Venom - Movie Review

First movie review since coming back...geezz

SPOILER WARNING

Can I just say we live in a world where we have a Venom movie? I always thought a solo movie for this character wouldn't work for many reasons. 1, I think of the character is like the Hulk. In a way where making a movie about him would very difficult. 2, the story and supporting characters. To really get the real comic version of Venom, you need Spider-Man which means building his universe first. And we've all seen how that has turned out...but it is getting better so who knows.

Those reasons made me very skeptical about the movie and when I saw the second trailer and heard this line...I knew it wasn't going to be the Venom movie comic fans wanted. The line in the trailer was:

"that power, is not completely awful."

siiiggghhhhh....

My impression of that line is Eddie explaining to someone that the power, Venom, has good intentions and isn't bad to the core. 

*cough, bullcrap, cough cough*

At that moment I knew this was going to be a superhero film. Which really sucked because I was really looking forward to the notion that "the world has too many heroes"

And unfortunately that's what we got. 

Well unfortunately and fortunately.

One good thing and depending who your asking/talking to, the ONLY good thing about the movie was Tom Hardy and his performance. He was not the reason I wanted to see it and honestly, I didn't really care much for his performance. It could have been him or it could have been a new comer actor, didn't matter. What mattered to me was Venom because as you may know if you read my It review...I have a thing for things that are strange and creepy.

I loved every second Venom was on screen though. When he wasn't I was just counting the time until he was which to me I found to be a problem with the film. It's a lesson I learned from watching the BTS of Batman Begins. 

In that film, Christian Bale doesn't put on the cape and cowl until a good hour and 2 minutes into the film (someone check me on that, I'm 89% percent sure I'm right!) So the writers and director and the actor have to make you, the audience be invested in Bruce Wayne as a person, as a character instead of just sitting there counting down until he becomes Batman. 

This movie didn't do that for me. And it's not because Batman is, if not, THE biggest comic book character and everyone knows him and loves him. Venom is just as big as a villain and just as interesting. He's definitely in my top 3 of favourite marvel villains so that's not an issue.

The issue was the timing, pacing and supporting characters.

The beginning of the film shows one of the symbiotes escaping from the space ship, flown by J.Jonah Jameson's Son! I caught that reference 😏 I initially thought it was Venom. I knew about Riot being in the movie but I thought he would come much later in the film so it surprised me when it was him controlling the other hosts and making its way to Carlton Drake. It also surprised me that it took him 6 MONTHS to do so! 

It certainly didn't feel like it and Eddie who had been out of a job for that time seemed to be doing fine and so did Annie played by Michelle Williams. No change in hair length or home seeing as she was also fired from her job the same time Eddie was. 

Speaking of Michelle Williams character...

WAS THIS A WIG?

Something did seem off as I'm sure her hair is more light blonde and there's just something...off about it.

That was just one of things I didn't like so much about her character. I don't usually notice this and doesn't usually bother me but her wardrobe too I wasn't a fan of. Especially the outfit she wears in the photo above.

The whole time she was wearing that reminded me of high school/college Gwen Stacy.

Now one thing I did hear from the reviews I watched was that her character is either 1, barely in the movie  or 2, totally unnecessary. I disagree. I think she's in a good portion of the movie but will agree that that she didn't have to be.

I was mad she left after the break up because I thought they had been together longer to get over something like that. So when she came back and was suddenly "oh Eddie" even though she's with someone else...I just didn't believe it or really liked it.

Carlton Drake...

I know nothing about this character in the comics and honestly after seeing this movie...I don't really care to. From the trailers you know EVERYTHING there is to know about this character and that's what you get. Nothing more, nothing less. And that's not to say the actor wasn't good. If anything coming out of this movie, I wanna see more movies with Riz Ahmed in them (I need to see Nightcrawler, it's on my watch list)! Because I truly think he could have been great if given more to work with.

The script writers, directors and studios are literally killing it with these actors/actresses and not in good way. Great actors who could and would deliver if they had just been given a film and script made with love and care.

...

Anyway... he eventually turns into Riot...

Oh sorry, can't tell who Riot is in that image. Yeah neither could the audience! I heard murmurs because no one could tell who was who. I had a hard time catching up and wasn't until after they were pulled apart that I realized Riot and Venom had...merged together...

And honestly, I'm sure that was a big problem for the vfx department. You have these two DARK, slimy, goo thingys fighting each other in a DARK setting. I was reading in an article, an interview with the overall VFX Supervisor Paul Franklin that Venom is highlighted by reflections (coming from the HDRI map taken from of the real set) instead of direct illumination because of issues where that made him look dull and grey. With that, I don't think the best place for a final battle would be a space launch.

Now another thing I read in the article was the that Supervisors had problems with Venom's tongue as that is a trade mark of the character. They took notice that's it hangs out A LOT in the comic and didn't just want to have it hanging out for no reason all the time in this film. One reason I guessing because of the visual effects it would take, but I'm sure they would have but another being, he talks a lot in this film. 

My issue with that is that. Don't get me wrong, when he talks I love it! But he definitely said a sentence or two more than I expected. Also most of the time he's talking, he's in Eddie's head so I I don't think having the tongue out a little more would have been bad. Spider-Man 3 deprived the audience of that last time!

There are some scenes that look like it right out of the comic. I mean the poses the animators put him in were awesome! Like the one you saw in the trailer where's holding the guy in the middle of street saying "so many snacks, so little time." I love how one of arms is behind him. And in another scene when he's defeated the SWAT guys have looks up and screams with his tongue flying out....awesome....

and the scene where he comes out and talks to Eddie and calls him "his ride" LOVE IT.

It really was only small little moments here and there that I enjoy. Unfortunately it was surrounded by a whole lot of...extra.

There were other little things that bothered me too, like the little girl who didn't get to ask her to Drake after his speak on how asking questions is important.

His female scientist that grew a backbone, had the balls to bring Eddie into the lab to expose Drake but didn't have the balls to not tell Drake it wasn't Eddie.

How it literally felt like the movie did a 180 and turned right into a hero film at the climax.

But if you can look past all that, the combination of Venom and Tom Hardy could really be all you need to enjoy this movie.

With the money it's made already, I'm guessing Venom and Hardy did it for people.

Stupid me didn't stay behind to see the after credits scene and there is one! So I can't really talk about it much but from what I heard and the projection this movie is making...there's gonna be a sequel and with the lovely...Carnage.

Funny enough, this is the fourth review I've written. I've bee writing my review for Infinity War and Black Panther and yes there are LONG gone but I still want to put my opinion out there and I still think a lot to be said about them both so they might be posted soon, might not, who knows anymore. I sure don't.



Stay blessed everyone!