Before I start this review, I will give a warning for spoilers. Yes, this review has spoilers for Venom: Let There Be Carnage. I would like those that are reading to at least watch the movie before reading, but if you can’t, that is perfectly fine. Also, this film is PG-13, and it seriously pushes that to the limit. Now, let’s get to the review.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage, the sequel to Venom (2018), is the current big thing going on in the entertainment industry. Starring Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Naomie Harris and Michelle Williams, the movie is definitely better than the first, but does that mean it’s good?
Short answer, no, better answer, it’s complicated.
The first movie was very flawed, with poorly written characters, bad CGI, and a terrible villain. If I would give it a score, it would be a poor 3/10. The reason why it isn’t a 1 is because of Tom Hardy. He embraces the silliness in front of the camera, making the viewing experience so much funnier. His characters, Eddie Brock and Venom, are also a great duo, and also helped the film be watchable. Now that I got the first film explained and out of the way, it’s time to talk about it’s much better sequel.
The second one, instead of being overly serious, does a 180 and becomes a comedy. I personally love that it takes this risk, and it makes this movie feel more watchable. So, with the tone-flip in place, is the story good? That is where this movie crumbles a bit, because the story is very cheesy, and not the good kind. It’s short and sincere, and gets its point across, the problem however is the aimlessness it represents. It takes so many twists and turns, and it feels like it’s going 100 miles per hour the entire film.
The main story revolves around Eddie Brock doing an interview on serial killer Cletus Cassidy that reveals the burial site of his victims and it goes viral, causing Kassidy to be executed. Within that time, Eddie and Venom go back and forth, thinking of what to do. Then, during a follow up interview, Kassidy bites Eddie’s hand, causing the killer to get his own little slime monster. The rest is pretty much a romantic comedy, a dark action movie, and even somewhat of a horror movie, due to Carnage’s design. This sounds passable, but once you watch it, you realize how wacky and outright bonkers it really is. The story is definitely the worst part, because it feels rushed to the point of being quick, and has no time to breathe.
So, if the story is bad, are the characters bad? Actually no, instead, I would say most of the characters have something called wasted potential. This movie is more of a Carnage movie instead of a Venom movie. Woody Harrelson steals the show as Cletus Kassidy, his performance is so goofy, it just fits. Tom Hardy also steals the show as Eddie Brock and Venom, their bond is very amusing to witness. They are like a married couple that has been on the ropes for around 20 years, and hasn’t fixed their problems. Venom was the funniest part however. He even tells jokes in the movie. Some land, some just feel cringy to listen to.
My favorite part of the movie is the fact that it is such a mediocre film, but it is still fun to watch all the way through. Personally, I would watch it again, due to the constant goofiness. I know this review is short, but there really isn’t that much to talk about, that is, until the post credit scene, but I will leave that for you to watch. It’s a mediocre movie, but I loved it all the same. I will be giving Venom: Let There Be Carnage a very confusing 5/10.
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