Do you remember that a Venom movie came out three years ago? I barely recall it as well. It could be because time means nothing in this vortex of melancholy we’ve all been living in for over a year and a half. Also, it might have to do with the first movie barely making a dent in pop culture.
Tom Hardy returns as Eddie Brock, the discredited journalist that was infected with the Venom symbiote and lives each day with a growling voice in his head that craves the brains of humans. This odd couple dynamic has reached an unhappy compromise, but things get far more complex when a serial killer named Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) becomes infected with part of the symbiote. The symbiote, already drawn to destruction and being paired with the mind of a psychopath, becomes Carnage, a nearly unstoppable tornado of death.
Andy Serkis takes the directorial reins in this sequel that has its story credited to Tom Hardy and screenwriter Kelly Marcel (50 Shades of Grey, Cruella). I was expecting a far different feel to this movie given a change in the creative team. However, There Will Be Carnage doesn’t miss a beat from the first movie.
In fact, this is nearly identical to the first movie as far as quality and depth go. The pool is shallow for this “anti-hero.” With a runtime of a brisk 90 minutes, Venom doesn’t have the time necessary to explore what truly makes Kasady/Carnage so terrifying. As viewers, we get to experience his CG bloody warpath in select action set pieces, but this is a movie that should have been solely dedicated to the fear and collateral damage that an alien/psychopath would cause.
It’s a shame too, because Harrelson is masterclass when it comes to chewing scenery. His character and motivations make little sense, but he plays it so overly serious, making him an entertaining character to watch. One of the main issues with this franchise is that no one takes it seriously. There are so many attempts at comedy, with only 6% sticking the landing. I’m proud of Tom Hardy for being able to let loose and just enjoy a role, but it all feels like poor improvisational dialogue between he and his inner (sometimes outer) voice.
However, Let There Be Carnage is not without its strengths. As cringeworthy as character reactions might be at times, there is no other comic book series that feels like this. This is a movie that lives and dies on its quirks and tonal unpredictability. In that way, it’s never quite boring.
The action is very PG-13 but wants to be rated R so badly (It should have been). Instead of pulling punches, the movie flinches when heads are almost eaten. The climactic battle between Carnage and Venom is memorable enough with a great setting and with plenty of supervillain action to go around.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage should be a blast to watch and truly believe it is. The back-and-forth between Eddie Brock and Venom make the experience feel bonkers. The attempts at humor come off as annoying instead of hilarious. The glimpses of Woody Harrelson chewing the scenery are fun, and the visuals of Carnage make my inner ’90s cartoon fan happy. However, Carnage isn’t utilized well enough to salvage a movie that trips over itself trying to be a silly action comedy. C-
Comments are closed.