WEIRDO Reviews: Venom: Let There Be Carnage *No Spoilers*
Lots and lots of “carnage”.
2021 has become a doozy for the cinematic world. Films that were delayed are now being released with pizzazz, whether they’re on a streaming platform or exclusively shown in theaters. The fact that big IPs are still killing it in the box office despite the ongoing pandemic is a positive sign of things to come. One of the films doing exceptionally well is the Marvel juggernaut Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
A sequel to the 2018 blockbuster, Carnage stars the same cast as the previous, with the wonderful addition of Woody Harrelson as the titular villain. Although everyone gets their time to shine, including Naomi Harris’s [potential] mutant Shriek, whose powers serve as the most predictable yet wonderfully executed plot device, Woody Harrelson is a prime example of fan-casting that you wish you thought of. He laughs, he screams, but best of all he kills. A LOT.
They really pushed the PG-13 envelope. Kudos to director Andy Serkis. He was truly able to capture what makes Carnage so awesome. The way he moved around with his tendrils and formed weapons out of them is straight out of the comics so again, thank you Mr. Serkis. The movie also boasts massively upgraded CGI, with Venom’s (and Carnage’s) movements being more fluid and less blocky.
You have to see it to believe it, but I don’t know who out-crazies who: Tom Hardy or Woody Harrelson? They both bring their A-game, and it’s best to just enjoy the sheer madness that ensues in the movie’s reasonably short hour and a half runtime. Returning characters like Michelle Williams’ Anne Weying and Reid Scott’s Dan Lewis provide plenty of comedic beats and heartfelt moments, propelling Tom Hardy’s Eddie to even more relatable heights in an otherwise outlandish film.
The standout character was Stephen Graham’s Detective Mulligan, who plays a thorn in Eddie’s side and is a welcome addition to the Marvel Universe — and I’ll let you watch it to understand what I mean by that.
All in all, Let There Be Carnage is a flick for the ages. It deserves multiple viewings to catch Easter eggs and fully appreciate what Marvel continues to accomplish cinematically (if that MIND-BLOWING mid-credits scene is anything to go by).
It’s been a long while since I was at a movie theater, and it was goddamn good to be back.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage = worth every penny.
