Mr. Movie: “Black Widow” is one of Marvel’s best movies

“Black Widow” is a refreshing change of pace.

Here’s why. The producers, writers, directors and actors of most super hero movies take themselves way too seriously. Maybe they’re pandering to fans who take the comic books they come from too seriously, and the movies made from those comics.

Or not.

Whatever the case, a huge number of super hero movies — let’s say 90% — have two major flaws. They’re overblown, overdone and over-amped with special effects. And two, they lack a sense of humor.

You won’t find much that’s comic in these comic book movie characters.

There are exceptions. The best is a middle piece in “Captain America: Civil War” when Ant-Man and Spider-Man step in to help at an airport. Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man movies have been hilarious, and the Tom Holland Spider-Man flicks are also quite funny.

The funniest — and maybe shortest — Marvel Universe movie of them all is “Thor: Ragnarok.”

None of the DC films — except the first Batman, and thank you Jack Nicholson — have anything fun or funny about them.

That brings us full circle back to “Black Widow.” It is funny. Not all the way through but there are enough laughs to qualify “Black Widow” as one of Marvel’s best movies.

Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh star. The backstory is how Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova became “sisters.” The film’s focus is in the pre-“Avengers: Endgame” world where the ladies reconnect in a conflict with Dreykov.

He’s a Russian master spy introduced in the backstory. In the present, Natasha supposedly killed him years before. Nope, he’s a superhero movie villain and he’s back and alive and is a super bad guy with plans to — wait for it — control the world via some red chemical stuff that turns women into zombie-like soldiers.

The backstory is in the 1990s when the two girls are living with their Russian spy parents somewhere in Ohio. Dad — done by Stranger Things, David Harbour — steals a big secret. Mom and the family flee to Cuba where everyone is separated. They’re not really related. It was a pretend family.

To stop Dreykov, Natasha and Yelena have to reconnect with dad and Rachel Weisz’s mom. That leads to a clash of egos, hurt feelings and some very good comedy.

Give credit to director, Cate Shortland and to screenwriter, Eric Pearson. He co-wrote “Thor: Ragnarok.” This effort comes from a story put together by Jae Schaeffer who co-wrote the sometimes funny, “The Hustle” in 2019 and Ned Benson who penned TV’s, the Eleanor Rigby series.

Shortland packs the movie with a gazillion very excellent special effects, and fight scenes that are brilliantly cut and pasted together. All of this is done like the genre requires.

The acting runs along the same lines. The history of most Marvel characters is tragic. Acting in a Marvel movie requires actors to do lots of scenes with a long, serious face. At this, Johansson and Pugh (“Midsommar”) excel.

They take their roles super seriously.

Kudos, too, to both actresses. Not all of the daring-do required for “Black Widow” is done by stunt women. Both are required to do some heavy duty physical work.

The movie’s most impressive acting comes from Harbour. He has natural comic timing and the instincts of a standup comedian. Harbour’s Alexi is the Red Guardian, a Russian version of Captain America.

As Alexi and that character, Harbour provides most of the comedy with Weisz and the two younger actresses serving as the fulcrum. This is why you can call “Black Widow” a really good “family” film.

It’s the family angle of “Black Widow” and a well-done backstory that make it one of Marvel’s all-time best efforts.

▪ Rated PG-13 for mature themes, intense action and violence and some language. It’s playing at the Fairchild Cinemas Queensgate 12, Pasco 12 and Southgate 10 and at the AMC Classic Kennewick 12.

▪ Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

This story was originally published July 8, 2021 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Mr. Movie: “Black Widow” is one of Marvel’s best movies."