Venom


Review: Venom





The Director: Reuben Fleischer

The Cast:

Tom Hardy – Eddie Brock/Venom

Michelle Williams – Anne Weying

Riz Ahmed – Carlton Drake/Riot

Reid Scott – Dr. Dan Lewis

Jenny Slate – Dr. Dora Skirth

Melora Walters – Maria

Peggy Lu – Mrs Chen

Woody Harrelson – Cletus Kasady

Certificate: 15

UK Cinema release: 3rd October 2018

The Plot:

Eddie Brock (Hardy, Taboo) is a famous free-lance reporter, well-known for his talent for rooting out the kinds of stories others are too afraid to tell. He has a nice life with his girlfriend, Anne (Michelle Williams, The Greatest Showman), and his latest project will expose the dodgy goings-on at Life Foundation. Its founder, Carlton Drake (Ahmed, Rogue One) is your typical young, rich, too-arrogant-for-his-own-good type of businessman, keen to better the human race with his experiments...with the help of alien life-forms known as symbiotes. Unfortunately for Eddie, he gets a little too close, and inadvertently acquires one such alien: Venom. 

The Review:

As a diligent follower of all things Marvel, I will happily admit that I will watch anything they release. Sadly, most of the films released “in association” with Marvel have come as a disappointment. As an example, The Amazing Spiderman 2 tripped and fell into a similar hole found in Spiderman 3. Too many villains, not enough original plot, and (spoiler) the less said about that alternative ending, the better. Venom comes from that same universe, but he is one of the only familiar things about it, so don't expect Tom Holland to make an appearance (yet?).

It does maintain the goofy style of humour we've come to know and love; Hardy revels in his anti-hero role. Any further films with Venom and Eddie bickering back and forth is fine by this fan. That's where most of the fun ends, though. The plot drags its feet down a predictable path while the other, new Marvel films are bristling with twists and turns. There is a moment where Venom borrows Anne for a moment (oh, my) and it makes one wonder: will there ever be a true anti-heroine? And not an “attractive” one with fabulous head-gear, but someone hideous like Venom. Yes, you could say I had zoned out at this point.

With Ludwig Göransson composing the score (see also Black Panther!), Venom is a little more on-the-ground than the superhero movies of late. If only the story had a few more surprises.

The Verdict: 3 STARS OUT OF 5

Comments

Post a Comment