Venom
Out Now On-Demand
Tom Hardy is the enigmatic, complex Marvel character Venom in this Spider-Man spin-off co-starring Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed.
While investigating Carlton Drake (Ahmed), the notorious and brilliant founder of the Life Foundation, journalist Eddie Brock's (Hardy) body merges with the alien Venom, leaving him with superhuman strength. Fueled by rage, Venom tries to control the new and dangerous abilities that Eddie finds so intoxicating.
Trailers
US Trailer 2- Trailer
- Teaser
- ESPN Promo ('New Mascot')
- Clip ('To Protect and Sever')
- Clip ('Ambushing Drake')
- A Brock and a Hardy Place Vignette
Directed by
Action, Science Fiction, Thriller, Blockbuster
112mins
Rating: M Violence & offensive language
USA
Daniel Rutledge
flicks
This is what a series of bad decisions stretched out over a very long development history looks like. Venom wants to be a darkly comedic body-horror and a compelling anti-hero comic book caper. It also tries to shock life back into Sony's sub-Marvel mini-verse, which seemingly died along with the Amazing Spider-Man films. It only succeeds in being a supremely average film that mostly frustrates and baffles rather than thrills.
Some may find Tom Hardy's performance charming, which it is in places. But it centres on his struggling with a super powerful alien that's taking over his body, which sees him verbally arguing with it and all. That sort of thing has been done much better, many times - most recently with Upgrade. I actually liked Riz Ahmed 's take on Elon Musk as the best performance, even if he did phone it in.
The horde of poor filmmaking choices could be forgiven if it at least delivered on the action, but it sure as shit does not. Every moment of action is created in a computer and most of it is surprisingly awful, fake-looking garbage. There's also no blood spilt on-screen, despite a large amount of beheadings and dismemberments carried out.
Although director Ruben Fleischer is tonally all over the place, I like how all-in he goes with the ridiculousness. He's made something shit, but at least he's gone full bonkers with that shit - the climactic fight scene is between two entirely CGI-created alien demon things leaping about on a rocket ship. In other movies, someone might've tried to intervene and patch something with less nonsense in, which would've created an even less interesting hodgepodge of shit.
There are a few nice laughs to be had both with and at Venom. It's a silly, cartoonish misfire that's bloody hard to enjoy, but somehow also hard to hate.
Variety (USA)
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Hollywood Reporter
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TimeOut (New York)
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Total Film (UK)
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Empire (UK)
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shinya
user
Maybe not for those who don't want to have fun?
Definitely not for those who don't want to have fun. Tom Hardy brings his A-game (and smart improvisation) to this. Truly captured the millennial culture and humour in this origin story that well stands alone from the Spiderman series --- just check the internet and the memes and see how everybody just loves Eddie Brock and Venom (something critics didn't catch because, of course, the "intellectual" demands of their work).
Alissa Warren
user
Chaotic but a blast.
Tom Hardy looks like he's just running with it, he knows its absolutely insane and he's just like a kid in a lolly shop making his performance so nutty and full pelt over the top that it works, its entertaining just because he makes it so . What doesn't work is that the audience doesn't really care about any of the characters, to me thats where it's a let down. Great action but no substance. Choppy with weird plot jumps and scenes that don't gel . This would have made a better series on Netflix than a movie plagued with a troubled production, because it shows, boy does it show.
Karen Dransfield
user
The new anti hero!
All I knew when I went into the movie it what I'd seen in the trailer and the old Spiderman movie... so was a bit of newbie for this. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Had great action, cool special effects. Tom Hardy was totally awesome as Eddie/Venom. Go see it on the big screen :)
SouthShadow
user
Screw the bad reviews from critics, just go & watch the film
After being baffled by the critics who gave this movie a bad rating I decided to go & see Venom with my great nephew & both of us absolutely enjoyed it. The transformation from Eddie Brock to Venom was superb, Tom Hardy did a good job playing his role as the main character & the humor was also hilarious and in the right time. My only complaint about this film is that it felt short & I wish it was a bit longer. I highly recommend this movie & don't take any reviews from critics seriously because most of them are pretty BS