As early screenings of Marvel's Black Widow are taking place, critics are raving about the film and giving a good deal of praise to its star, Scarlett Johansson as the lead character, Natasha Romanova, but it is Florence Pugh, the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Yelena Belova, that has been getting the biggest amount of praise from the critics.
Pugh, of course, is already an Academy Award-nominated actress for her performance in last year's Little Women, and she has drawn praise in other films such as Lady Macbeth and Midsommar, but she has still drawn an inordinate amount of attention from the early critic reviews of Black Widow.
Fandom's Eric Goldman wrote, "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.
Fandango's Erik Davis wrote, "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."
Next Best Picture's Nicole Ackman wrote, "#BlackWidow was exactly what I'd hoped for: a story about family and sisters that deepened Natasha's character development and provided some really fun fight sequences. Florence Pugh as Yelena is the star, bringing lots of charm, humor, and emotion."
Matt Neglia, also of Next Best Picture, wrote, "BLACK WIDOW is an adrenaline-filled spy film with tons of action, breakneck pacing & an engaging supporting cast. Seeing Scarlett Johansson finally & deservedly have her moment in the MCU feels great but Florence Pugh is the MVP. Nothing bold or daring but it will satisfy fans."
Vanity Fair's Joanna Robinson added, "I also saw #BlackWidow last night and it was my favorite Marvel stand-alone in a LOONG time. A beautiful love letter to Natasha and a cracking intro to Yelena. I’m so excited to have Florence Pugh in this universe."
Again, as you can see, the praise for Pugh is not instead of Johansson praise, as the critics are going nuts for her, as well, but everyone is impressed to see a new star hit this big in their first Marvel movie (being the star of an action film is obviously much different than starring in critically acclaimed independent films or being a supporting character in a studio Oscar bait film).
Source: Twitter