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A sequel aimed squarely at fans of the original's odd couple chemistry, Venom: Let There Be Carnage eagerly embraces the franchise's sillier side. Read critic reviews
With tons of action, fun fight scenes, and plenty of comedy, Venom: Let There Be Carnage gives fans everything they'll be looking for -- plus a can't-miss post-credits surprise. Read audience reviews
Rent Venom: Let There Be Carnage on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or buy it on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu.
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Tom Hardy returns to the big screen as the lethal protector Venom, one of MARVEL's greatest and most complex characters.
Rating: PG-13 (Disturbing Material|Action|Intense Sequences of Violence|Some Strong Language|Suggestive References)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Comedy
Original Language: English
Director: Andy Serkis
Producer: Avi Arad, Matthew Tolmach, Amy Pascal, Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy, Hutch Parker
Writer: Kelly Marcel
Release Date (Theaters): wide
Box Office (Gross USA): $213.5M
Runtime:
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Pascal Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Matt Tolmach, Avi Arad, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)
Unlike its truly awful predecessor, this movie is at least aware that it is total trash. That doesn't really make it good but I'll give it a few points for self awareness.
Whatever feelings you may have had for 2018's Venom, I imagine they will only be magnified with the sequel, Let There Be Carnage, where it appears that the filmmakers took the goofy, campy elements from the original and magnified them exponentially. This is a silly, dumb movie that seems almost too aware of its existence as a silly, dumb movie; it reminded me of what a Roger Corman movie might feel like as a modern-day superhero blockbuster. This movie is ridiculous, and that will either be its major selling point of its point of condemnation. I was not a fan of the 2018 predecessor but I found myself enjoying the goofier aspects of Tom Hardy's performance as journalist Eddie Brock after he shares his body with an alien symbiotic goo. This time we have a second alien symbiotic goo, which is actually what the villain of the first movie was, but this time it's red and extra trendril-y! The appeal for any viewer is going to be the bonkers buddy film at its core, Eddie Brock and his living id personified as the Venom alien that keeps asking to be allowed to eat people. The movie is almost sitcom-level in it's portrayal of the two butting heads and going their separate ways to prove they don't need the other only to learn they were really meant to be. There are some comedic moments that just keep doubling down on silly jokes at the expense of everything else, like the "Not you, Father, you, father" bit that actually made me laugh out loud. Under the guise of actor-turned-director Andy Serkis (Mowgli), the movie is simply a broad cartoon that manages to walk a line between good-bad and laughably bad. It doesn't always keep that balance but it's sure entertaining to watch its goofball energy and it's only a merciful 90 minutes long (almost one half of Eternals). I can't really tell if everyone attached to the movie is trying hard or really just goofing off on the company's dime. Regardless, if you were not a fan of Venom before, this movie won't convince you there's a compelling character or universe here. Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea) is pitifully wasted as Eddie's ex-girlfriend. The accents are terrible all around. The new villain is a scenery-chewing serial killing dullard and then transforms into a goop monster. The love story with Woody Harrelson (Zombieland) and Naomie Harris (Moonlight) made me think if someone combined Natural Born Killers with X-Men but short-changed us on both counts. What works in this movie is what worked for me in the previous film, but now all elements feel more in alignment with the goofy energy of star-producer-and-credited-"story by"-writer Hardy. I don't know if this franchise will ever qualify as traditionally good no matter how successful it proves to be. Maybe what the people really want is a screwball comedy with Hardy mugging alongside a wise-cracking, homicidal alien goo suit. Bon appetite, fans of expensive trash. Nate's Grade: C
I mean, if you enjoyed the first Venom film this is more or less the same nonsensical big dumb super hero action film. I wish these films were good because Venom is such an iconic Spidey villain but my god, you can't make anything less inspiring in the genre than whatever this franchise has become. It's exactly what it wants to be and it panders to its very specific adolescent minded demographic.
Is it just me or is this like the movie Ted, but instead of Mark Wahlberg and a wisecracking teddy bear, it's Tom Hardy and a wisecracking symbiote. Just like the first, the best thing about this is Tom Hardy as Eddy and Tom Hardy as Venom, a slightly mellower version of their previous joint appearance. Woody Harrelson as Carnage is one of the worst performances I've seen from him. The wig was horrible. When he was in prison it seemed like he was trying to channel Heath Ledger's Joker and did a horrible job at it. This time, instead of feeling like a bad Spider Man ripoff, it felt like a more enjoyable Hulk movie. And just like in the Hulk, when he's fighting his invulnerable muscle bound nemesis, you just check out. No stakes, no tension, just a long wait until some random thing takes the bad guy down to a size that he can be easily dispatched. You'll enjoy this much more if you just think of it as a comedy. Not a comic book movie. Just an oddball comedy.
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