Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Black Widow 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 16, 2021

It's difficult to say how Black Widow will ultimately be remembered one, five, ten, or twenty years from now -- probably as an entertaining if not somewhat superfluous footnote within the much larger Marvel Cinematic Universe of films -- but for now, in September 2021, the film's place in today's cinema discussions include its thrice delayed release due to the COVID-19 pandemic (it was originally slated to release in May 2020) and the subsequent simultaneous debut in theaters and digitally on Disney+ which led star Scarlett Johansson to file suit against Disney, essentially claiming that her payout would be reduced without a dedicated theatrical release window. Regardless of the noise around the release, Black Widow proves to be a capably entertaining diversion suited to escapism, even as it's not a particularly robust or original film, never mind one that is fully versed in and attached at the hip to the larger stylings and proclivities of the average Marvel Superhero film.

Years after Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) were torn apart from their life in Ohio under the care of Russian agent guardians Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) and trained in the secretive "Red Room" to become "Black Widows," they reunite on the run with a shared purpose of locating their guardians and escaping from their past, a past that will pursue them to the ends of the earth and pit them against increasingly deadly killers.

Black Widow focuses on a beloved MCU character and features all of the action and excitement of a Marvel film but it's a more grounded outing, less big and bold and more concerned with characterization. Much of that is due to the fact that Romanoff is not a "typical" superhero imbued with extraordinary powers or powered by highly advanced technology -- she's not Captain America or Iron Man -- but rather a fully human individual with specialized training. She is a finely tuned physical specimen with a sharp mind. The film is necessarily lacking the overtly "superhero" shenanigans that permeate the MCU because that is not who this hero is.

The film, then, is more akin to a Bourne or a Bond picture with MCU undertones (and the occasional overtone). It's slick and fast as the action develops with all of the kinetic energy of the best Action-Thrillers. It's dripping with expertly engineered fight choreography -- whether fisticuffs, gunplay, or vehicle-based excitement -- but the key word is "engineered." There's no real sense of heart and soul and originality. The action serves a purpose, and the movie is not so dependent upon it that the story feels wrenched in around it, but all the same it's the same thing that's been in so many other movies before it. It's a bit tiresome and the movie is much better when it's building its characters rather than recycling admittedly well made yet still forgettable action.

The offsetting story beats essentially, and rightly, carry the film a bit more firmly than the high energy if not broadly familiar action scenes. The film's attention to and larger focus on character depth and backstory is not just commendable but also welcome. It's nice to see a favorite character so well fleshed out as Romanoff is here, beginning with a look at a defining moment from her youth and building on her relationship with Belova, a fellow Black Widow. The two play well one against another; there are enough similarities in character essentials and considering the shared cast to make the pairing work, but there are also enough differences in personality and approach to keep the dramatic dynamic going. Both actresses are excellent, as expected, in their respective roles, each nailing the character drama interplay and the action stunt work equally well.

Black Widow 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Disney's UHD release of Black Widow delivers a tangible upgrade from the standard and concurrently released 1080p Blu-ray. This 2160p/HDR UHD presentation delivers a more robust color spectrum, with tones notably more bold and brilliant, presenting everything from Romanoff's red hair to natural greens with a brilliant intensity that serves the film well and speaks highly of HDR's ability to bring out the punchiest colors possible without betraying natural appearances. The colors are not gargantuanly more brilliant than the SDR Blu-ray counterpart, but the differences are obvious and do not stop in the middle. Whites are clearly brighter, healthier, and more intense, obvious during a snowy battle halfway through the film, a battle in which the heroes are also clad in white. The feel for white brilliance and faithfulness is off the charts. At the other end, black level depth is first-rate. There's no mistaking the deep, penetrating depth that holds steady and refuses to crush out details within and around. The color spectrum is healthy through the entire range and a worthy upgrade over a well defined Blu-ray counterpart.

The native 4K resolution further allows for a brilliant bit of textural gain as well. The picture is obviously crisper and cleaner. There's something of a glossier sheen to it at this resolution but the increase in overall clarity is obvious even without a direct comparison; simply watching the movie a second time reveals the jump. Still, A-B comparisons do demonstrate the exceedingly good uptick in textural gain, particularly obvious in close-ups where skin details, for example, leap off the screen with newfound depth and precision. Look at a Romanoff close-up at the 1:34:22 mark for a terrific example of the UHD bringing out a fairly substantial increase in clarity and fine detail. This extends to practical and digital elements, clothes, and various environments as well. Add in the absence of distracting noise and the picture's freedom from compression and encode issues and there's nothing to dislike here. This is a first-rate UHD presentation from Disney.

Black Widow 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The UHD receives an audio upgrade with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack (as opposed to the Blu-ray's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack) and the presentation depth and detail are upgraded, too. Rather than just add some overhead channels, Disney has assuaged, though not at all eliminated, the low volume and troubling absentee bass from the Blu-ray to offer a bit more of a kick with this one. The opening action escape scene enjoys more obvious intensity and depth, still struggling to kick the low end into overdrive but certainly presenting with a healthier punch and depth. Gunfire here and elsewhere still lacks full body punch but, again, there's a little more substance at work with this Atmos presentation. Explosions further into the movie hit with some level of authoritative bass, even heard at distance, such as during an action scene at the 59-minute mark. The Atmos layer integrates some overhead sound elements, like a chopper hovering above a prison in the 57-minute mark. While none are so discrete as to turn the listener's full attention upwards, there's enough complimentary height to create a more full-bodied and spatially aware sound experience. Surround elements in general are well positioned, whether naturally discrete or more broadly enveloping. Music is clear and detailed but could stand some more depth. Dialogue is clear and center positioned for the duration.

Black Widow 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

While Black Widow's UHD disc houses no supplements, the bundled Blu-ray contains a disappointingly scant collection of extras, including a couple of featurettes, a gag reel, and deleted scenes. There is also an optional director introduction, accessible from the "Play" menu tab (which is curiously absent from the UHD, too). A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Introduction by Director Cate Shortland (1080p, 0:57): The director shares her vision for the film: the visceral edge and the character's humanity. It also explores the theme of loving and accepting one another.
• Sisters Gonna Work It Out (1080p, 5:24): This supplement explores the characters in modest detail. It looks at how the film is "grounded" in a way other Marvel films are not, character specifics, actor qualities and camaraderie, physical work, and more.
• Go Big If You're Going Home (1080p, 8:50): This catch-all supplement explores the story's depth, its character explorations, Cate Shortland's direction, shooting locations, production design, practical and digital visuals and effects, fight choreography, and more.
• Gag Reel (1080p, 2:54): Humorous moments from the shoot.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 14:11 total runtime): Included are Grocery Shopping, Bike Chase, Gulag Fight, Smile, Come After Me, Walk and Talk, Widows in Training, Kiss, and Ohio.

Black Widow 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Black Widow explores a key fan favorite MCU character with appropriate depth and detail, but the larger film around her isn't necessarily the most robustly original ever assembled. The action is particularly rote, albeit very well done, but the focal story beats are well versed in the art of increasing the audience's appreciation for the title character. The film plays well enough as standalone entertainment but it will best serve hardcore MCU fans who know the story ins-and-outs and character actions and proclivities from the heart. Disney's UHD is pretty solid. The picture quality is great, which is where many will focus their attention, anyway, and the Atmos audio track, while imperfect, offers a better listen than the flat and bland Blu-ray. The supplements are nothing of great value. Recommended for serious Marvel fans.