Black Widow - 2/5

This movie could have been so much better than it is. Taskmaster is completely wasted as a villain, never getting the choreography and cinematography to showcase the fighting skills that make the character unique. Florence Pugh is easily the best part of this movie, and while that’s great and I would gladly see a Marvel movie starring her as Yelena, it overshadows Scarlett Johansson’s erstwhile time in the sun, though this is also Scarlett’s weakest performance as Black Widow. The script also keeps trying to redeem characters without earning the turn-around, and it sours the overall story.

Closest comparison: It’s like Close (2019) by way of X-Men: The Last Stand.

Setting: Espionage
Plot: Super Hero
Tone: Action

The Incredible Hulk (2008) - 3/5

The action scenes are pretty fun, though they don’t always make much sense. The plot is kept simple and plays out decently enough, though it also sometimes doesn’t make sense. Characters often act in a mildly confusing way, but luckily their core motivations are easy to track and land them right where the movie was going all along. The CGI doesn’t really hold up over time, but I can’t fault a film for being a product of its era. Edward Norton and Liv Tyler are pretty bland, but fortunately Tim Roth comes through with a solid performance to balance them. Still, if you’re in the mood for a thoughtless action superhero movie, it’s certainly watchable.

Closest comparison: It shifts from a bad Jason Bourne imitation to Venom-style CG fight scenes.

Setting: Military Thriller
Plot: Spy Thriller
Tone: Action