At long last Black Widow has finally been released. It was supposed to make its debut in 2020 but COVID-19 got in the way. The wait seems to have been worth it though as praise for it is moderately high or at least good in terms of the Marvel rankings.
Like most Marvel movies, one of the key things that makes it so great is its dialogue. It may not win any awards for best story but there are plenty of snappy one-liners and or conversations that lead to some great moments in the film itself and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In order to properly discuss the best quotes in Black Widow, there will be heavy spoilers ahead.
10 “That One She Has Fire In Her.”
This was said early in Black Widow by Dreykov to Alexei. He is referring to Natasha which should be a big surprise for the audience at that point. For those that didn’t pay attention to the trailers, one might have thought the younger sister was Natasha and the blue-haired girl was perhaps an older sibling that died. It’s a good line by Dreykov in the movie as it perfectly describes Natasha.
9 “Fanny Long Bottom?” “What Are You Twelve?”
This was a line said to Mason by Natasha. Mason is a former SHIELD agent that defected and got into the private sector. How he can secure all of his stuff for Natasha is beyond anyone’s guess. He doesn't show up much but every scene he’s in is a treat. The name gets a nice callback at the end via Yelena’s dog. As for the grander Marvel universe, Fanny Longbottom doesn’t seem to be referencing anything in particular.
8 “At Least You Know I’m A Better Shot When I’m Pissed Off.”
This is said by Natasha in her first fight with Taskmaster. Some people get worse in a panicked state but not Natasha. Agents like her and the Avengers seemingly thrive on pressure.
Saving the day at the last second is like the Avengers’ trademark thing. It’s a movie trope to be sure but the line is still cool.
7 “So You Want Me To Chase Him Down And Un-steal It?”
Yelena says this to Natasha after they steal a car on their run from Taskmaster. This is one of the most thrilling scenes in Black Widow. It might even be the best chase scene in the Marvel universe although the one in Civil War with Black Panther is pretty epic too. This is just one example of how funny Yelena is in the movie thanks to her dry tone. She has a very matter-of-fact kind of personality.
6 “You’re A Total Poser.”
This is another great line from Yelena to Natasha. This takes place in a convenience store right after the chase. Yelena is referring to Natasha posing in epic stances while in battle which is something some Marvel fans have been joking about since Natasha debuted in Iron Man 2. The best part are all the callbacks in Black Widow including Yelena and her mother using the same pose.
5 “Oh, Oh Nooo.”
This line is delivered when Alexei pretends to lose to another inmate while in prison. The line is an obvious fake-out even before it is revealed that he is a super-soldier. Besides Yelena, Alexei is the other best part of the movie thanks to his charisma and snappy deliveries. Another great part about this scene is when he snaps another inmate's arm. It’s gruesome but it’s a clever way to show off his strength.
4 “This Would Be A Cool Way To Die.”
Yelena says this to herself after she causes an avalanche to cascade onto the prison. It might look epic but being buried in the snow sounds like a terrible way to die. Whether that is true or not the great part about this line is the callback later in Black Widow. “This is a less cool way to die.” That’s what Yelena says to herself aboard the Red Room before she is about to be dissected.
3 “No We’re Good, We’ll Make It.”
After the two Widows break Alexei out of prison, Yelena remarks that they are almost out of fuel. That’s when Alexei says this line to the girls. Black Widow then smash cuts to the helicopter crashing in a field.
It’s a perfect line delivery followed by some great editing. The Marvel universe is no stranger to smash cuts but this scene might be the best yet.
2 “So, Bye-Bye, Miss American Pie.”
When the girls first break Alexei out of prison it seems like he never cared for the girls as a real father should. It was just a mission. He even tells them how boring it was. Alexei was just trying to hide his true feelings which come out when he is trying to comfort Yelena. He starts singing “American Pie” by Don McLean, which was established as Yelena’s favorite song in the flashback. It’s a beautiful scene in Black Widow.
1 “Sever The Nerve.”
Alexei breaking the inmate’s arm in prison was gruesome but this scene between Dreykov and Natasha was just brutal. Natasha knows she needs to break her nose in order to stop smelling Dreykov’s pheromones so she provokes him into hitting her. His punches are too weak so she has to smash her nose by herself on his desk. That action followed by this line delivery is cool and yet hard to watch especially once she resets the nose back into place.