Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Review
Despite being a patchy mess, 2018’s Venom rose to surprise box office success thanks to a charming star in Tom Hardy, and an audience that was growing weary of sombre superheroes (Aquaman succeeded in the same year for similar reasons). A sequel was inevitable, but has it done enough to flesh out the cult anti-hero?
A few years on from the first story, Eddie Brock (Hardy) is struggling to live alongside Venom (also Hardy), the carnivorous alien symbiote living inside him. Separated from his girlfriend Anne (Michelle Williams), his problems worsen when he is summoned by Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), a death row inmate who believes Brock’s articles showed him in a bad light. Just prior to his execution, Cletus is infected with part of Venom, giving him a symbiote named Carnage who helps him escape. With the pair on the rampage and out for revenge, Eddie must find a way to live with Venom in order to save the people he loves.
At around ninety minutes, this sequel is almost an hour shorter than its predecessor. The method behind this slimming down is clear: incoming director Andy Serkis has kept what worked, and thrown out what didn’t. The focus is on Eddie and Venom’s Odd Couple hilarity, with Eddie trying to stifle the rambunctious and hungry Venom. This is exceedingly charming, and provides the backbone for a light but enjoyable hour and a half as Serkis jams in as much action as possible in between comedy skits. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but provides darkly comic entertainment from beginning to end, and doesn’t linger long enough to get boring.
Alongside Hardy, who is clearly having the time of his life, there is the brilliant Harrelson as the bad guy. Even with a corny script, which struggles during serious moments, he creates an aura of menace that sets up the cat-and-mouse third act. The film’s biggest sin is underusing talented actors. Stephen Graham has moments as a detective on Brock’s back, and Naomie Harris gives her all as Cletus’ lover Frances, but neither get to flex much dramatic muscle.
This Venom is content to be the messy, sweary older brother of the Spider-man franchise, revelling in the chaos and silliness. Superhero fans will be sated until the Marvel Universe business begins next month, and neutrals will enjoy a comic book movie that doesn’t take itself so seriously.