What’s love got to do with Venom: Let There Be Carnage? Believe it or not, a whole hell of a lot. Tom Hardy’s affection for Eddie Brock is easy to see, and Brock and Venom just can’t quit each other. Building on the absurd bromance established in Venom, this sequel only gets goofier, weirder, and more insane. So basically if you aren’t a fan of the first one, do yourself a favor and stay far, far away. But for those who are, they will relish in the dumb fun and destruction that these gnarly symbiotes feed on.
Brock is doing his best to have a life of his own, but with a starving Venom who’s sick of eating chicken and chocolate, it’s difficult to do. Eating bad guys is against the rules and to put it mildly- Venom hates rules! They also are missing Anne (Michelle Williams), who has recently gotten engaged to her man Dan (Reid Scott). Obviously, Brock and Venom are in a serious rut and it’s not going to get any better with Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) coming in to cause….uhhh….carnage!
Kasady is a savage killer who lost his soulmate years ago. Her name is Frances Barrison (Naomie Harris) and she’s been keeping up with him through the newspaper ever since they were ripped away from each other when they were young lovers. I told you this was all about love. Now locked away, Kasady personally chooses Brock to be his messenger through the printed word. However, it backfires as he ends up on death row after some detective work from Venom and Brock, but most of the credit belongs to Venom. Right before he’s to be executed, Kasady lures Brock back for one more encounter and gets a taste of what Brock is desperately trying to not unleash. This breeds the Red One to emerge and ravage everything in its path.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage is carried by the fucked up love affair between Brock and Venom. No surprise there as the same can be said for the original. These movies owe everything to Hardy’s dynamic and dedicated performance. Let’s all hope he is in this for the long haul. Harrelson has no problem joining in the madness, coming out swinging with vengeful intentions. Unfortunately, this creation of Carnage is a rather weak one, giving off Venom from Spider-Man 3 vibes. He’s a huge villain that deserves better, yet the story chews him up and swallows him whole. Still, he stands more of a chance than Williams and Harris, who are playing these one-note female characters left stranded to only be saved by their adoring monsters.
Director Andy Serkis and writer Kelly Marcel maintain the same sort of energy we get from the fist one, and the visual effects and action sequences are pretty damn cool. They also amplify the rom-com aspects that we love the most, even though there are less laughs in this one. By the way, for those of you wondering – the PG-13 rating is still a pain in the ass. There are so many instances that shy away from the slaughtering and it doesn’t feel right. Give us the blood and guts, you cowards! Regardless, Venom: Let There Be Carnage retains its self-awareness and ain’t the least bit afraid of going nuts. Plus, Hardy having the time of his life is something we all love to see.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
Check out the SoBros Shop. Become a Patron. Give us money for no reason. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Watch on YouTube.
