Movies Like 'Black Widow' to Watch Next
Scarlett Johansson in 'Black Widow'
Courtesy of Marvel Studios / YouTubeSuperhero movies based on Marvel Comics usually fall under the genres of action, adventure, and science fiction. Black Widow, starring Scarlett Johnasson as the titular hero, is no exception.
Although Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow was seen in other big-screen Marvel adaptations, such as the Avengers franchise, this film put her in the center of the story, forcing her to face her complicated past, fractured relationship, and the external threats that relentlessly pursue her.
If you enjoy films that are packed with action and strong female leads, then you'll enjoy watching these other movies like Black Widow. While they share similar themes as pacing as the Marvel movie, they're not all set in the superhero world. They do, however, all have high Metascores, which is also why they were chosen for this list.
Widows
Metascore: 84
Best for: Bank robbery drama fans
Where to watch:
Runtime: 129 minutes
Widows takes place in Chicago and is about four women who are left with debts from their deceased husbands. Their husbands were killed in a shootout with the police while attempting an armed robbery. Although the four women have nothing in common other than the debt that they must pay back, Veronica (Viola Davis), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki), Linda (Michelle Rodriguez), and Belle (Cynthia Erivo) decide to work together to forge their own future. And it starts with a pre-planned heist.
"A heist movie with serious bite, Widows is both brilliantly tense and strikingly relevant." — Kate Stables, Total Film
The Assassin
Metascore: 80
Best for: Martial arts appreciators
Where to watch:
Runtime: 105 minutes
The Assassin takes place during the ninth century in China, where a general's 10-year-old daughter is kidnapped by a nun and trained to become an assassin to eliminate the corrupt government. When the nun sends her on a mission back to the man she was promised to, she is torn between sacrificing her lover and family or breaking free.
"Its bursts of lightning-fast swordplay interrupt long, still stretches of misty moonlit landscapes and follow a pure literary style more than current genre expectations." — Deborah Young, The Hollywood Reporter
Avengers: Endgame
Metascore: 78
Best for: Superhero fanatics, Marvel Comics readers
Where to watch:
Runtime: 181 minutes
Avengers: Endgame serves as the conclusion to more than 20 Marvel Cinematic Universe films. In it, the remaining superheroes who make up the Avengers get together once more to restore world order after the devastating impact of Avengers: Infinity War. They come together with the help of allies to undo Thanos' (Josh Brolin) actions by taking a final stand against him.
"Endgame provides something truly satisfying: a sense of closure." — Josh Larsen, Larsen on Film
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Metascore: 75
Best for: Wolverine fans, X-Men franchise lovers, and fans of fast-paced action and adventure
Where to watch:
Runtime: 131 minutes
In this seventh movie in the X-Men series, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) leads a mission that takes him back in time to re-join the X-Men as their younger selves. Robots called Sentinels are threatening the survival of mutants, and the group bands together to change the course of events that are looming. If you're a diehard X-Men fan, you won't be disappointed by this one, directed by Bryan Singer.
"Singer threads the needle with such apparent effortlessness in stitching it all together, the seams are practically invisible." — Scott Wold
Captain America: Civil War
Metascore: 75
Best for: Disney and Marvel followers and classic superhero fanatics
Where to watch:
Runtime: 147 minutes
Captain America: Civil War picks up from the previous Avengers film, Avengers: Age of Ultron. Following another damaging international incident, political pressures continue to mount and put regulations in place that divide Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). The other superheroes must decide who to support, leading to a bigger feud. If you've seen other films by Anthony and Joe Russo, you won't want to miss this one.
"Kudos to the Russo brothers...for directing the hostilities for maximum impact and without neglecting character." — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Metascore: 71
Best for: Marvel diehards and martial arts appreciators
Where to watch:
Runtime: 132 minutes
Another superhero story from the Marvel universe, this 202 release is focused on Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), a Kung Fu master who has to face his family's past and recover his coveted pendant. He's drawn into the mysterious Ten Rings organization, and the adventure takes off from there.
"It's a kick to watch — often literally — and the kind of popcorn movie summer is made for." — Michael O'Sullivan, The Washington Post
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Metascore: 69
Best for: Violent action movie lovers, Quentin Tarantino fans
Where to watch:
Runtime: 111 minutes
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 is the first part of what now is a two-film saga. A former assassin, The Bride (Uma Thurman), wakes from a four years coma after her jealous ex-lover Bill (David Carradine) tries to murder her right before her wedding. The Bride is fueled by anger and desires revenge, so she goes after every person who contributed to her lost years and the death of her unborn child. She devises a hit list and sets off on her quest to accomplish her hit list. If you're a fan of Tarantino, this movie won't disappoint.
"Kill Bill: Volume 1 shows Quentin Tarantino so effortlessly and brilliantly in command of his technique that he reminds me of a virtuoso violinist racing through Flight of the Bumble Bee." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Hanna
Metascore: 65
Best for: Fans of mystery combined with adventure
Where to watch:
Runtime: 111 minutes
Hanna is about a teenage girl (played by Saoirse Ronan) who is raised by her ex-CIA father (played by Eric Bana) in the wilderness of Finland. She has trained her entire life to be the perfect assassin and her mission is to go across Europe while evading agents sent after her by Marissa (Cate Blanchett), an operative who once worked with Hanna's father. As Hanna makes it through her journey, she begins to have revelations about her existence and begins to question her identity and humanity.
"Hanna is richer and more compelling than the average roller coaster ride into tension and mystery." — James Berardinelli, Reel Views
The Villainess
Metascore: 64
Best for: Action and thriller seekers
Where to watch:
Runtime: 129 minutes
The Villainess is an action-packed film directed by Jung Byung-gil. The story is about an assassin, Sook-hee (Kim Ok-bin), who was trained by a criminal organization from childhood to be a merciless killer. Sook-hee is recruited as a sleeper agent and if she serves 10 years, she could win her freedom. Little does she know that secrets from her past will haunt her and destroy everything she worked for, though. When her mentor dies, she embarks on a ruthless journey of revenge and freedom. The Villainess will keep you on your toes.
"The plotting is tangled, the emotional undertow slight, but the action keeps on coming, including a blistering multiplayer sword fight on speeding bikes." — Jamie Graham, Total Film
Atomic Blonde
Metascore: 63
Best for: Spy movie lovers
Where to watch:
Runtime: 115 minutes
Atomic Blonde is a 2017 American action thriller film based on a novel called The Coldest City. The story is about a spy, Lorrain Broughton (Charlize Theron), who is top-ranked among her fellow MI6 agents. Before the fall of the Berlin Wall, she is sent to travel into Berlin on her own to deliver a dossier. During her journey, she partners with ex-CIA David Percival (James McAvoy) to change direction away from the deadliest spy game.
"Repeated breathless sequences involving hand-to-hand combat, assassination attempts, and a wicked climactic car chase." — Thelma Adams, Observer