Venom: Let There Be Carnage - Theatrical Review

As the first Venom directed by Reuben Fleischer (Zombieland) told its origin story, the movie was more concerned with melodrama between its characters and Eddie Brock (Hardy) coming to the realization that this symbiote is here to stay inside his body. What became apparent quickly was that the best part of the film was the hilarious relationship between Eddie and this alien called Venom. Their relationship was a lot like The Odd Couple, but with severed heads and sharp fangs. So the previous film spent almost all of its 120 minutes trying to explain everything with very few action sequences. It was overly long, had a boring villain, and not a lot of fun with the exception of Venom and Eddie arguing with each other. Luckily, the studio listened to the complaints and made a sequel geared towards what everyone wanted and the few pieces that worked in the first film.

Actor/director Andy Serkis (Lord Of The Rings) takes the reigns behind the camera this time with a single screenwriter along with cinematographer Robert Richardson - the eye behind almost all of Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino's films to create this quick and to the point 90-minute sequel. The results are simply outstanding, energetic, and joyful. During the mid-credit sequence of the first Venom film, it is revealed that journalist Eddie Brock was invited to talk with notorious and deranged serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), who reveals to him there will, of course, be carnage. Now a couple of years later, the sequel makes good on that promise as Eddie Brock and Venom are living a somewhat harmonious life together. 

The interspecies couple plays out like The Adventures of Ozzy and Harriet where they cook for each other and make sure to have each other's backs, as long as Venom can eat chocolate and chickens. But deep down, Venom wants to be noticed by the human race and just blend in as a citizen. Meanwhile, the jailed Cletus tells Eddie to report on a poem he states and print it in the paper in hopes that it is read by his long-lost lover (Naomie Harris), who is doing time in another prison. But as luck would have it, Cletus is infected by the symbiote and becomes Carnage, and much more powerful and stronger creature to Venom, who wants nothing more than to destroy the world with his former lover. 

Ironically enough there are some small similarities between this relationship and the one Woody shared in Natural Born Killers. But with this shorter 90-minute sequel, it's straight to the point and before anyone can breathe the final showdown between foes is taking place. Before this epic battle, there are some great sequences that further the love-hate relationship between Eddie and Venom, which plays out like a fantastic '90s sitcom in the best ways possible. The action scenes are top-notch and the comedic element in the relationship feels natural and always causes laughter, something that the first film was sorely missing. This may be a shorter film, but nothing is wasted nor do you feel like you're missing anything.

Hardy is again excellent, revealing his struggle and pain in dealing with his new lot in life with this alien. Naomi Harris and Michelle Williams are barely in the film, but they turn in solid performances despite less screen time. And Woody Harrelson is a great and diabolical Cletus Kasady who is so scary when he stomps an innocent cashier that those elements of Natural Born Killers resurface. But giving him a love interest also shows his tender and sympathetic side, no matter how ruthless he is. It's a good balance and works well in this film.