Movie Review: Venom: The Last Dance (2024)

Venom: The Last Dance (2024) co-written and directed by Kelly Marcel

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is on the run from the law since they assume he was the killer in the San Francisco cathedral incident in the last film. He's able to stay ahead of trouble since he has the symbiote to work with. They (Eddie and the symbiote) are hanging out in Mexico but decide to head to New York so the symbiote can see the Statue of Liberty. The road trip is interrupted by a xenophage, a horrible monster from the symbiote's home world that is hunting them. As the duo Venom, Eddie and the symbiote have a "codex" which is a special key that will free Knull (Andy Serkis), the creator of all the symbiotes who wants to destroy the universe (or something like that...at least he wants to wipe out the symbiotes for imprisoning him). While on the run, they are also pursued by a secret agency called Area 55 (hidden underneath Area 51) that is doing research on the aliens (like the symbiotes) for their own purposes. A lot of action and mayhem ensues.

The plot is fairly haphazard, moving from point to point with more of a focus on action set pieces and wrapping up the trilogy. Plenty of head-scratching moments have the characters losing track of what's going on or knowing a lot more than they should. Plot contrivances move things forward in hard-to-believe ways. The special effects are amazing and the filmmakers are creative in using Venom's powers, as well as using other symbiotes in the big final fight against the xenophages. The camaraderie between Eddie and the symbiote works better in this film than in the previous films and Hardy is as charming as ever. Overall, it's an enjoyable film but the story needs a lot more tightening up.

Mildly recommended--this is okay if you are fan of the character, not a general viewer.

Book Review: Spider-man and Venom: Double Trouble by M. Tamaki et al.

Spider-man and Venom: Double Trouble written by Mariko Tamaki and art by Gurihiru

Spider-man and Venom are roommates since Venom wants to be a better super-powered person. At least, that's what he tells Spider-man. One night, he switches bodies with Spider-man so he can go on a Ninja-Warrior style TV show that's only for superheroes. Meanwhile, Spidey (who is stuck in Venom's body) has to deal with Green Goblin, who wants to collect a debt from Venom. Things get more comically weird from there.

The story is very light-hearted and wacky. The initial Odd Couple vibe quickly switches into the Freaky Friday plot without the characters learning about each others' lives. They just have some mad-cap adventures. The book is fun and reads quickly.

Recommended.

Movie Review: Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) directed by Andy Serkis

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is still living with the Venom symbiote though everyone else thinks the symbiote died at the end of the last film. They are having a hard time together because they are a very dysfunctional pair. Brock gets a break in his journalist career when serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) requests Eddie for a pre-execution interview. Kasady is unhinged and rambling. He eventually bites Brock and claims his blood tastes weird. Kasady's cell is covered with images and writing he's carved into the stone. Eddie returns home and writes up a story. With Venom's help, he figures out where some other victims' bodies are buried (using the cell wall drawings), making Eddie more respected and successful as a reporter. That doesn't really help Eddie and Venom. They decide to separate. Unfortunately, Kasady got a bit of the symbiote through his bite and it grows into Carnage, a red-colored symbiote that frees Kasady from prison as he is being lethally injected. Kasady wants to free his girlfriend Shriek (Naomie Harris) from a mental institution for mutants. Carnage agrees as long as they do something he wants--take over the world. Or at least kill Venom.

While there were plenty of funny bits and the special effects were amazing, the overall plot was not that interesting. Harrelson is not used to his fullest though he does well enough with what he has. Michelle Williams reprises her role as Eddie's ex Anne, though it isn't really clear why the character is sticking around since she is engaged to a doctor. The movie introduces a lot of dualities (Eddie/Venom, Kasady/Carnage, Venom/Carnage, Eddie & Anne/Kasady & Shriek, Eddie & Anne/the doctor & Anne) but never does anything interesting with them. I wanted some more substance to the story or some discernible character growth, or even changes. This movie falls into the standard action/buddy movie slot with not much to distinguish itself.

Slightly recommend, though it is better than the first film.

 

Movie Review: Venom (2018)

Venom (2018) directed by Ruben Fleischer

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is a no-nonsense reporter who likes to uncover corruption and malfeasance. His publisher wants him to do a light piece on Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), a major inventor in pharmaceuticals and space travel. Eddie uncovers some untoward experiments that Drake's company runs, including the use of homeless people in medical testing. When Eddie confronts Drake, Drake ruins Eddie's career. Eddie got some key information from his girlfriend's (Michelle Williams) laptop, so his love life is in ruins too because she gets fired from the law firm representing Drake's company. Six months later, one of the company's scientists approaches Eddie hoping to get an expose on the evil things Drake is doing. Eddie sneaks into the headquarters, only to wind up a host for an alien symbiote that they found in outer space. He becomes Venom, a muscly, tentacly monster with a proclivity for biting heads off of living things (including people). Drake wants his alien back and has lots of resources, so mayhem ensues.

The movie suffers a bit from tonal shifts. Sometimes it feels like a horror movie. Sometimes it feels like a comedy. Sometimes it's an action-adventure flick. Occasionally it flirts with Jekyll and Hyde moments. These various elements don't fit together smoothly. The advertising promised a darker anti-hero movie but this turns out to be a typical reluctant hero movie, of which there are tons of examples nowadays. On the other hand, Hardy gives a fine, twitchy performance as a mostly-loveable loser who has a hard time reining in his other, alien half. The special effects look great and the story moves along at a brisk pace. I just wish it had been riskier or had some substantial difference from other superhero movies.

Slightly recommended.