MOVIE REVIEW: Venom

(Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode F. Shinoda)

2008 was a good year for comic books fans.  The rampant success of Marvel's Iron Man set the stage for dozens of super hero movies, and with one or two exceptions, they've all been worth the price of admission.  Iron Man proved that fans of the genre were out there in droves, just waiting to spend money on movies that brought their comic or cartoon heroes to life on the big screen.

It's been ten years since Shell-Head made his first appearance.  Content has had time to mature, to grow more robust, and movies like Guardians Of The Galaxy and Ant-Man proved that even lesser-known IPs could stand on their own two feet.  And it was good.

People have been talking about a Venom movie for some time now, and when the teaser for the movie dropped at the beginning of the year, people went absolutely nuts, myself included.  They got even more nuts when they saw Tom Hardy in action, since just about everything he touches is solid gold.

Then trailers started dropping and we got our first look at one of Marvel's most popular anti-heroes.  And it was good.

Now, Venom has arrived.  Three trailers and a truckload of hype later, has it survived?  Should you embrace the symbiote?


THE SHORT VERSION:

So many great things to say, so little time!



THE LONG VERSION:

As much as Toby Maguire and Topher Grace tried to ruin him, I absolutely LOVE Venom.  I haven't read many of the comic books, mind you.  My love for him comes from the '90s Spider-Man cartoons.  I'm not entirely sure why I love Venom as much as I do, except that the concept is really cool to me.  When I heard that the Live Action had been green-lit, I started bouncing around like a child.  I've looked forward to Venom more than I have any other movie in recent memory.  I looked forward to it so much that I didn't read any of the reviews about it that emerged from early screenings.  I didn't watch any of the scenes that had been revealed.  None of it.  I wanted to experience the movie fresh for the first time.

It didn't disappoint.

Here's what you need to know going in:

- The story is serviceable, but not air-tight.  There are several holes in it if you look hard enough.  You won't really be doing that during the film though because...
- The CGI is on Venom is incredible.  The CG on some of the other elements in the movie is slightly less so, but Venom itself is amazing.
- The dialogue is on par with other Marvel movies, especially the banter between Brock and Venom.
- The fight scenes.  Ye Gods.
- The movie's use of humor is excellent and its use of horror is almost better.  Venom is a PG-13 movie that could have easily been rated R.  It doesn't suffer much for being toned down though due to the excellent writing and pacing.

I don't want to say much more about the film because I don't want to spoil it for you.  If you like comic movies, go see this one.  If you like sci-fi alien movies, go see it.  If you like dark comedy and action movies, go see it.  Because Venom isn't tied to the MCU, it can free-wheel with a bunch of stuff, and that means you can watch it without benefit of prior education.  It's just a fun, easy movie to watch, and you'll laugh a LOT while you do.







SPOILERS...because if you really want 'em, I'll give 'em to you!

- It's revealed at one point in the movie that the symbiotes kill their hosts, even the ones they successfully bond with.  An issue is made about Eddie Brock's failing health in the film and it's never actually addressed.  That's big plot hole number one.
- The CEO of the Life company -- his name is ultimately forgettable -- is one head shave and white cat away from being a campy Bond villain.
- I love watching Tom Hardy's gait in this movie, as well as Eddie's accent.  Much has been said about the accent, but having known some people from New York in my time, it's pretty spot on.
- The back and forth between Brock and Venom is side-splittingly funny, especially the quick bit where Venom urges Brock to jump out of the building. The entire theater was laughing about that one.
- I'm sorry, but the CG on Riot was bad.
- Sooo, that part in the forest where Anne Weying shows up to give Venom back to Brock was kind of unexpected.
- There are some people that are going to make an issue out of how human they made Venom's personality.  While I can understand their objections, I think it was a good choice on Marvel's part.  It makes Venom a little easier to relate to and pushes it over the line from just a monster to, 'A monster, but fucking cool'.
- I'm not sure how I feel about Venom being a bit of a loser on his home planet, but it served the story well enough.