Roughly a decade after her debut in “Iron Man 2,” we finally got a movie that dives into the character of Natasha Romanoff. In this prequel, Nat is on the run from Secretary Ross after the events of “Captain America: Civil War.” However, her past catches up to her when Nat’s long-lost sister (Yelena) returns and informs her that the Red Room is still active. Reuniting with her adopted family, Natasha sets out to destroy the Red Room and its leader once and for all. 

However, in spite of such a promising premise, most fans have not received this movie well. But I would still argue that this is a good movie, mainly for what it does for Nat’s character journey. 

Pro/Con #1: The Characters

When I rewatched this movie, I kept forgetting how Nat’s family wasn’t an actual family. They may have been a collection of Red Room agents and assassins, but with how they constantly bicker with and fuss over each other, they might as well have been a real family. A good example of this dynamic is the dining room scene, where Nat finds her adopted mother and everyone reunites around the table. It’s actually funny because Nat tries to get everyone to focus on the mission, but Alexei reaches for the food and flirts with Melina, who then criticizes Nat for slouching. Nat quickly gets fed up and tells everyone to shut up, to which Yelena innocently defends herself by saying she didn’t do anything, and I love how that’s just the kind of thing the youngest sibling would say. But in spite of all the petty squabbles, I love how they all finally care for each other like a real family would. I especially love how Alexei, the self-centered idiot, went to comfort and connect with Yelena before they all got captured. Plus, even though neither Nat nor Yelena heard this, he poured out his heart and wanted to be a true father to those girls. In addition, I love how Melina seemed to show loyalty to Dreykov at first, but after connecting with Nat about her biological mother, she supported her adopted family instead of throwing them to the wolves. They’re definitely not a perfect family by any means, but what family ever is? When it came down to it, all that mattered was the bond they shared and cultivated.

However, as heartwarming as that is, I still have trouble getting a good read on them. What I mean by this is that, throughout the movie, their motivations either weren’t clear or poorly written. Natasha and Yelena’s motives were definitely clear, with how they both want to take down the Red Room and free all the enslaved assassins. But what about Alexei? Sure, his supposed friend and leader threw him in prison, but he spends most of the movie focused on himself or his daughters. After he gets imprisoned on the Red Room station, it’s like he doesn’t even remember Dreykov existed. As for Melina, she seemed most loyal to Dreykov and even called the Red Room to come capture her adopted family. While she did have a bonding moment with Natasha about her biological mother, the moment felt a bit rushed when she immediately told her about what she did. This is especially true when we get a flashback about her making a plan with Nat, because it still doesn’t fill in any holes. I understand she probably turned out of love for her “family,” but I would’ve preferred if they gave a more impactful drive that would stick in my brain. 

Pro/Con #2: The Villain

Now, I know a lot of fans aren’t happy with this particular depiction of Taskmaster, but I like it. This version fits so well within the MCU and Nat’s story because the MCU was known for its interconnecting stories and unique (and sometimes comic book accurate) portrayals of villains. While this Taskmaster isn’t the same guy with photographic reflexes that can copy moves on a whim, she carries herself against Nat very well and nicely copies what the Avengers can do. She also carries a massive presence with the way she never talks, and especially when she tilts her head before wailing into her opponent, because those actions just creep me out but also draw me in. The best part, though, is how well it incorporates into Nat’s story. After all, Nat thought she killed Dreykov and his daughter, and the action has haunted her ever since. But we not only find out his daughter survived, but was also turned into this terrifying assassin, just ties up a lot of loose ends and helps Nat heal when she saved her. As for the Red Room itself, I absolutely admired the concept and structure of the base. When I first watched it, I wondered what Yelena meant when she said Dreykov constantly moved it around, so it blew my mind that it turned out to be a flying fortress. The fact that everything the Red Room does, how it all comes together in such a high-tech environment, is remarkable because it’s like an evil S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. That’s also what made its destruction so satisfying in the end, because all that unfinished business is finally gone and Dreykov will never create more Widows again. 

In spite of all of these facts, I can’t deny that there are areas in these antagonists that could definitely use some improvement. Again, I don’t have a problem with this version of Taskmaster, but I agree that other versions are way better by comparison. Whether it’s the comics, “Ultimate Spider-Man,” or the PS4 game, Taskmaster is usually a mercenary for hire who can copy your moves. The dude is pretty terrifying, and is a reoccurring nightmare for Spider-Man and most other heroes. However, in this movie, Taskmaster suffered the fate of the “one-off villains.” While she wasn’t killed off like most of the other villains, and even though she’s coming back for “Thunderbolts,” we only get to see her as a villain in this one movie. However, my biggest issue is with the Red Room. As impressive as it is, it has just as many flaws that just can’t be ignored. For instance, near the end of the movie, Melina tries to deactivate the engines but ends up blowing one up completely. Apparently, that was enough to make the whole complex fall apart and make a fiery crash to the ground. While I understand there’s some science behind such a chain reaction, it still makes the base look extremely brittle and makes its destruction ultimately anticlimactic. After all, this is the central base of operations for one of the shadiest and deadliest organizations in the world, so you’d think they would’ve taken better precautions. They clearly had the resources and tech to do so, but one small explosion in one engine is all it takes, apparently. 

Pro/Con #3: The Story

A prequel origin story of such an iconic character was long overdue, especially when all we got were snippets of her past every now and then. That’s especially why the beginning of this movie resonates straight through to the bone, because we get to see her family life and how normal it looks. Again, we forget they’re not an actual family until they escape from S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles and Dreykov splits the family apart. However, the most chilling part is the montage during the opening credits, because it’s like its own story. We get so much context about the training of Black Widows, preparations for infiltrations, and the choice of music combined with all of that makes it especially terrifying. In addition, the timing in the MCU storyline was well-done. After said opening credits, we get to see the Natasha straight out of “Civil War:” a wanted fugitive, desperate to disappear, and all alone. After being in such a vulnerable state, her past comes back to haunt her while also prompting her to dig deeper until she takes on the responsibility of her mission. I absolutely love how Nat is forced to finally confront her past after ignoring it for so many years, because it helps her heal and therefore prepare her to be the hero we need by the time of “Infinity War.” But what makes this ultimately satisfying, though, is how she resolves everything in the finale. While fans have a problem with the CGI in Dreykov’s death scene (and I even see why), I love watching the inside of the ship go up in flames and seeing Dreykov’s glasses burn up. Not only does this signify the end of the Red Room and Nat’s unfinished business, but it also gives relief that no other girl will suffer from Dreykov’s terror ever again. Speaking of which, I’m glad they found a moment to free not only the Widows, but even Taskmaster of their brainwashing. Especially when it’s so messed up how all these women, including Dreykov’s own daughter, were forced to be mindless killing machines all for Dreykov’s selfish and disgusting goals.

But if there’s one complaint I have about the story, it’s that there is still some context missing. What I mean is that, while the movie did a good job with Nat’s story, there are other parts that are briefly explained (and therefore forgotten) than shown in greater detail. For instance, in one scene, we find out that Nat went through a different kind of conditioning than the other Widows, which allowed her to escape and join up with Hawkeye. While that’s satisfying on a surface level, it still doesn’t explain when or even how she left the Red Room without any consequences at the time. Plus, when did she meet up with Clint? What happened in Budapest? Yeah, they blew up a building, hid in a vent, but what else happened? I understand that the producers behind this movie probably had so much material to fit into a specific timeframe, but I would’ve at least liked to see longer flashbacks regarding these questions. Heck, I’d love it if we got another prequel with a story centered around Nat’s defection to S.H.I.E.L.D. if the move length was an issue. But the bottom line is that there are several dots that haven’t been connected well, if at all, and it’s left many fans unsatisfied or disappointed. 

Conclusion

Overall, this was a satisfying exploration into and conclusion of Black Widow’s past, and a great transition in between “Civil War” and “Infinity War.” Sure, it may not be perfect for some fans, but what movie ever is? Even so, it’s still a good watch and especially when compared to the content they’re making these days.