Though 2018's Venom proved to be a surprise box office success, it was pretty much torn to shreds by most critics (it earned a lousy 30% on Rotten Tomatoes). The sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, is set to hit theaters this weekend, and the first wave of reviews have been far more positive.
Though the movie still has its share of detractors, the Andy Serkis-helmed Marvel Comics adventure seems to have won over the majority of critics who shared their verdicts (you can check out our own Josh Wilding's take here), and currently sits at a fairly impressive 76% on RT. While that score is sure to fluctuate, this is certainly an encouraging start.
While the short run-time was an issue for some, THR reckons "The best thing you can say about the action in Carnage is that it doesn't stretch the film past the hour-and-a-half mark." Den of Geek was even less impressed, concluding a 2-star write-up with, "Yes, Venom 2 is better than the first Venom, but then so are trips to the dentist."
The LA Times gave a glowing review, however, describing the movie as "touching, wild entertainment," and adding that "It's the themes of home, love, and companionship that make Serkis' sequel another reason to want more Venom movies, and quickly." Digital Spy also had a lot of fun with VLTMC, calling it "exactly what you want out of a film: a fun time without chest-beating moralistic, bloated stories, or perfunctory action. On these, Venom: Let There Be Carnage delivers as the odd-couple, campy-action ride we were promised."
You can have a read through the rest of the reviews here, but it sounds like fans of the first movie will be very happy with this sequel, and even if you hated it, you might just be won over by the Carnage on display.