First Black Widow reactions arrive: Scarlett Johansson 'a triumph,' Florence Pugh 'rules'

Super-secret no more! Early reactions to Marvel's Black Widow standalone film are flooding in, and if tweets are to be believed, the story of assassin-turned-hero Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) kills.

EW's own Devan Coggan wrote that the film is one to see on the big screen.

"My #BlackWidow review is that if you're able to see this one in theaters, I highly recommend it," she tweeted. "It's a total joy, and it was made even better by getting to experience all the laughs and gasps and thrills with other people. Movies! The best!"

She added that Florence Pugh "rules extremely hard."

Hector Navarro, of Nerdist and Heroes Reforged, said that after a lengthy wait of 11 years (no Twitter details on where he waited), the movie lived up to his expectations.

"I got to see #BlackWidow last night, and as someone who has been waiting since 2010 to see Natasha Romanoff get her own movie, it was well worth the wait," Navarro wrote. "The actions rips, the emotion hits and the new characters joining the MCU are standouts. MORE BLACK WIDOW MOVIES PLEASE!"

Erik Davis, of Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes, said, "Marvel movies are back! #BlackWidow is a tense, action-packed spy thriller that truly completes Natasha's story in a visceral & emotional way. Florence Pugh CRUSHES it & is an instant MCU icon. This is like the MCU's Bond movie w/ shades of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE & THELMA & LOUISE."

He added, "the thing that hit me the most was the action. There are several BIG action sequences in #BlackWidow & it immediately separates itself from the TV shows, which are softer on action & heavier on character. I missed big Marvel action. It's a fun ride."

Buzzfeed's Nora Dominick was one of the writers tweeting about the emotional impact of the flick.

"#BlackWidow might be one of my favorite solo origin movies in the MCU," she wrote. "There's something about seeing Natasha finally get her story that made me emotional in all the best ways. Also, Florence Pugh was born for the MCU, and her dynamic with Scarlett is a triumph."

It was a similar take from Brandon Davis of ComicBook.com, who tweeted, "#BlackWidow is one of Marvel's best solo films. Start to finish, the movie is great. Excellent surprises, emotional character moments, bad-ass action, and Scarlett Johansson finally gets to pour everything into the role. Director Cate Shortland nailed it. Bravo."

Cat Combs, of Black Girl Nerds, wrote that it gave the Black Widow character "the movie and ending she deserved."

Eric Goldman of Fandom offered a mostly positive take: "I saw #BlackWidow! Interlaced with the well done action and humor is some of the darker material we've seen in the MCU, which packs a punch. The cast is all great with Florence Pugh a standout. A couple of beats near the end I could have done without but overall I really dug it."

Umberto Gonzalez, of the Wrap, suggested the film's scale was worth watching on a big screen.

"Marvel movies are back and Phase 4 kicks off with the very entertaining and action-packed #BlackWidow," he tweeted. "Giving us a long-overdue look at Natasha's backstory, with solid performances throughout and thrilling set pieces that demand you see this movie on the biggest screen possible."

Scott Menzel of WeLiveEntertainment, though, wasn't bowled over by the pic.

"Black Widow is so disappointing," he wrote. "Scarlett Johansson tries, but the script, pacing, & poor character development sink the film. Starts off promising but by the second act becomes a disjointed & uneven mess. Generic, uninspired, & ultimately lacking the Marvel Magic. #BlackWidow."

On the other hand, Inverse's Eric Francisco called it "outstanding."

"Marvel fans rejoice: #BlackWidow is outstanding and an arguably S-tier entry in the MCU," he tweeted. "Like Civil War, an aggressively bleak tone and dark story is balanced by legit LOL family comedy. Action is brutal; this is the first MCU film I've seen where stunts look like it hurts."

Cinemablend's Sean O'Connell was another critic who left the theater impressed.

"Loved #BlackWidow for very unexpected reasons," he tweeted. "Yes, it's wall-to-wall action (and Cate Shortland approaches Russo levels of physicality and intensity). But the movie's heart, and display of a broken family, hit me hard. Very much appreciated this deeper dive into Natasha."

He added, "As someone who went into #BlackWidow worrying it might feel like a placeholder following Nat's fate in ENDGAME, it's a joy to wash that concern away. This is a fantastic chapter in the MCU, packed with pulse-racing action, genuine stakes, and a KNOCKOUT end credits scene!!"

Knowing what happens in Avengers: Endgame also left Collider's Perri Nemiroff a little worried, but the writer said the film alleviated her fears: "Dug #BlackWidow a good deal! Was kinda worried about watching this story unfold knowing what's to come in Endgame, that it might diminish the stakes, but that wasn't the case. In fact, this is the kind of prequel story that feels bound to enhance other installments of the MCU."

Black Widow hits theaters and Disney+ premiere access July 9.

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