Venom: Let There Be Carnage - It Takes Two To Make Everything Alright
After many years of waiting, Venom, the dark foil to Spiderman, got his own movie back in 2018. While many wouldn't consider it anywhere near the top of the superhero movie list, it was still a fun movie that did Venom more justice than his first on screen appearance back in 2007, with Spiderman 3. It clearly did well enough to get a sequel, and debuts arguably, one of the last major Spiderman associated villains to make a live action appearance, aside from Carnage. So, does the long awaited clash between the gooey alien duo live up to the hype? Let's dig in.
With regard to the actors, essentially everyone was both convincing and entertaining, especially Tom Hardy as both Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote. As they upped the banter between each other, the body movements that Hardy made when Venom was controlling his body was hilarious and the symbiote made him look like Eddie was never in control at all. Since Carnage is my favorite comic book villains, I was both excited, but critical to finally see him on the big screen after waiting so long. While Woody Harrelson wasn't my first choice for the role, after seeing this movie, I don't think I want anyone else portraying him. He captured the detached nature of a serial killer, while also having a bit of that wacky “Joker-vibe” that Carnage always had.
The movie was more colorful in appearance than the first one and while it didn’t have that “MCU” tone of color, it certainly had a more attention-grabbing aesthetic. Cletus's backstory gave those, who didn’t read the comic, some cool imagery, and as the sequences dove into his psyche, it also highlighted a side of him we rarely see: both as a victim and as a person in love. I also enjoyed the CGI effects, which shouldn't be a shock since the film is directed by “Mr. CGI” himself, Andy Serkis.
Some highlights that made this film iconic was when Venom's head floated out to the side of Eddie to interact with him and the way the Carnage symbiote dispersed itself out of Cletus’ skin is disturbingly intriguing. While it's hard for me to say whether it's the most realistic CGI used in a film, it certainly was fascinating to look at it on the big screen. The score for the film had a few standouts as the creepy whimsical tunes used for Carnage/Cletus, had more of a metal/heavy rock vibe. This is refreshing considering how many times superhero films resort to orchestral music. Avengers anyone?
With the plot moving quickly, some scenes felt rushed. For example, when Cletus started attacking the guards in jail, it would’ve been nice to see the full power of the symbiote in action as he has the ability to tear bodies limb from limb rather than see a giant tornado sweep the guards up in its path. And while Carnage’s bond to Cletus left something to be desired, the bond between Eddie and Venom grew stronger since last we saw them. Here, you can tell Venom genuinely cares for Eddie's physical and emotional well-being, and it certainly makes me wish I had a symbiote of my very own. Tom Hardy’s Eddie also made some changes to his life and routine by having Venom conform to “the rules” of no killing and brain eating. The fact that Venom listened right there demonstrated how powerful their bond actually is.
Tom Hardy as both Venom and Eddie Brock
One idea the film emphasized, was the “isolation” shared between both Eddie and Cletus. Isolated from lovers and family members, their world view and approach to these themes [with symbiote in tow] radically showed how different their outlook on life is. Here, the symbiotes amplified their behaviors, making the film and characters that much more enjoyable.
Venom was always seen as the “antithesis” or “evil” Spiderman, and when he started to become the “anti-hero”, Carnage was introduced as the “evil” Venom. Carnage’s personality is different compared to the rouge’s gallery we’re normally accustomed too. Usually in the Spider-verse, most of the villains were having a bad day, before they went bad, but with Cletus/Carnage, he was always malicious. Admittedly, some comics display Cletus’ rough upbringing, and the film does touch on it briefly, and while he is, by no means, a sympathetic character, there were some moments where I felt bad for him. Characters like Anne and Dan (Eddie's ex love interest, portrayed by Michelle Williams and her new boyfriend, played by Reid Scott), have a more backseat role, but they still provide comedy and assist Eddie and Venom in their conflicts. Shriek too, is a decent side antagonist (portrayed by Naomie Harris) and as she provides motivation for Cletus to do what he does; you can’t deny that the chemistry between the two (three if you want to count Carnage) of them is enjoyable. It's great to see them acknowledge their relationship, since she is heavily associated with Carnage in the comics (Maximum Carnage series for a start). The fight scenes, although they were action packed and thrilling, were limited, and my only wish was that there were more of them.
There are a few things that do hold the movie back in my eyes. One issue I had was the “PG-13 rating. Venom is already one of the more violent comic book characters, and Carnage is hands down one of the most dangerous Marvel supervillains, and while their comics, most times, are Parental Advisory, Sony missed a huge opportunity to slap that R-rating. For me, it was strange seeing Carnage just grab people and swing them around, instead of just slicing and dicing them. I feel the movie could've been twenty minutes to a half an hour longer if there was more dismemberment and blood loss. Admittedly, the rating and time frame makes the movie easier to enjoy multiple times over, yet it just felt like they needed one more encounter before the main final fight, and while I love the comedic take on Venom, some of those goofy moments could've been filled with more crime fighting and brain eating. Venom is considered the “lethal protector” and it felt like there could've been more of that (Venom himself seems to agree with me, as he complained about his nature in the movie as well). Hopefully an R rated Director's Cut on Blue-Ray, could fix these issues.
Outside of these gripes, Venom: Let there be Carnage is a solid movie and probably the movie I enjoyed this year so far. I've waited more than a decade for both Venom and more importantly, Carnage to appear in live action, and while I don't know if it was worth the wait per se, I definitely left the theater entertained. Many “Non MCU” Marvel movies are frowned upon, but this one absolutely deserves your attention. If you enjoyed the first Venom film, you’ll love to see this one.
Also, in regard to the post credits scene, Let's just say I haven't heard an audience react that loud in a long, long time.
Final Score: 8.5/10
