The Winter Soldier "Yeah, it's going to be fun"- The Black Widow/Scarlett Johansson Thread - Part 1

[BoredGuy]

Every time I think about this movie, it's almost always on the tip of my tongue that Scarlett *stole* this movie, even from my Chris, and it doesn't even bother me. She was so good. So. Effing. Good.

gotta disagree with ya on that one
I thought she was great, but this movie was Steve's from front to back

 

[Suzanne78]

LOL! I'm not even saying it in a *bad* way. It absolutely was Steve's movie, and Chris Evans IS Captain America as far as I'm concerned.

I just found myself gushing over ScarJo when trying to describe the movie, and it's a sign of how great the movie is. I did the same with The Avengers. Loved RDJ and Chris Evans, but Ruffalo and Scarlett were the two I ended up gushing over the most

It's a function of how much an actor's performance/character surprises you I think.

But overall, absolutely the movie belonged to Steve/Chris.

 

[Loki882]

Not sure what movie you were watching, but everything she did, from her mad hacker skills to her combat work to posing as

Spoiler

Jenny Agutter in the WSC scene

was more than "capable spy."

I mean, her motivations were pretty clearly laid out in the scene at Sam's house. She didn't want to be brainwashed/controlled by a puppet government so she switched sides. Now her central conflict comes in that she realizes SHIELD that she's been working for were the bad guys all along, pulling her strings to do their bidding without her realizing it, and the only person left that she can trust in her immediate presence is Cap.

Her motivations were really very strongly laid out, moreso than her being present for mere "flirty sex appeal."

The Guard's been trashing everything about the movie, just ignore him.

 

[The Guard]

Not sure what movie you were watching, but everything she did, from her mad hacker skills to her combat work to posing as

Spoiler

Jenny Agutter in the WSC scene

was more than "capable spy."

I can't tell if you think I thought she wasn't a capable spy or not...

I had no issues with her portrayal as a spy.

I mean, her motivations were pretty clearly laid out in the scene at Sam's house. She didn't want to be brainwashed/controlled by a puppet government so she switched sides. Now her central conflict comes in that she realizes SHIELD that she's been working for were the bad guys all along, pulling her strings to do their bidding without her realizing it, and the only person left that she can trust in her immediate presence is Cap.

Her motivations were really very strongly laid out, moreso than her being present for mere "flirty sex appeal."

Black Widow deciding not to be a puppet is not a "strongly laid out" motivation if there's no exploration of her puppitude in the first place. Unless I missed something (and I may have), there's not really much exploration of her thoughts on loyalty, how this relates to her as a character, or how it changes her as a character. She just pretty much decides not to go along with things when she realizes something is rotten in Denmark.

 

[PacificBoy]

I thought the movie touched on Widow's issues of trust and self-identity. She didn't seem to have a real, core identity outside of her disguises and assumed identities since she has been a spy practically her whole life, and finds it easier to put up a front -- until Cap gets through to her with his steadfastness.

And because of the nature of her job and the lack of a core identity, she hasn't found it easy to develop trust in others, and vice versa it seems. Even Fury didn't deem to trust her sufficiently to let her in on the subterfuge of his death. (I'd have liked to see more made out of her hurt expression when Fury said he didn't know who to trust.)

 

[Guard82]

Scarlett was terrific in the movie. She got to show many different sides of Widow's personality here. The writing and the acting for Natasha's character were great. I loved her funny "WarGames" reference.

 

[nocomics]

Scarlett was terrific in the movie. She got to show many different sides of Widow's personality here. The writing and the acting for Natasha's character were great. I loved her funny "WarGames" reference.

I did as well.

Scarlett was great in this movie, sexy, sexy, and funny.

 

[Xeno]

I thought the movie touched on Widow's issues of trust and self-identity. She didn't seem to have a real, core identity outside of her disguises and assumed identities since she has been a spy practically her whole life, and finds it easier to put up a front -- until Cap gets through to her with his steadfastness.

And because of the nature of her job and the lack of a core identity, she hasn't found it easy to develop trust in others, and vice versa it seems. Even Fury didn't deem to trust her sufficiently to let her in on the subterfuge of his death. (I'd have liked to see more made out of her hurt expression when Fury said he didn't know who to trust.)

The key thing about Natasha is that she shifts her identity/persona depending on who she is with and what she wants or needs from that person. When she said to Steve, "What do you want me to be?" that wasn't merely a provocative question. It was her saying that she could be whatever he or anyone else wanted if that's what it took for her to get what she wanted.

As a spy that sort of chameleon-like persona is invaluable, but it prevents real relationships. Natasha couldn't be trusted because her aims and loyalties always seemed to be shifting. She and Nick were obviously close; Samuel L. Jackson once said he an Scarlett played it like a surrogate father/daughter relationship. You can see that in Iron Man 2. But even Nick couldn't pin Natasha's motivations down to the point where he could trust her with everything. Even though she is self-aware enough to realize that she was hurt when she found out that Nick kept her out of the loop.

 

[Artistsean]

Loved that they mentioned her past from the comics, even though she has no accent she is still Russian. And I loved how her classified past is so scary that it would ruin her maybe and change how everyone felt about her and even scared the bad guys.

 

[Paladin-Hoss]

Having Natasha speaks with an accent will just be corny.

I'm glad they never went that route

 

[terry78]

No need for her last name to be Fatale. I never hear her with an accent when I read the books, I just assumed she has an American/neutral accent but just grew up in so many places around the world that one just kind of sticks so she won't blow any covers.

 

[Hunter Rider]

 

[GoldGoblin]

I the Avengers I thought she was a waste of space,that they could of had a better character take her place.But this movie makes me see why she is a member of the Avengers,she was amazing in winter soldier.wish she could be more like this in avengers 2.

 

[Loki882]

No, she wasn't a waste of space in Avengers. However, she was undeniably a better character here.

 

[Matt.S99]

How was she a waste of space in the Avengers? She served her purpose in the film. I dont get how people think her role was so bad in the Avengers.

 

[MrsKent26]

Black Widow was fantastic in this movie.

I dared to venture onto a Marvel board for the first time ever to say that.

She was great. I am pleased we're finally at a place in society that female characters are beginning to be written well more often.

 

[metaphysician]

How was she a waste of space in the Avengers? She served her purpose in the film. I dont get how people think her role was so bad in the Avengers.

This. She was the Batman of the movie, which some people seem unable to see. Apparently because only men can be Badass Normals.

 

[Suzanne78]

BUWHAHUH?!?!

How was Widow a 'waste of space' in The Avengers?

She singlehandedly (WHILE TIED TO A CHAIR!) took out three Russian thugs.
She recruited Banner.
She survived a rampaging Hulk's attack.
She outwitted Loki.
She literally -- literally -- rescued Hawkeye! LITERALLY!!
She hurtled onto a speeding alien bike, took that out, took out aliens on the ground and close the portal with Loki's spear.

She was a total badass in Avengers. Totally total.

OMG!

 

[Paladin-Hoss]

BUWHAHUH?!?!

How was Widow a 'waste of space' in The Avengers?

She singlehandedly (WHILE TIED TO A CHAIR!) took out three Russian thugs.
She recruited Banner.
She survived a rampaging Hulk's attack.
She outwitted Loki.
She literally -- literally -- rescued Hawkeye! LITERALLY!!
She hurtled onto a speeding alien bike, took that out, took out aliens on the ground and close the portal with Loki's spear.

She was a total badass in Avengers. Totally total.

OMG!

I think what the poster actually meant was:

I know she's badass and all, but she's a girl! and she took away spot from other male Avengers. what i really want is all those badass things she did was done by a male Avenger instead...someone like that Hawkeye dude!

 

[Kane52630]

 

[Matt.S99]

BUWHAHUH?!?!

How was Widow a 'waste of space' in The Avengers?

She singlehandedly (WHILE TIED TO A CHAIR!) took out three Russian thugs.
She recruited Banner.
She survived a rampaging Hulk's attack.
She outwitted Loki.
She literally -- literally -- rescued Hawkeye! LITERALLY!!
She hurtled onto a speeding alien bike, took that out, took out aliens on the ground and close the portal with Loki's spear.

She was a total badass in Avengers. Totally total.

OMG!

If anything, I'd say she did some of theist important things in the movie. No one else could have gotten Loki to speak and reveal his plan. The guys would have just tried to use brute force to do so.

 

[Loki882]

That's because she and Loki actually have more than a few similarities (which Hiddleston even mentioned in an interview before the movie came out), and one of those happens to be the ability and willingness to manipulate people. So of course she's the one who was able to get the proverbial drop on him, it makes perfect sense.

 

[Wildcard]

Oh damn

 

[cherokeesam]

Scarlett Johansson was terrific. Black Widow was a terrific foil to Cap in this. I am so glad they didn't make Cap and Black Widow become romantically involved. That would have been too easy.

They didn't "do the deed" in this movie, but there was enough sexual tension in the film to open more than a few doors towards that. Their relationship wasn't sexual, but it was definitely more intimate than "oh, we're just friends."

Preview from AOU set shots: Cap and Widow go together to Seoul, Korea to battle Ultron. Widow is shown driving Cap's Harley, with his shield mounted.

Smart money says that she's Cap's girl now.

 

[Nicko-Ray]

That Vanity Fair though.....
#dead