Written by: Kevin Berge
Hardy continues to be the most successful voice actor not doing VA roles. When you hire him on, you know you've got 20 different voices at your disposal. (Image Courtesy of: venom.movie)
Quick Take: Venom is a funny movie, sometimes intentionally and sometimes decidedly not, but it is always a mess. This is a choppily edited, awkwardly written experience that has no sense of what it actually wants to be.
***This review will not contain spoilers beyond the basic set-up of the story. Those who have not seen the movie yet should feel free to read ahead unless they want to go in completely blind.***
Enjoyment of a movie is mostly subjective because entertainment is built to play on emotions. We all like different things. However, there is an objective side to filmmaking that cannot be ignored. Editing, writing, direction, and acting are all partially objective elements of a film that can make it good or bad.
Venom has proved that a bad film can still be an enjoyable movie for many. This is an awkwardly constructed film where it feels like the director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) lost control of the production long before it finished.
It was written by a crowded writer's room of Scott Rosenberg (Con Air), Jeff Pinkner (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle), Kelly Marcel (Saving Mr. Banks), and Will Beall (Gangster Squad). While cast includes Tom Hardy (Inception), Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine), and Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler), the acting is fine at best.
These failed elements have led to a largely negative critical reception yet have not stopped the film from being an impressive commercial success with fans largely enjoying the experience. In some ways, I understand why people enjoy the movie. If nothing else, it's an ambitious and funny movie.
Venom follows Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy), an intrepid reporter who uncovers business mogul Carlton Drake's (Riz Ahmed) secret experiments to merge human beings with alien symbiotes. However, his discover ruins his life as his fiance Anne Weying (Michelle Williams) leaves him and he merges with a dangerous symbiote named Venom (Hardy).
A Venom movie without Spider-Man was always going to be a difficult sell. How do you tell the story of one of Marvel's strangest villains/anti-heroes without his main rival? Some hoped for a dark violent horror, but instead we were graced with a sloppy superhero action comedy.
Enjoyment of a movie is mostly subjective because entertainment is built to play on emotions. We all like different things. However, there is an objective side to filmmaking that cannot be ignored. Editing, writing, direction, and acting are all partially objective elements of a film that can make it good or bad.
Venom has proved that a bad film can still be an enjoyable movie for many. This is an awkwardly constructed film where it feels like the director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) lost control of the production long before it finished.
It was written by a crowded writer's room of Scott Rosenberg (Con Air), Jeff Pinkner (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle), Kelly Marcel (Saving Mr. Banks), and Will Beall (Gangster Squad). While cast includes Tom Hardy (Inception), Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine), and Riz Ahmed (Nightcrawler), the acting is fine at best.
These failed elements have led to a largely negative critical reception yet have not stopped the film from being an impressive commercial success with fans largely enjoying the experience. In some ways, I understand why people enjoy the movie. If nothing else, it's an ambitious and funny movie.
Venom follows Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy), an intrepid reporter who uncovers business mogul Carlton Drake's (Riz Ahmed) secret experiments to merge human beings with alien symbiotes. However, his discover ruins his life as his fiance Anne Weying (Michelle Williams) leaves him and he merges with a dangerous symbiote named Venom (Hardy).
A Venom movie without Spider-Man was always going to be a difficult sell. How do you tell the story of one of Marvel's strangest villains/anti-heroes without his main rival? Some hoped for a dark violent horror, but instead we were graced with a sloppy superhero action comedy.
One of the best actresses going, Michelle Williams will now forever be known as the love interest in the Venom movie. (Image Courtesy of: hollywoodreporter.com)
There's nothing wrong with making Venom a comedy though. Over the years, the character has often been an odd presence with comedic edges. The problem with this film is that it is not written well enough to be a full-blown comedy or full-blown action flick. It's stuck in the middle.
Venom himself especially in his interactions with Eddie is hilarious. His way of seeing the world really translates well here. Hardy brings as much as he can to the roles with Eddie pushing Venom to slowly become more of a hero. Their dynamic could translate well to future stories.
No one else though really benefits from the same sharp comedy. Williams has a few fun scenes but largely is strapped with a thankless role in the story. Ahmed is close to hamming it up as the villain but isn't given enough material to just go for it, settling for the misunderstood mad genius character too often seen in movies.
This whole film means well, but the biggest issue is that it just feels out of control. Fleischer is an experienced director who hasn't made a lot of great movies. That may be the reason he doesn't seem to have control of Venom at all. The editing especially of this film is far too sloppy.
Leaving the theater, my first thought was that the entire first act could have been cut, and the movie would have been better for it. The CGI is not fully realized especially in the nauseating climax. The film is dark and ugly and not in the way it should be.
Yet many loved this movie. It is on track to pass $500 million this weekend at a time when superhero movies seemed to be losing momentum in the box office outside of the MCU. It may be a bad film, but the comedy and action resonates with many, which is worth something (but not a good grade).
Venom himself especially in his interactions with Eddie is hilarious. His way of seeing the world really translates well here. Hardy brings as much as he can to the roles with Eddie pushing Venom to slowly become more of a hero. Their dynamic could translate well to future stories.
No one else though really benefits from the same sharp comedy. Williams has a few fun scenes but largely is strapped with a thankless role in the story. Ahmed is close to hamming it up as the villain but isn't given enough material to just go for it, settling for the misunderstood mad genius character too often seen in movies.
This whole film means well, but the biggest issue is that it just feels out of control. Fleischer is an experienced director who hasn't made a lot of great movies. That may be the reason he doesn't seem to have control of Venom at all. The editing especially of this film is far too sloppy.
Leaving the theater, my first thought was that the entire first act could have been cut, and the movie would have been better for it. The CGI is not fully realized especially in the nauseating climax. The film is dark and ugly and not in the way it should be.
Yet many loved this movie. It is on track to pass $500 million this weekend at a time when superhero movies seemed to be losing momentum in the box office outside of the MCU. It may be a bad film, but the comedy and action resonates with many, which is worth something (but not a good grade).
