Movie Review: Black Widow - I, Spy

 

As one of the original six Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Scarlett Johansson's portrayal of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow has consistently been a great part of each film she's appeared in over the last decade. From her sultry appearance, complex background, ass-kicking skills, and deep connections made with her teammates, Johansson has been able to capture all these aspects of Natasha. It's a shame that corporate politics kept her from getting her own solo film for so long, especially after the fact that the character sacrificed herself in "Endgame". After so much waiting though, the highly demanded and anticipated film is able to deliver a serviceable solo adventure and return to theaters for Marvel.

Set directly after "Civil War", Natasha is on the run for her actions during that film and soon finds herself drawn into a conflict that forces her to face family and enemies from her past. For what's meant to be Scarlett's swan song as the character, the film allows us to dive deeper into Natasha's past (good parts and bad) and see what made her the person we're familiar with, as well as feature some call backs to some of her best moments from previous films. I could also see how Nat needed to go through the events of this film in order to build up a spark of hope that she'd hold on to later on in "Infinity War" and "Endgame."

Probably the best aspect of the film is Natasha reuniting with the undercover Russian family she was part of as a kid.
Yelena Belova (played by Florence Pugh) acted as Nat's younger sister and went through the same Red Room training, unable to get out until the events of this film. While two decades had gone by since they last saw each other, the sisterly bond between them is clearly alive despite their misgivings surrounding the circumstances of before. They really do act like grown siblings with each other, with Nat still looking out and wanting the best for her while Yelena has a more bitter sweet attitude; she admires her "sister" but still likes to make fun of her tendencies, though there seems to be a sense of resentment considering Natasha's world famous status as a hero despite where they both came from. What I really like about Pugh's performance is a sense of innocence she's able to convey (especially in her eyes); as she was the youngest of the family unit, her time with them meant a lot more to her emotionally and stayed with her into adulthood. I really look forward to where the future takes her as the MCU establishes the next legacy character.
Alexei Shostakov (played by David Harbour) acted as Nat and Yelena's father and was Russia's only successful super soldier, going under the name "Red Guardian". This character reminds me a lot of Mr. Incredible in the first Incredibles film; he's someone who clings heavily to his past glory days and has to realize the significance of having a family. You can see he cares and has a sense of pride in his girls, but it's for the wrong reasons at first as he struggles to develop a true fatherly love.
Melina Vostokoff (played by Rachel Weisz) was the wife/mother of the unit, and while she does seem to have a strong bond with everyone and there were some good moments between characters, she didn't really stand out to me compared to Yelena and Alexei. If I can give the character anything, it's that I enjoyed the flirting between her and Alexei, hinting that their relationship did run deeper than a front.

While not our main villain and a little different from the comics (which we should expect from MCU versions at this point), I really did like the use of Taskmaster in the film. For a character that mimics others, they did a good job in how the character moved where you can clearly see the parallels to Captain America, Black Panther, Hawkeye, etc. When not fighting, the way Taskmaster acts is pretty creepy. Relentless on the mission and silent aside from breathing, it really reminds me of a combination Darth Vader and the Terminator. The character made for some entertaining fight scenes, even though the free fall scene in the film's climax could have took things a lot further, but it could have ran the risk of being too outrageous even for Marvel.

Though the film can be considered Marvel's version of a spy thriller, I see some elements of "Winter Soldier" and "Captain Marvel" on display here. Unfortunately, this is where I feel the film falters in my opinion. Unlike "Winter Solider", the twists "Black Widow" tries to deliver didn't really seem to have the impact they were hoping for on me. I kind of chalk this up to our main villain, Dreykov, not being that interesting. We already know he's bad and he's pretty much a stereotypical Russian villain; it felt like a poor attempt at trying to duplicate Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce. And while there is a feminist message, I honestly feel "Captain Marvel" did it better. They do do it in different ways with Captain Marvel being about "don't underestimate women" and Black Widow being "don't allow yourself to be subservient"; both are good lessons, but the message in "Captain Marvel" directly tied to Carol's arc while Natasha had long established herself as an independent person who already escaped her bonds.

While not one of Marvel's strongest, though certainly not their weakest, "Black Widow" nonetheless still delivers a film worthy of the character and should satisfy those who waited so long for it to happen, bringing with it a unique family dynamic and entertaining action. For Marvel's first theatrical release in two years, their return entry is surely a welcome one.

TV Review: Loki - Glorious Promise

 

Since his debut in 2011, Tom Hiddleston has consistently stolen the show and our hearts as the god of mischief, Loki. His role as a villain and path of redemption made for one of the best character arcs in the Marvel Cinematic Universe until the end with his (final) death at the hand of Thanos in "Infinity War." But it seems not even death can keep Loki down. Thanks to the Avengers' time travel shenanigans in "Endgame", a version of Loki from after the battle of New York had escaped imprisonment, leading into his very own Disney+ series. And of the three Disney+ Marvel series so far, "Loki" may have the biggest impact on the future of MCU yet.

Despite his escape from the Avengers, Loki is quickly picked up by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) for his deviation from the set course of events in the "sacred timeline". It's at the TVA we learn more about the rules of time travel and the prospects of a multiverse in the MCU; while I still have questions about how certain things work (even more so from what was already established in "Endgame), they still do a good job explaining the main concept. While most variants are quickly erased, this Loki is kept around to help capture another variant of himself that is eluding capture from the TVA; you could see this idea as a mix of "Quantum Leap" and "Silence of the Lambs."
Tom Hiddleston delivers probably his most engaging performance as Loki yet. First and foremost, how he adapts to his new surroundings is really fun. He's truly a fish out of water, being treated like a true prisoner with few comforts and dressing in traditional workplace clothes as opposed to the fancy threads we're accustomed to seeing him in. The best parts though are when he needs to come to terms with the destiny that was originally laid out for him and realizing what he truly wants out of life. It shows that despite his villainous nature and his past deeds, there is something of a hero buried deep down, perhaps even more so in this version than his "sacred" counterpart.
There are more Lokis besides Hiddleston's "sacred variant" though, as we go full "Into the Spider-Verse" with different versions of the character portrayed by different actors. Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, and Jack Veal are just a few bringing their own spin to the character while also portraying versions comic fans are familiar with. It's really entertaining watching the different versions play off of each other, with the relationship between Hiddleston's and Di Martino's one to root for.

Something to really think about in the series is how Loki's deceptive nature permeates throughout the whole series and with almost every character. Loki appears to want to help the TVA but he of course has his own goals in mind, but the way Hiddleston plays it makes you really think Loki could be genuine in the former. This spreads to the other Loki variants as well as those within the TVA. Just when you're feeling one way about a character, something happens that flips that switch. The only character Loki and the viewer can really trust is Agent Mobius, which isn't hard given the wholesome performance of Owen Wilson.

Where "Loki" lacks in action (though what action it does include is quite decent), the series at its core is more philosophical. With questions surrounding ideas such as free will, destiny, and morality, the series will give you a lot to think about. 

Of course the biggest thing to come out of this series is the official establishment of the multiverse in the MCU, both past and future. The first episode states that wars between worlds in the multiverse were constant until everything was folded into one timeline, with the TVA charged with keeping any branches from forming. From the outside, the idea of alternate timelines is exciting, especially since it's a common trope in comics and general audiences have seen the concept through "Spider-Verse" and DC's Arrowverse; keeping everything to one timeline can seem boring. However, there is a well crafted sense of dread in the final episode as the new multiverse begins to take shape; the way the single straight line of the timestream begins to branch out in various directions make it seem like reality itself is cracking. Despite the excitement of what's to come, it comes across like a real "Oh shit" moment.
Because of this though, we can see how the events of "Loki" will reverberate not only when the series returns for its announced second season (whenever that may be), but throughout the MCU as a whole. The "What If..." animated series and "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" are prime examples, but "Spider-Man: No Way Home" will take it one step further by most likely giving us an idea of how Sony's partnership with Marvel will lead to crossovers with their their own Spidey related films both past and future. Beyond what we already know is coming, the finale firmly establishes who our next Thanos-level villain for the MCU will be and it's my speculation things will culminate with a film based on Jonathan Hickman's "Secret Wars" event from 2015.

In conclusion, "Loki" brings complex new layers to the MCU with a promise of infinite possibilities. It's creative and thought provoking with a talented cast whose chemistry together play a part in turning out exceptional performances. The combination of concept and execution certainly make this series essential viewing for Marvel fans.