The review embargo finally lifted for Venom: Let There Be Carnage a little earlier today, and the response thus far has definitely been interesting (you can find what we had to say here). Soon, fans will get to share their takes on the movie, but we're now taking a deeper dive into the Venom sequel by breaking down what did and didn't work...minus any spoilers, of course!
We'll have plenty of spoilery coverage for you soon, but in the meantime, we're getting a little more in-depth with this breakdown to explore what Andy Serkis got right, and how the movie very occasionally drops the ball. There's no denying that Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a major improvement over its predecessor, but there are issues, and Venom 3 will hopefully perfect the formula.
Overall, this sequel is an absolute blast, and something tells us you'll have a lot of fun with it. It turns out Serkis was exactly what the Sony franchise needed, and even our complaints are relatively minor ones. Some are likely to bother you more than others, though, and we think you'll learn a lot here.
To take a look through this breakdown, all you guys need to do is click on the "Next" button below!
Did Work: Carnage Is A BEAST Of A Character
In terms of villains, Venom definitely disappointed. Riot was a complete letdown, while those other symbiotes (including Scream!) proved themselves total non-factors in the movie. Of course, Carlton Drake is a relatively minor character in Eddie Brock's world, so that can be mostly forgiven...screwing up Carnage, on the other hand, would be a very diffrent matter.
Thankfully, that's not the case here as Woody Harrelson (minus the silly wig) proves himself a perfect fit for the role of Cletus Kasady. The movie is light on blood and guts, but he's an unrepentant killer and a genuinely terrifying, unhinged presence.
More importantly, Carnage is a complete and utter beast. As soon as Cletus' transformation takes place, the symbiote is unleashed in a way that makes us wish we could have spent more time with him. He looks incredible in motion, and once he squares off with Eddie, the results are insanely good. We just really hope he's not another one-and-done villain.
Didn't Work: What World Is This Set In, Anyway?
Venom: Let There Be Carnage is light on Easter Eggs, and we don't get any of the MCU teases it seems Morbius will be full of. Set photos for that movie have referenced the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, with graffiti highlighting what appears to be Tobey Maguire's wall-crawler. Michael Keaton has even reprised his role as Adrian Toomes/The Vulture for a cameo role!
It's not a spoiler to say that The Daily Bugle gets a mention here, but it's the West Coast edition of the newspaper rather than TheDailyBugle.net. Some clarification from this sequel would have been welcomed, and it feels a lot like Sony may have hedged their bets here before going all-in with Morbius.
Now, it's worth noting that at our junket screening, there was no mid-credits scene. Like most of you, we've read the descriptions and it sounds like the sequence might muddy the waters even further. Either way, it feels like Sony needs to decide whether this franchise is destined for bigger things or if the plan is for it to remain standalone in nature (not a bad option, but one that would disappoint).
Did Work: Two Surprising Love Stories
The romantic subplot with Eddie Brock and Anne Weying didn't really work for us in Venom. Luckily, it's mostly put on the backburner in this sequel, with two different loves stories receiving the spotlight. Eddie and Venom is one of them, as the duo move on from whatever that was in the first movie to instead clashing over what they want from the symbiotic bond they formed in 2018.
Venom hopes to become a "Lethal Protector," while Eddie just wants to keep off the radar. Serkis finds a way to really deepen their dynamic in this movie, leaving behind the alien calling his human host a "p*ssy" in order to explore how they can continue working together moving forward.
The other is between Cletus and Frances Barrison. We didn't expect his dynamic with "Shriek" to receive so much screentime, but Venom: Let There Be Carnage wastes no time in getting us invested in the teen lovers being reunited as adults. They're definitely villains, but this adds a little more depth to them (avoiding any risk of them becoming little more than one-dimensional baddies).
Did Work: Tom Hardy Finally Gets Venom
Venom was a bad movie, and Tom Hardy's performance was among the biggest talking points (and not always for the right reasons). He went completely overboard playing Eddie Brock, taking the comic book tough guy and transforming him into a nebbish, nervous wreck in the process.
The lobster tank scene is a good example of what we're talking about, but there were signs of good work in the British actor's performance that are enhanced here courtesy of Serkis' direction.
There's still some silliness, and this Eddie is by no means the muscular meathead who tormented Spider-Man for so many years. He's become a little more layered, though, and it feels like Hardy finally gets this interpretation of Venom. His work here is phenomenal, and if you weren't on board with a meeting with Peter Parker before, something tells us you will be after seeing this sequel.
Didn't Work: The 90-Minute Runtime (Mostly)
Venom: Let There Be Carnage's 90-minute runtime has been widely discussed online, and there's no denying that it hurts the movie. It's not a complete detriment as we appreciated the punchy nature of the sequel and the fact that there's no filler (see: Trevor in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
However, an extra twenty or thirty minutes could have made this 4* movie a 5* one. Detective Patrick Mulligan would have benefited from a little more screentime, as would Anne Weying. Both get memorable roles, but there's not a whole lot of character development.
Spending more time with all these characters would have been welcomed, but the fact that Serkis left us wanting more is no bad thing. Something tells us there could be a lot of deleted scenes on the eventual Blu-ray release, and what we do get in Venom: Let There Be Carnage works well; however, just a few extra minutes here or there could have made a massive difference.
Did Work: Humour That's Actually Funny
If you were laughing your guts out from start to finish while watching Venom, we're going to question your sense of humour, but won't hold it against you. For the most part, the gags in that 2018 movie fell flat and were more in the "laughing at" rather than "laughing with" category. Thankfully, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a legitimately very funny movie throughout.
As always, there are moments that will work better for some than others, but rest assured that Serkis has nailed the humour (though credit should also go to screenwriter Kelly Marcel).
Regardless, the Venom sequel hits a home run with jokes, heart, and action, hence why it's been more positively received than its predecessor. There are some goofy moments, but nothing as bad as what we saw three years ago, and it's goofy in a way that will make you smile or laugh out loud. Trust us when we say you'll be on board with Eddie and Venom's clash over chicken, anyway.
Did Work: The Epic Final Battle
By no means would we say Venom: Let There Be Carnage is light on action, but with that scant 90-minute runtime, there's no room for a typical mid-point battle between the protagonist and antagonist.
It's not a bad thing for the sequel to move past that trope, of course, and when Venom and Carnage do finally come to blows, it's more than worth the wait. This entire sequence is nothing short of jaw-dropping, and we're confident in saying that it will eventually rank high on lists of the all-time greatest superhero movie fight scenes (hey, that's a pretty good idea for a feature...).
There are a couple of creative decisions we didn't love, but they mostly work within the context of the movie itself. We'll explore those a little more in future posts, but the battle itself is damn near flawless and a comic book fan's dream come true for what these two fighting should look like.
Didn't Work: Yeah, It's Still Not Quite Like The Comics
If you go into Venom: Let There Be Carnage expecting a more comic accurate movie than Venom, then you're going to be disappointed all over again. There's a lot here that does line up with the source material (including Carnage's portrayal and the awesome action scenes), but for better or worse, Sony is doubling down on Venom and Eddie being two separate beings.
That's something we've seen in the comic books in recent years, of course, but it means that when Spider-Man eventually meets the symbiote, it'll likely be a lot different to what we've seen on the page.
Without getting into spoilers, there are some creative decisions made near the end of the movie that both take us one step closer to the comics and one step back from them. It is what it is at this stage, but Sony has its own very distinct idea for how Venom should be portrayed on screen. It's not perfect, but providing Serkis returns to the franchise, then we think it could still be a fun ride.