Was Scarlett Johansson the right choice to play Black Widow?
Iron Man 2 had some fundamental flaws. It was chock-full of different plot lines, plot deviations, and references to the upcoming Avengers movie in 2012. One of its biggest flaws was that aside from main character Tony Stark, the rest of the cast fell a bit flat. The worst case scenario was Scarlett Johansson’s character, the Black Widow.
In the comics, Black Widow (Natalia Romanova) is a former Soviet spy who was sent to spy on Tony Stark’s company, but after meeting Hawkeye (played by Jeremy Renner in The Avengers), she defected to the US. and becomes an agent of SHIELD. Her abilities include unrivaled athleticism, expert fighting skills, and mastery of various gadgets.
Aside from a brief scene in Iron Man 2 where the Widow attacks some Hammer Industries guards, the character has been a real disappointment. Despite the character having one of the best backstories in Marvel comics, Scarlett’s portrayal made me wish fellow actress Emily Blunt had taken on the role. Sure Johansson looks like the role of Natalia Romanova, but her performance was flat and too similar to her performances in her other films. I call it Jennifer Aniston syndrome. The Widow is also known for having a Russian accent, but the guys behind Iron Man 2 seemed to think it would be a good idea to leave it out even though she’s an essential part of the character. Despite fan speculation, I doubt we’ll see Johansson with a Russian accent in the Avengers movie. We will have to overcome the slaughter of the character. Also, the Widow is famous for being a spy, but her antics in Iron Man 2 seemed to have joined Tony Stark’s company just to profile him for Nick Fury. It’s hardly corporate espionage, is it?
Critics and fans have criticized how Black Widow became a constant sex symbol in Iron Man 2 (because of the undressing scene), but that’s more of a flaw in the character herself. Black Widow is known for making whatever she gets work done, even if it means sleeping or flirting with the enemy.
Another reason the Widow may be a thorn in the Avengers’ side is that she’s not actually a full member of the Avengers in the comics. She’s primarily an agent of SHIELD or a fringe member of the Avenger, but Marvel has decided that Widow should be a core member of the roster in 2012. Why is she such a big deal? It’s because iconic members of the Avengers like Ant Man (Hank Pym) and Wasp (Janet Pym) have been left out to avoid cluttering up the on-screen roster. Ant Man and the Wasp are two founding members of the Avengers in the comics, so their exclusion is likely to irritate long-term comics fans in 2012.
I hope that Scarlett Johansson will have an amazing and amazing performance in the Avengers movie. For too long, female characters have suffered in superhero movies. After all, we need a character to finally take the bad taste out of Elektra and Catwoman’s mouth.