Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a 2021 science fiction action horror film and a sequel to the dark Spider-Man spinoff Venom (2018).
Directed by Andy Serkis (Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle) from a screenplay written by Kelly Marcel, based on a story by Tom Hardy and Marcel.
The movie stars Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Stephen Graham. Woody Harrelson (Zombieland films; War for the Planet of the Apes), who appeared as Cletus Kasady in the first film’s post-credits scene, has a pivotal role in this sequel.
With regards to box office expectations for this sequel – bearing in mind that Venom took $856 million worldwide – Deadline the film has taken $501,027,511 as at December 27th 2021.
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter has an interesting piece on the gestation of the sequel and how: “For the first time on a film, Hardy has received a story by credit, sharing it with Marcel, who penned the script and produced alongside the leading man…”
THR goes on to say “At the 2018 Venom premiere, Hardy and Marcel approached Sony executives with an idea for a sequel, and they got the go-ahead to hash out a story together. They looked at the complaints from critics and examined what audiences liked about the first one, too.”
Reviews:
“This is a film with no pretensions; it’s not attempting to be anything other than a goofy comics movie with two slithery alien beings duking it out. Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson play off of each other really well, and the film’s lean runtime actually leaves audiences wanting more, an example that many of the bloated Marvel and D.C. films could stand to follow.” Bad Feeling
“It’s a sloppy entry in superhero fare, but it’s hard not to be charmed by Venom attempting to cheer up his host with a lavish breakfast and pep talks […] If you’re in the mood for silly, this sequel nails it. But for an epic showdown among monsters, it lacks bite.” Bloody Disgusting
“There are countless superhero movies better than this. Better written, better directed, better acted, better made. And yet, Let There Be Carnage has a weird, quirky heart, and sometimes, that’s exactly what you need to see. If we must be inundated with a never-ending stream of comic book movies, at least give us more oddities like this to keep things fresh.” /Film
” …the draw of this picture is Hardy physically throwing himself into the role (the scene where he sketches at a rapid rate should be taught in acting classes) and his witty, wild repartee with Venom (“Are you pen pals with an ant?” and “Will there be canapes?” are highlights) […] the calculated but delightfully confounding decisions birthed from his creativity are enough to make us wonder what he could do with a third film.” Fresh Fiction
“It’s a stuffed 90 minutes during which you’ll sit in dumbfounded awe at the manic, fast-paced film you’re watching. The story itself mirrors that as it moves from beat to beat without any satisfying impact. And valiant attempts at being something more than a speedy story ultimately don’t work that well […] Nevertheless, some things are just inherently entertaining to watch and Venom, Eddie, and Carnage are just that.” Gizmodo
“It’s all far goofier than it sounds but while Marcel tries to up the ante from the last film in many ways, the mayhem wears thin far too soon. There’s a more pronounced lean into the humour of the Venom/Eddie dynamic but the film remains aggressively unfunny throughout, bar some decent sight gags…” The Guardian
” …the distinctiveness of this buddy-movie bond is often drowned out by giant set pieces of CG mayhem that feel exactly like those found in the good guys’ movies. Though it will please most fans of the 2018 first installment, Carnage proves that superhero fatigue applies to nonheroes as well.” The Hollywood Reporter
“Andy Serkis directs a fun and action-packed sequel that highlights Venom as his own character and features Woody Harrelson and Naomie Harris as breakout villains with excellent chemistry. Taking itself less seriously and having more fun, its relatively short runtime is packed densely with plenty of action, character development, and campy humor. At the same time, it’s a love story about relationships evolving and learning to grow and trust each other.” IGN
“Tom Hardy appears to be more comfortable in the role of Eddie Brock and delivers much of the movie’s physical humor, showcasing his comedic inventiveness […] The supporting cast is fine and while Woody Harrelson and Naomie Harris raise hell as the story’s villains, the film belongs squarely to Hardy and his alter-ego Venom, and some of the conversations they enter into are downright hilarious.” Irish Film Critic
“Even though the film is an action-packed comic book movie and Eddie and Venom’s relationship is still a compelling dynamic, it still has some major issues in its character and story development. Perhaps one day someone will get a Venom movie exactly right and, though today is not that day, Serkis, Marcel and Hardy deliver an entertaining spin on the continued adventures of Eddie Brock and his symbiote.” Screen Rant
“Overseeing it all is Serkis, who understands the technology required to get the necessary virtual performances better than almost anyone, but demonstrates almost no vision as a director […] his Venom entry is garish and ugly to look at, as digital characters wreak havoc on buildings we don’t believe were there in the first place.” Variety
“Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a bold and brisk superhero story, unlike any other mainstream Hollywood film in the genre. It crams a heck of a lot of movie into an hour and a half, but it doesn’t feel like it needed to be longer. It just feels like we need more movies like it. Let there be lots more carnage.” The Wrap
Release date:
Venom: Let There Be Carnage was released by Sony Pictures theatrically on October 1, 2021.
Cast and characters:
Tom Hardy … Eddie Brock / Venom
Michelle Williams … Anne Weying
Stephen Graham
Woody Harrelson … Cletus Kasady
Naomie Harris … Shriek
Reid Scott … Doctor Dan Lewis
Sean Delaney
William W. Barbour … Sedan Driver
Peggy Lu … Mrs Chen
Laurence Spellman
Alfredo Tavares … SFPD Uniformed
Michelle Greenidge … Mugging Victim
Jessie Vinning … Carnival Adult
Otis Winston … Street Man
Etienne Vick … Pedestrian
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Rating based on aggregated critic’s reviews:
