Like several recent MCU hits, Black Widow combines Marvel’s action-comedy brand with a secondary genre. This time around, the experiment fails. Directed by Cate Shortland with a screenplay by Eric Pearson, Natasha Romanoff’s long-awaited solo movie is a derivative spy thriller, delving into Natasha’s backstory as a Russian agent. Despite a promising introduction, it struggles to find a balance between its darker themes and Marvel’s perky blockbuster tone. Black Widow DIRECTOR: Cate Shortland STREAMING: Disney+ Set shortly after Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow’s solo movie explores Natasha Romanoff’s backstory as a Russian agent. But this wannabe spy thriller feels decidedly half-baked, failing to engage with its more serious themes or measure up to blockbusters like ‘The Bourne Identity’ and ‘Mission Impossible.’