VENOM Review: A Few Missteps Aside, Sony's Uneven Spider-Man Spin-Off Is Not Bad At All

VENOM Review: A Few Missteps Aside, Sony's Uneven Spider-Man Spin-Off Is Not Bad At All

The initial reactions to Sony's Venom were decidedly mixed, but now that the embargo has lifted we can tell you that a lot of them were quite harsh on the movie. Find out what we thought after the jump...

Review Opinion
By MarkCassidy - Oct 02, 2018 06:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Venom
The trailers for the Venom movie did not inspire confidence, and when we found out that reviews were embargoed until a day or two before the movie was set to hit theaters and the initial reactions were mixed/negative, we obviously assumed the worst.

So, is Venom really that bad? Actually, no... not at all.

Granted, the movie does not get off to a very good start. After a rushed opening sequence we're awkwardly introduced to our main characters, none of whom really make much of an impression and spout some woeful dialogue as the rather pedestrian plot unfolds. This makes most of the first act a bit of a slog, but once Eddie Brock bonds with the symbiote the movie becomes a riot (no pun).

Tom Hardy devours the scenery much like his ravenous alien pal here, but most of the time it works and makes for some hilarious - granted, sometimes unintentionally so - moments. The only problem is, while he's clearly having a blast going way OTT, his supporting cast are all on autopilot.

Nobody would ever accuse Michelle Williams or Riz Ahmed of being bad actors, but to say they phone in their performances here would be an understatement, and their characters never become more than the token love interest and villain, respectively. Jenny Slate does make an impression as a Life Foundation scientist, but she's not given enough to do.

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The real star of the show, however, is the psychotic symbiote himself. Venom is a fantastic creation (even when some of the CGI that brings him to life is a little sketchy) and the interactions between he and Eddie are a definite highlight. Plus, when he fully takes over his host the action sequences get a lot more exciting - although the final boss battle does become a little tedious.

Perhaps the biggest problem with Venom is that it doesn't make enough of an impact to justify its existence as a standalone film. No, not everything needs to be part of a larger universe, but the character's origins are so deeply connected to Spider-Man that completely bypassing this seems like a missed opportunity.

Venom is crazy, cringey, funny, and maybe even a bit of a mess - but it's never less than entertaining. It'll be interesting to see how - or more accurately, if - this "Spider-Man movie universe without Spider-Man" progresses, but there's definitely some potential here.

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ShogunOfSorrow
ShogunOfSorrow - 10/2/2018, 7:02 PM
Well, until I get to see it, I'll take your word for it!
MitchConner
MitchConner - 10/5/2018, 9:48 PM
@ShogunOfSorrow - you should man
Battabing
Battabing - 10/2/2018, 7:02 PM
Maybe I'll catch it in a couple of weeks.
SuperCBMcritic
SuperCBMcritic - 10/2/2018, 8:27 PM
@Battabing - or on redbox lol
zeon00
zeon00 - 10/2/2018, 10:00 PM
@SuperCBMcritic - or premiere day
MitchConner
MitchConner - 10/6/2018, 8:09 PM
@Battabing - or no you just go watch it. Thanos demands it. lol. It’s good dude.
Tonic24k
Tonic24k - 10/2/2018, 7:05 PM
OmegaDaGrodd
OmegaDaGrodd - 10/2/2018, 7:23 PM
@Tonic24k - This is a pretty much perfect microcosm of every 'positive' Venom reaction I've seen
BlackPhillip
BlackPhillip - 10/2/2018, 7:05 PM
I'll wait for it on FX or something.
Mercwitham0uth
Mercwitham0uth - 10/2/2018, 8:29 PM
@BlackPhillip - I'll wait for it to hit a cheap theater.
MitchConner
MitchConner - 10/9/2018, 11:20 PM
@BlackPhillip - you'll get the shiz.version. Missing out
GhostDog
GhostDog - 10/2/2018, 7:06 PM
"Perhaps the biggest problem with Venom is that it doesn't make enough of an impact to justify its existence as a standalone film."



I always take one primary thing from Ror's reviews that sums it all for me. This seems to be it for this one.
WeaponXCII
WeaponXCII - 10/2/2018, 7:07 PM
"Not Bad At All."

ELAYEM
ELAYEM - 10/2/2018, 7:07 PM
harley2011
harley2011 - 10/2/2018, 7:08 PM
Good thing when Marvel movies that are not Disney succeed.
StarlordsDad
StarlordsDad - 10/2/2018, 7:09 PM
I would go watch this but a star is born is looking like on of the best movies of the year. Maybe next week
Cbmfilmjunkie
Cbmfilmjunkie - 10/2/2018, 7:10 PM
I know people are comparing this with Joker in the sense that Batman isn’t showing up there but at least with that film they are bringing in Thomas Wayne and bits and pieces of Batman‘s world, here it seems like they abandoned all of Spider-Man’s existence.
TheDarkPassenger
TheDarkPassenger - 10/2/2018, 7:11 PM
"Perhaps the biggest problem with Venom is that it doesn't make enough of an impact to justify its existence as a standalone film. No, not everything needs to be connected to a larger universe, but this character's origins are so deeply connected to Spider-Man's that completely bypassing that seems like a missed opportunity."

This whole ending paragraph is my problem with this movie. I'll never be able to get over it, there's no reason for this movie to exist. Sony wants to make this the start of some Spiderman-less movie universe, but what the [frick] is there to do with Venom after this in sequels? Fight MORE cops and MORE people using Symbiotes? Who's gonna care about Carnage after Riot? Doesn't matter if it's technically the Carnage character, it's just gonna be more of the same. You're doing all you can without Spiderman in the first film.
Battabing
Battabing - 10/3/2018, 8:59 AM
@TheDarkPassenger -

It's like Pascal and Feige are racing to see who can create a Sinister Six first.
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