Review | Venom Let There Be Carnage

“Venom Let There Be Carnage is insanely good and delivers a ton of action and fun. A must-watch and stay during the credits for a game-changer scene!”

Venom Let There Be Carnage was released in the United States on October 1. It had the biggest opening at the domestic box office since the beginning of the pandemic, even besting the opening of the first movie. However, we Europeans had to wait two weeks to see this sequel. It is now out in UK cinemas and several other countries. But there are still some European countries which will have to wait next week to see it!

This is a chaotic worldwide release for a superhero movie. But it’s not the first time it happens. Indeed, Sony had already done that for the first Venom. Superhero movies should be released for everyone within the same week. Otherwise, it becomes problematic for spoilers. I have seen spoilers for this one before seeing it and I wasn’t thrilled about that. I would have preferred going in knowing nothing apart from what I had seen in the trailers. So, I do hope, this type of release won’t happen again.

I really liked the first Venom movie so I was looking forward to this one. Even more so since Tom Hardy was involved with writing the story and Andy Serkis was brought as a director! Therefore, was this film worth the wait? And is it a worthy sequel? Let’s find out!

STORY

This movie is only 97-minute long, which I was afraid would be too short. Fortunately, I was wrong. It doesn’t feel too short. And it doesn’t feel like the movie has a pace that’s too fast. Tom Hardy and Kelly Marcel knew exactly the story they wanted to tell. Hence they didn’t waste any time with unnecessary scenes.

This sequel takes everything that made the first movie a success and doubles down on it. Thus, it’s once again an action movie and a rom-com. Venom Let There Be Carnage is like a comic book brought to life, both in its visual and tonal style. Andy Serkis has crafted an excellent movie. I love his directing style. He was exactly what this franchise needed. And I sincerely hope, he will return to direct Venom 3.

Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock (left) and Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady in Venom Let There Be Carnage, Picture courtesy of Sony Pictures.

There are two main storylines – the Eddie/Venom one and the Cletus Kasady/Carnage one. Both storylines are linked and end up colliding in the final act with a big Venom vs Carnage fight. It’s an intense and epic fight that takes place in a cathedral. So in terms of visuals, we are talking about a memorable and impressive fight! I was satisfied.

EDDIE AND VENOM

Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock in Venom Let There Be Carnage, Picture courtesy of Sony Pictures.

The Venom/Eddie Brock interactions are even goofier. Their relationship is an Odd Couple type. It’s so funny to see them argue all time! You can tell Tom Hardy is extremely committed to this role.

Because it’s a sequel, the movie challenges their relationship. It tests both characters to bring them closer. In the middle of all that, you add Anne and her fiancé which brings, even more, laughs and troubles for Eddie! I loved every single scene that features Venom and Eddie Brock. They’re the heart of the story.

CLETUS AND CARNAGE

Then, there’s Cletus and Carnage who have a very different type of relationship. They work together because they have to but they don’t have the same interests. Though, their need to bring chaos is a danger to everyone around them. Woody Harrelson’s performance gave me shivers! All the Cletus scenes are creepy, it’s serious serial killer vibes! Add to that Carnage who is just as frightening and you get the perfect killer combo.

Naomie Harris as Frances Barrison in Venom Let There Be Carnage, Picture courtesy of Sony Pictures.

Throughout the movie, we learn the story of Cletus, and the more we learn, the scarier it gets. It also involves Frances Barrison a.k.a Shriek. So, there’s a love story with Cletus as well but a different one than what we see in the Venom storyline. They do love each other, though it’s a destructive relationship as chaos follows around them.

POST-CREDITS SCENE

There is one scene during the credits and you do not want to miss it! It is the best and most important credits scene from any superhero movie. And that’s not an overstatement. This one changes everything!

SCORE

Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock (left) and Michelle Williams as Anne Weying (right) in Venom Let There Be Carnage, Picture courtesy of Sony Pictures.

For this one, Andy Serkis brought Marco Beltrami for the score. And I have to say it was a great choice! He knows how to make scores that are both frightening and epic like he did for A Quiet Place. Because Venom is a superhero movie, Beltrami leveled up the epic part of his score.

VISUALS

For the cinematography, Serkis brought in Robert Richardson whom he worked with on Breathe. The movie is visually striking and leans on a darker style that fits the chaos brought by Carnage. On the VFX side, Venom and Carnage are amazing. They look impressive!

VERDICT

Venom Let There Be Carnage is insanely good and delivers a ton of action and fun. A must-watch and stay during the credits for a game-changer scene!