears in Infiniti War and Endgame. FYI the SUVs that were chasing the family at the beginning was SHIELD.

[@MikeWood]

Spoiler if she hasn't got there yet...

[@willracer1jz]

@@MikeWood Emme is watching them in release order, she watched Infinity war, Endgame and the Falcon and the Winter Soldier already.

[@willracer1jz]

@@MikeWood you are correct I thought she had finished watching Falcon and the Winter Soldier. This movie should've been watch after the show. I removed that part from my original post.

[@Etticos.]

Yelena’s “pocket” jacket is the jacket Nat is wearing during Endgame. The Widow program is all women. They are assassins and spies that frequently use seduction to achieve their goals.

[@ProfJeffy]

The Crimson Dynamo is an actual Marvel character too. He's basically the Soviet version of Iron Man, just like the Red Guardian is the Soviet version of Captain America

[@edgarcia4794]

On Hawkeye in End Game? Well one of his sons is named Nathaniel after Natasha. And while Nat joked about him being a traitor for being born a boy so not being a girl woulfn't be "Natasha" it did mean a lot to her. She would have understood and agreed with your point of view.

[@ghstdnsr]

His daughter is also one of the Russo brothers daughter in real life , Joe I believe.

[@honkenbonker]

This was one of my favorite phase 4 movies. I always liked the non-powered heros in the MCU. People like Hawkeye, BW, and Coulsen.

[@VColossalV]

The CGI wasn't great though, or the villain.

[@JM-vj2sx]

You’ll see more about the black widow program when you watch Agent Carter. Please watch Agent Carter! Also that woman at the end is Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

[@Dubnoreix]

Agent Carter was a good show.

[@yawdaorb]

"Is that Courtney Cox? I think it is"😂😂

[@MikeWood]

This really was a standout movie bridging a gap between Civil War and Infinity War. Nice vest she kept too. Watching you figure out some things and then get surprised completely was a lot of us. And that car crash on the bridge was a jump scare for everyone. :)

[@darkphoenix2]

Yelena and Florence Pugh's performance made me excited to see more of her and then I lacked the motivation to watch more Marvel stuff later 😅

[@jacksonconley5117]

I hope you had the motivation to watch Hawkeye especially around Christmas time.

[@mattfromwiisports4910]

I totally forgot that young Natasha was Milla javovich’s kid

[@JustCallMeBreak]

You should say Milla Jovovich’s clone haha

[@keymack2477]

To me this film is much better than "popular opinion" has it. I really enjoyed learning so much about Natasha's back story and Yelena is awesome! And I have heard some interviews with Marvel writers, and yes, they put in the dig about her having two families specifically because of you Emme!! Thanks for another great reaction!!

[@sriver004]

This movie is criminally underrated tbh. Yeah it's not top tier MCU, there's like some script issues dumb little things, but I think it's still a very good movie. In particular, the family dynamic was great, and am excited to see the rest of her family if and when they utilize them again. Yelena and Red Guardian are amazing.

[@kingbrutusxxvi]

Knowing how traumatized Yelena is by everything she's endured makes the scene where Melina tells her "Yelena, it's me. It's mama." hit really hard.

[@citizenbrain8065]

I can't wait until you go through the Hawkeye series now. I have a feeling you will really enjoy that.

[@jacksonconley5117]

It feels like a Christmas gift from the MCU to its fans.

[@shanialover]

NO, Valentina was NOT played by Courtney Cox. It was Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who played Elaine on the show Seinfeld! She has also been in a LOT of movies and television shows! 😊😊👱‍♀👱‍♀👗👗👠👠❤❤

[@corystanish]

The joke when Yelena called Alexei The Crimson Dynamo is really that there actually is a Soviet superhero from the comics called Crimson Dynamo. He wears a suit of powered armor, kind of like a Soviet Iron Man.

[@d3nnykrucil789]

Crimson Dynamo is the sidekick of The Red Guardian (marvel comic)

[@paneledmeteor33]

Fun facts: Emma Watson was first choice to play Yelena, but Flo Pugh’s performance in “Fighting With my Family,” earned her part And Crimson Dynamo is basically Russian Iron Man

[@c.j.2192]

Thank God they chose Florence Pugh to be Yelena and not Emma Watson!

[@SpeedyCat19]

I can't really judge without seeing the actual performance, but man, that seems like a horrible miscast lmao Florence Pugh is amazing

[@shep4life]

Yelena was a breath of fresh air. So great

[@steve8510]

"Those pigs are cute, I hope she's nice to them"... muhahahahaaaaaa

[@Ghost8386]

Cate Shortland was inspired by films such as How to Train Your Dragon (2010), No Country for Old Men (2007), Thelma & Louise (1991), and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. She watched war films and those with armies and militia, imagining females in such situations to help convert them to Black Widow. Shortland also drew inspiration from combat scenes featuring female characters in Alien (1979) and the Terminator franchise, and he wanted the battles in the film to resemble "real fights" rather than wrestling matches. I loved the reference to Moonraker(1979) in this movie. Since 1987, I've been a fan of Black Widow. The opening titles, which featured a version of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," were both unsettling and creepy. In 1995, I was 11 years old. RIP William Hurt. General Dreykov reminds me of a Bond villain.

[@steve8510]

I now live in a world where people don't know who Elaine from Seinfeld is... where's my wheelchair?

[@havok6280]

This did have a theatrical release. It was just also released on Disney+.

[@emilysheldon3284]

I still think Clint would have been a bigger sacrifice than Nat. Yes Nat has adopted parents and sister that care about her but Clint has a wife and kids that depend on him being there to provide for them

[@guitarfreak888]

The vest and the blonde haircut showed up in Infinity War because this movie is after Civil War and before Infinity War in the MCU timeline. Nat was on the run after CW, that's why Secretary Ross was after her in conjunction with the Sokovia Accord. At the end of the movie, when Nat boarded the Quinjet to go somewhere, it was presumably to meet up with her fellow Avengers who were on the run also hence the scene in Infinity War where Nat, Cap and Sam rescued Wanda and Vision from Children of Thanos.........

[@Holfax]

The actress at the end-credit was Julia-Louis Dreyfus (fron Seinfeld). She is playing the Baroness, who is starting up the Thunderbolts team.

[@rishabhpb]

i think she's still watching Falcon & the Winter Soldier so she'll find out soon

[@sharonjoan1970]

Young Natasha is played by Milla Jovovich's (Resident Evil) daughter Ever Anderson...Love this movie so much❤

[@urfaes6878]

Taskmaster was one of the best villains ever. Taskmaster also never learned how to swim. And that's why Taskmaster was hilarious.

[@coltchan7380]

Lmao The irony of David Harbour portraying a Russian.

[@scalefree]

if you rewatch Infinity War, take note of Black Widow's costume. she's wearing Yelena's vest.

[@Cbricklyne]

Emme : "Is that Courtney Cox? I think it is!" LOL!!!!! Said with such confidence and all the certainty you could possibly imagine. But considering the fact that you're a 90's baby, I guess it should come as no surprise that you din't recognize that actress.

[@emme]

The sad part is i used to watch a lot of seinfeld :’)

[@niftymagic]

Excellent, looking forward to seeing your reaction to Taking Chance with Kevin Bacon, Something the lord made with Alan Rickman (prof snape) and The Kingdom with Jamie Fox all great films

[@itsed30]

I haven't been able to catch up to your streams but i have been enjoying your reactions!

[@williamhu6941]

It sucked that I couldn’t watch the movie in theatres since we’re in one year of the pandemic and I ended up watching this instead on Disney Plus on my phone. And Emme, this movie is set in the two year timeline between Captain America Civil War and Avengers Infinity War. Also, the post credits scene sets up for the TV miniseries Hawkeye.

[@shep4life]

Underrated movie. I love the family dynamic

[@FatLittleButterfly]

don't worry, that's what we all thought before we watched Black Widow. To be honest, I didn't even know it was a prequel, so I was convinced Barton was the one who was going to be sacrificed for the stupid orange pebble,

[@ghstdnsr]

What Nat says at 41:52 in this video actually links to an end credit scene in Civil War but I have not seen anyone mention it.

[@eduardogalvan2315]

Emme: I can take him i can beat him in arm wrestling. *Sees him break arm* Emme: *Crickets*

[@roystoyscomics1361]

Black Widow was delayed multiple times while they tried to work out rules for theaters during Covid. It did get a theatrical release but it was released simultaneously on Disney Plus for an additional cost. This led to Scarlet Johansson's lawsuit with Disney because the move to streaming hurt the ticket sales in theaters. They ended up settling out of court. 😢 The villain studying the Avengers is Taskmaster who has photographic reflexes. Meaning the ability to mimic moves flawlessly. Hence the T on the shield. "Captain Russia" would be Red Guardian. He is Russia's version of a super soldier. 😅 Natasha and Yelena are not biological sisters. They grew up together as cover for the spying activity of Red Guardian and his accomplice who is also not his wife. The whole family thing was to help them blend in for their assignment. 😢 In the comics Crimson Dynamo was the Russian equivalent of Iron Man. How did they get the blueprints to Tony Starks armor? They sent a Russian spy to get them. Her name was Natasha Romanoff. 😮 The woman with the purple streak in her hair is Julia Louise Dreyfus of Seinfeld fame. She is playing Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontein a U.S. government operative and she is recruiting. 😮

[@shawnkilgore51]

I loved the "get them all Vests" comment 😂😂😂

[@arthurcamargo8416]

I think it was funny that Yelena named her dog after her sestra! I've often wondered why they didn't do an adventure from before she was with the avengers... I think it might have made for a really good spy/action thriller, in the vein that Olga Kurylenko (Antonia/Taskmaster) makes.... Also, in the movie Endgame, when they were asking about family, it was specifically stated that she did not have any family. Yet here, Hawkeye and she talked about family when they were trapped in Budapest. He would have known that at least Red Guardian and Yelena were still around, but unavailable. It is a shame that Fanny did not get the same treatment that Iron Man did, as they both sacrificed their lives to ensure that life in the universe persisted. Recall that Thanos was going to strip the universe down to the very last atom and start over.... Instead, she essentially got the same treatment as her biological mother did, except we know where she is buried. Also, Julia Louis Dreyfus plays Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine. If you've not seen who this actress is, she stars in Seinfeld, VP, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and was a cast member on Saturday Night Live back in the 1980s. She is a brilliant actor with the Emmys for receipts!

[@Sherman1fan]

Dog's name is Fanny, the undercover identity Natasha didn't want from her friend ( at the trailer when he was sleeping on the bed). This is how her hair is blonde in Infinity Was, with the vest! ( go re-watch it!) Please do not arm wrestle anyone, don't turn in the application form.

[@questionablehumor2800]

Imho, the best line in the whole film was a toss off given to alexei. ..."You should only ever sacrifice yourself" ❣️🤯❣️

[@impossible7163]

I love this movie and I'm happy that Black Widow had her own finally, even if late. In MCU scale it's really dark. But the best thing this movie has is Yelena... Such a great character and I hope she is around for a long time.

[@randalthor741]

This movie actually *did* get a theatrical release (movie theatres were opening up again with social distancing between the seats in some areas by that phase of the pandemic), but it was released simultaneously on streaming, and of course for pandemic-related reasons there wasn't exactly a lot of hype for people to go see it in the theatres. Black Widow was actually the first thing I saw in the theatres after they were allowed to open up again.

[@davidclough3951]

That was not Courtney Cox, it was Lousie Dyrfes. However her name is spelled.

[@TheCkent100]

Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She was also in "Seinfeld", "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and "Veep"

[@ricardoortiz4870]

@@TheCkent100Melinda May would hate the fact that DeFontaine is dating Agent Coulson in that one.

[@nedzed3663]

This movie actually inspired me to reconnect with my sister/forgive her. We weren't speaking ever since our mother died back in 2020, and purchased relationship hadn't been on the best of terms the years leading up to that. So this movie kind holds a special place in this cold cruel heart of mine

[@testfire3000]

That's cool! I hope things are better for you now.

[@nedzed3663]

@testfire3000 It's a work in progress, she's got a lot to atone for, but she's also trying, so I will as well.

[@captironsight]

Crimson Dynamo was the Soviet Iron Man.

[@paulinoaz]

21:53 They kidnap little girls, train them and rip out their uterus so they can't have kids. They use women because they are much better spies because nobody suspects them. That is why Natalie is so good at getting information from bad guys (beginning of Avengers, from Loki, etc) because they don't consider her a threat because she is a woman.

[@Chessmadcrasher]

Nice bicep, such a show off. I definitely wouldn’t want to arm wrestle you. 😂 This flick got a lot of hate but it’s one of my favorite Phase 4 movies. Natasha is the OG and is great but Yelena is so funny, I like her even more. It was fun watching Taskmaster use her abilities, she can perfectly copy and heroes fighting style. She broke out a Captain America type shield techniques and emulated Hawk Eye with the bow and arrow. Perfect Mimicry is such a cool power. If I had that, I would use it to dance like a Jabbawockeez. I so want to watch you react to the Hawk Eye series where we get to see more Yelena.

[@selkie76]

28:25 Crimson Dynamo is another Russian Marvel character, but he's not appeared in the movies yet. Well, that's not strictly true - Anton Vanko (seen dying at the beginning of "Iron Man 2") is one of the men who've held the role in the comics over the years - whether the movie version of him was ever the Crimson Dynamo has yet to be revealed. ^_^

[@jiszmo6668]

Glad you are reviewing this film. I never saw it either. I did watch the series Hawkeye. I suppose this will have some relationship to that.

[@ricardoortiz4870]

32:33 Fun Fact: The actress who plays Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) is actually attractive in real life.

[@NupeCity1993]

Pretty sure this movie confirms not only did Captain America go back in time and live out his life, he carried out covert missions and went up against Red Guardian and probably Bucky as The Winter Soldier as well. I’m pretty sure Bucky knew otherwise he wouldn’t have told Steve “I’m going to miss you buddy” when Steve was only supposed to be gone 5 seconds. Bucky remembers everything. He has memories of going against Steve years earlier and probably couldn’t put them into context until he saw Steve about to travel back in time.

[@declanArdmore]

Alexei could have fought William Naslund who was Steve Rogers replacement in the comics

[@NupeCity1993]

@@declanArdmore possible but that doesn’t explain how Bucky knew Steve wasn’t coming back. And it’s difficult to believe Steve would live out all of his days as a house husband while Peggy leads SHIELD and continues the fight.

[@rickwoodham4570]

This theory does make some sense

[@declanArdmore]

@@NupeCity1993 I think old man Rogers is a skrull because it makes more sense for Steve to take Peggy into the future after her death than to live back in the 40's, Banner's last line in ENDGAME is " He went right PAST his mark"

[@jiszmo6668]

I left Ohio in 1993. Ohio- "round on the end, high in the middle"

[@mrwatermelo50]

She is just too cute she said they were "adopted" :) Why are they all Woman In the wiki article of Innocence there is a picture of Emme

[@IndependentConversations]

Omg I started laughing when you said Courtney cox when it's Julia Louis Dreyfus think Seinfeld or veep

[@silverhairedgamer]

This movie was released in theaters. That's where I saw it.

[@Hardrock1a]

When Nat dies in End Game, she’s wearing the vest.

[@jamalbayliss8523]

😂❤I enjoyed it although i would have wanted the movie to be done earlier

[@RingRoadSessions]

underrated movie for sure

[@BudhagRizzo]

Now you gotta watch the Hawkeye series next.

[@Jymm]

36:58 "Cool Vest Protocol" initiated

[@c.j.2192]

You need to rewatch Avengers Age of Ultron. Wanda caused her to have flashbacks of her time being trained and on the table with Wheels going in to have the hysterectomy. Then later she tells Bruce about her not being able to have kids and they do it so it wouldn't damage a mission. She says to Bruce, you think your the only monster on the team.

[@briansneary7535]

I agree, bacon is great

[@TheRealBrotherGrimmy]

The ONLY problem I had with this movie was the villain. Pheromones was just the most unbelievable thing I've ever heard. I love the movie, but that aspect was just whaaaa??

[@enadegheeghaghe6369]

You have a magic hammer that only Thor can lift, and a man who turns into a huge green monster without dying and the thing you have a problem with is a pheromone lock? Hahahaha. Scientifically speaking conditioning, brainwashing linked to smells is far more realistic than many other things in the MCU

[@SonOfMuta]

42:41 It's Julia Louis-Dreyfus

[@dustyb58]

Someone help me out: Loki mentioned Dreykov's daughter in the Avengers. Is this the first since then we're learning about what happened to her?

[@barkingmonkee]

Young Ohio Yelena asking for Mac and Cheese hits a bit different now.

[@SFNmooby]

I loved this movie sand I'm really glad Scarlett won her lawsuit and got her money for this film. Thank you for another week where I stayed hydrated, had limber legs and didn't end up in jail all thanks to your reminders.

[@mikebrown7799]

Hi Emme!😊The beginning of the film feels similar to the FX TV series "The Americans". You are killing it with all the TV series you are doing lately!!!👏👏👏👏

[@glesnietutty8444]

I would have loved to see Natasha's story earlier seeing Yalena looking at the picture pertains to the show Hawkeye which ypy need to watch to see Yelana again

[@AnthonyGonzalez-lw1ek]

In the beginning did you see they were “Shield Vehicles “

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks, Emme! 🕷 I love this one, an exploration of found/chosen family... very poignant. #EmmeReacts #CateShortland #BlackWidow #BlackWidow2021

[@jennym2276]

I saw this in the theatre

[@bigt39dale]

with the extra scene you need to watch the Hawkeye series to see what happens

[@thereallyst]

18:55 You're watching "Falcon and the Winter Soldier" now. This part will make more sense after watching this....

[@emilysheldon3284]

I believe this did have a theatrical release, it was just made available to stream on Disney+ at the same time, which caused ScarJo to sue because she wasn't making as much because she only profited off of box office earnings so everyone that chose to stay home and watch it were basically just withholding money from her and she wasn't too happy lol

[@ArmouredPhalanx]

It definitely had a theatrical release... I know because I saw it in theatre. The release was delayed a lot since a lot of studios were just hoping everything would blow over, and it released on streaming simultaneously...

[@muddabuwshi6510]

Can't wait for you to get to hawkeye

[@oxhine]

Hey, Emme! This movie was long overdue and, arguably, somewhat too late. Rather than try to shoehorn an inauthentic Captain Marvel origin story before "Endgame", Feige should have given Natasha the cinematic showcase fans had been clamoring for since "Iron Man 2"! As it stands, this flawed film is a breathless action vehicle with some spectacular set pieces, real-world relevance regarding human trafficking and a superb cast that is better appreciated when seen in its proper chronological placement as the follow-up to "Civil War". Nataliya Romanova, Anglicized as Natasha Romanoff, debuted as Black Widow in 1964's "Tales of Suspense" 52, an anthology title featuring Iron Man wherein she was the antagonist written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Don Heck. She wouldn't get her trademark black leather outfit until guest-starring in "Amazing Spider-Man" 86 in 1970! She co-featured with the Inhumans in an anthology title called "Amazing Adventures" for 8 issues before she graduated from recurring character across titles to a mainstay in 81-124 of "Daredevil" where she spent 43 issues co-headlining the magazine as a partner to her lover Matt Murdock! Gene Colan gorgeously illustrated her for both titles as a lithe, dynamic and sensual adventuress. Upon leaving Murdock, she led the Los Angeles-based team "The Champions" for 17 issues. This odd crew consisted of herself, the demi-god Hercules, the mutants Angel and Iceman, and the supernatural vigilante Ghost Rider! In the '90's, she cut her hair short, donned a bomber jacket and led the Avengers as Chairwoman through the remarkable and tumultuous Gatherers Saga. The one constant in her life was the Russian soldier Ivan Petrovich who adopted her during World War II and became her chaffeur through her adventuring career secretly carrying an unrequited torch for his beautiful ward. Although she's had many lovers including Hawkeye, she was only married once to Alexei Shostakov aka Red Guardian introduced in "Avengers" 43 in 1967 as the Soviet answer to Captain America. A graduate of the notorious Red Room where she was brainwashed into believing she was a Bolshoi-trained ballerina, Natasha was actually instructed by the Winter Soldier and biochemically altered to reduce aging, enhance healing and heighten her immune system. The unfortunate side-effect of her treatment was infertility as any pregnancy would be attacked as invasive tissue and miscarried. In the MCU, she is merely a highly-trained mortal subjected to a hysterectomy, platonic partners with Hawkeye and the surrogate child of Red Guardian. Cate Shortland, a relatively unknown filmmaker who previously directed the suspenseful "Berlin Syndrome", managed the action set pieces, big budget pyrotechnics and globetrotting with confidence. The story is relentlessly in motion with Alexei just barely eluding SHIELD by flying to Cuba, Yelena dodging her fellow Widows in Morocco, Natasha evading Secretary Ross in the States, tussling with Taskmaster in Norway, tangling with Yelena and outracing a tank in Budapest, extracting Red Guardian from a Siberian gulag, battling hordes of Widows and nemesis Dreykov in the Red Room, and engaging in death-defying aerial combat in freefall! Plot elements are taken from primarily five sources with her "Age of Ultron" ballerina brainwashing and infertility as well as this movie's pheromonal lock stemming from "Welcome to the Game" written by Richard K. Morgan and illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz, the white suit and villain's flying fortress stemming from "Deadly Origin" written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Tom Raney, Yelena Belova stemming from "Itsy Bitsy Spider" written by Devin Grayson and illustrated by J.G. Jones, her personal tie to Red Guardian stemming from "The Coldest War" written by Gerry Conway and illustrated by George Freeman, and her fugitive status stemming from "SHIELD's Most Wanted" written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Chris Samnee. The script rewards long-time MCU fans by finally explaining what happened between Nat and Clint in Budapest, identifying who Loki referred to in "Avengers" as Dreykov, revealing what Pierce only intimated in "Winter Soldier" when he cautioned Natasha about exposing SHIELD's database and showing where her "Infinity War" vest originated. Although the gender-bending twist of Taskmaster's identity as Dreykov's daughter, Antonia, is certainly surprising, I felt it was an unnecessary waste of a potential recurring villain with a long history as a utility henchman in the comics. Possessing the same formidable ability to mimic any fighting skill he observes, Anthony Masters has been a well-known mercenary since his 1980 debut in "Avengers" 195 with a fantastic skull-faced costume designed by the legendary George Perez. Had he been adapted faithfully in the MCU, he could have been a colorful returning opponent like James Bond's Jaws! The cast is stacked as with all Marvel films. Scarlett Johansson returns as Nataliya Romanova aka Black Widow for the ninth time, if tallied by release order, to put the world's deadliest spy in the spotlight by going back to her roots to resolve unfinished business. Johansson has portrayed the enigmatic beauty with sly ferocity and wry bravado to perfection over the years but here gets to plumb the trauma that both shaped her past and informs her future. Florence Pugh nearly steals the show as Red Room foster sister Yelena Belova. The sibling rivalry and camaraderie between the two is expressed by trading needling quips in which each barb carries the sting of recrimination and the ache of longing. Rounding out the "Americans"-style faux family are David Harbour of "Stranger Things" as Alexei Shostakov aka Red Guardian, a boorish, dim brawler, and Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokova aka Iron Maiden in the comics, a humorless, brilliant strategist and early generation Widow. As unlikely as it would seem, the pair maintained a soft spot in their hearts for their surrogate daughters. Ray Winstone plays the vile misogynist and Red Room overseer, General Dreykov. A character original to the MCU, Winstone plays him as a grubby, deeply insecure, control-obsessed rage-aholic whose prized enforcer is none other than his maimed daughter Antonia aka Taskmaster played by former Bond Girl Olga Kurylenko in a gender-bent adaptation of the character. Olatunde 'O.T.' Fagbenle of "The Handmaid's Tale" plays Mason, Natasha's guy Friday and black market supplier who fulfills the Ivan Petrovich role from the comics and who similarly carries an unrequited torch. A noticeably thin William Hurt reprises the role of Secretary of State Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross in pursuit of Natasha for her violation of the Sokovia Accords. The in-universe explanation for his pallor was a second heart attack but the Oscar-winning actor was actually suffering from prostate cancer which claimed his life in 2022. Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "Seinfeld" is introduced as the mysterious Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine whose trademark skunk-stripe is dyed purple instead. Daughter of director Paul W.S. Anderson and actress Milla Jovovich, Ever Anderson, plays young Natasha in the 1995 prologue. Finally, Jade Xu plays the Asian Widow with the hair bun who throttles Natasha up against a pillar with a baton in the control room fight scene. TRIVIA: 1. Due to its simultaneous release in theaters and on a streaming platform without notifying executive producer and star Scarlett Johansson in order to renegotiate compensation, Ms. Johansson filed a lawsuit against the House of Mouse for loss of potential income. 2. A script for a Black Widow movie was circulating in 2010 when the character made her MCU debut but was rejected for fear of banking on a female superhero's popularity despite fan enthusiasm for the character. Had Marvel proceeded, they would have beaten DC's "Wonder Woman" in 2017 by years and wouldn't have rushed the misbegotten "Captain Marvel" through production. 3. According to screenwriter Eric Pearson, Florence Pugh's actual on-set ribbing of Scarlett Johansson's Widow pose is why the poser jokes were added to the script. 4. On Alexei's right shoulder is a dual rose tattoo beneath which are printed the names 'Natasha' and 'Yelena' in Cyrillic letters. 5. Thirteen BMW X3's were totaled for the Budapest car chase! 6. Dreykov means 'of crap' in Yiddish slang! EASTER EGGS: 1. The massive inmate Alexei describes as a bear and challenges to arm wrestle is referred to as Ursa. In the comics, Mikhail Ursus aka Ursa Major is a mutant member of the Soviet superteam The Winter Guard who can transform into a huge bear! 2. Yelena mistakenly calls Alexei the Crimson Dynamo which, in the comics, is the moniker of an armored antagonist of Iron Man known as Anton Vanko, the father of Ivan Vanko aka Whiplash! 3. Natasha watches "Moonraker" in her trailer in which James Bond finds himself in freefall without a parachute foreshadowing Natasha's similar circumstances during the climax! CAMEOS: N/A END-CREDIT SCENE: 1. In 2024, on the anniversary of Natasha's sacrifice at a headstone erected in her memory in a grove near their childhood home in Ohio, Yelena is tasked with an assassination she dare not refuse when Contessa Valentina identifies the man responsible for Natasha's death: Clint Barton! The next chronological stop in the MCU are Episodes 20-22 of Season 3 of "Agents of SHIELD" which complete the third season of the show.

[@PatrickPrejusa]

the HAWKEYE SERIES IS PRETTY GREAT NOW THAT YOUVE SEEN ALL THIS

[@StreetHierarchy]

Not Courtney Cox! 😂

[@ericbatterson7720]

The crimson dynamo was the Russian version of Iron Man

[@AnthonyGonzalez-lw1ek]

You will like the father in “Violent Night. !”

[@stanleysmith2221]

You are such a fun and interesting reactor, was very pumped as you continue your Marvel journey,

[@KIVninety]

I like you're emme vibe :)

[@magicbrownie1357]

Florence Pugh kinda steals the show on this one. I thought it would've been David Harbour, who's good, but it's Flo who stole it.

[@lukasismael430]

In some cities it did have a theatrical release but with limited seating, distance between audiences was enforced and so was the wearing of masks. The theater I was in only had a couple dozen of people at the time I watched but despite all of that I'm glad I got to watch it on the big screen and I really loved this movie despite all the naysayers. It had a lot of humorous and emotional elements behind all the amazing action scenes. It's actually a tragic movie with lots of action.

[@KenTheReactionAddict]

Great reaction Emme. Just a quick FYI, If you go back to Infinity War, Natasha is wearing that vest in the movie.

[@lucas.2.3.9.4]

the only thing i didnt like about this movie was Taskmaster. the rest was incredible

[@kevinfhaney]

da prison break was awesome ...