‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ – Charming Bromance Meets a Mediocre Superhero Tale
Reviews for Venom: Let There be Carnage are in, and just like Eddie Brock’s body, audiences are split.
The Venom sequel suffered a few Covid-related delays and premiere changes. The film finally hits theaters this weekend, but it’s likely to divide fans. With a runtime of just 90 minutes, Let There Be Carnage doesn’t fully invest in the story’s strong points.
The Good: Tom Hardy is Still Perfect.
There are (only) two storylines in the film that fully follow through on their arc, but both are pretty satisfying. Eddie & Venom argue like siblings who share a bedroom but on a cellular level. Their banter is highly entertaining and seeing Eddie grappling with Venom and trying to live a productive life is a very convincing predicament.
In possibly my favorite scene, Eddie has a serious case of the blues. Venom gives him a very spirited pep talk and whips up a healthy breakfast for his host– destroying the kitchen in the process. It’s these moments in Let There Be that make the film a solid bromantic comedy.
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
His relationship with Venom isn’t Eddie’s only complicated relationship. He and Anne haven’t spoken much since the first film’s events. The two sit down for dinner, and Eddie’s interaction with Venom reveals that both of them still have feelings for Anne (who’s still dating Dr. Dan).
I was exceptionally wary of this love triangle going in, but I was surprisingly delighted by the familial structures working between Eddie, Anne, and Dan. Just like the first film, the three actually make a very dynamic team. And that fits, because the love story here doesn’t involve Anne at all.
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
The Bad: Venom Turns Out Another Flat Villain
Cletus Kasady first appeared in the comics in 1991’s Amazing Spider-Man #344 as your classic psychopath. Think “what if the Venom symbiote attached to the Joker?” In fact, creator Erik Larsen has said that his character’s design was directly inspired by The Joker.
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures & Marvel Comics
With that in mind, Woody Harrelson’s portrayal of the serial killer falls flat. Rather than lean into the character’s nihilism, the emphasis falls on his romance with another Marvel villain, Shriek, and his ambiguous fascination with Eddie.
Relying heavily on derogatory variations on the word “crazy”, Kasady’s story wraps a flimsy serial killer in Woody Harrelson’s mannerisms and bloody symbiote suit. Stuff his mouth full of nonsensical poetry that doesn’t really land and violá! Let there be carnage.
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
While the love story between Venom and Eddie is cute and compelling af, Cletus and Shriek’s love doesn’t elicit much emotion. Maybe it’s because her character lacks any sort of development. While the fictional character’s power lies in her voice, Shriek’s character might not speak to the audience.
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
The Ugly: Venom‘s “Coming Out” Misses the Point
When I read that Andy Serkis wanted to frame the film as Venom’s “coming out of the closet”, my little queer heart was all aflutter. On the surface, the anti-hero draped in glow-sticks is a snapshot of a party I would love to attend. I was curious how Serkis would tie the character into the momentous life event that is coming out as queer.
I didn’t expect Eddie or Venom to come out as queer, but I was ready for the story to have a more direct tie to the experience of coming out. Involving a queer character in Venom’s journey would have been ideal, but even just a basic understanding of what “coming out” really means.
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Venom’s speech over the microphone to a room full of glowing party-goers was one of the more substantial moments of the movie. But the comparison to “coming out” was a misfire for me. This is a love story between Eddie and his voracious symbiote, and while finding your confidence after a breakup is a powerful moment, it’s not akin to coming out of the closet.
Online reviewers are predicting that fans of the first film will enjoy the second movie, but I’m unconvinced. For all of its silliness, strapping into the ride for Venom felt easy and smooth. Let There Be Carnage struggled to invest in elements of the tale, and it made the ride slow and bumpy. But if nothing else, it’s one of Sony’s most unconventional love stories.
‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ premieres in theaters Friday, October 1st, 2021.
And Of Course, the Post-Credits Scene
This section contains spoilers for the mid-credits scene in ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’.
Both Venom movies struggled to find a villain that can hold up against Hardy’s iteration of reporter Eddie Brock. But after the post-credits scene in Let There Be Carnage, the third Venom movie could finally feature a worthy adversary– none other than Tom Holland’s Spider-Man.
Does this mean Venom is now a part of the MCU? Will I get to see two of my Sony favorites riff off of one another? I need it. Give it to me!
