What is most impressive about Venom: Let There Be Carnage is that it tries. It really, really tries. It tries to be the goofy buddy comedy we remember from the previous films. It tries to be the big budget superhero movie that fans crave with epic battles and flashy effects. It tries to be sincere and emotional. It also tries to bridge the worlds of Sony and Marvel, while introducing new legends to the franchise and wrapping up this trilogy, all at the same time. In those goals, Venom: Let There Be Carnage partially succeeds, which is a great way to describe the film overall as well: “partially successful.”
When we last saw Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy), the journalist had transformed into a fugitive with an alien symbiote living inside him, traveling between dimensions in Mexico. That was the post-credits scene for Spider-Man: No Way Home and Let There Be Carnage picks up there, although it never quite concludes the story, which is a bit frustrating. Now back in his world, Eddie quickly realizes he is a wanted man and needs to find a safe place to hide. He and Venom decide that New York City, the most densely populated place in the country, is the best place. And so the wild journey begins.
Meanwhile, the film also delves into another world where we see a powerful mysterious being named Knull (Andy Serkis) sending his army across the universe to find the key to unlocking the prison where the symbiotes were imprisoned. And when he escapes, he will destroy everything and everyone. And you know what? The key is Venom and Eddie. There is also a story about Dr. Patrick Mulligan (John Temple), a scientist studying symbiotes in Area 55, the most secret lab beneath the secret lab that was present in Area 51, who acquires symbiotes with the help of General Stryker (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who is also seeking Eddie.
Basically, everyone is after Eddie, giving Let There Be Carnage a greater focus than the previous films. That’s a good thing. But the downside is that it also sets up new rules that force the biggest strength of the series, the interactions between Eddie and Venom, to take a back seat. The villainous symbiotes can’t find Venom and Eddie unless they fully merge together. So their choice to become “Venom” for real is a decision made knowing the imminent danger, a dynamic only partially explored. And while there is still plenty of banter between the two, and it’s a given that Venom can show up a little (like the image above), the new rule resets many of the over-the-top moments we are used to seeing. There’s action of course, only when Tom Hardy speaks alone to some voice, and that’s satisfying sometimes the same way seeing Venom’s massive form is satisfying.
There is also an introduction of a family hitting the road, led by a loving father figure played by Reese Evans. They are in the film to give Eddie someone to care about and are somewhat forced into it. Also, if you’re a Marvel fan, you can’t help but scratch your head when Ifans and Ejiofor appear in the film not as the characters they play in other Marvel films. Surely, both are great actors, but it’s another good example of Let There Be Carnage going for something and not quite getting there.
On the other hand, the film also does a lot of things that shouldn’t work at all, and yet somehow they do. There are many scenes set to the likes of Queen, David Bowie, ABBA, and Maroon 5, each of them comically out of place in their unique way. None of them truly fit with the rest of the film, yet they are amusing in their absurdity. Maroon 5’s scene in particular, which happens at the end of the film, really impressed me and gave me a feeling of “yeah, this film isn’t great, but I kind of love it anyway.”
This specific train of thought extends greatly into the third act of the film, where the symbiotes, the secret base, the evil alien beings, the army, the science, and more all come together. This sprawling action sequence is silly, surprising, and incredibly fun, to the point where it almost overshadows the rest of the film. I won’t go into too much detail for fear of spoiling anything, but the scene isn’t just exciting, it also provides closure for some of the random things present in the rest of the film, leaving you feeling satisfied.
However, Let There Be Carnage sets up so much through its new symbiote dynamics that when the big final battle happens, you realize the film won’t tie up all the loose ends. It won’t answer all your questions. And then, it doesn’t. In a trilogy capper, that’s never a great feeling, and after Let There Be Carnage offers a decent and satisfying ending, you feel like a lot of the story was ignored for a potential sequel, whenever that may be.
Overall, Let There Be Carnage is just that for Tom Hardy, a chance to play this wild character once again and revel in it as much as he deserves. He’s on screen a lot and the way he conveys the fear but also the affection for Venom is both funny and touching. At every turn, you can feel the physical and mental damage having an alien symbiote inside Eddie causes. And that sets the film up for some surprisingly poignant moments near the end. It’s just a great performance overall. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for anyone else in the film.
While Ifans does his best with the limited role given to him, Temple and Ejiofor seem completely out of place and unenthusiastic about being there. They are given poorly written dialogue to deliver and seem to be phoning it in. You can forgive Temple’s presence because the film gives her a little bit of a dramatic background – even though it’s unnecessary to the plot – and some potential for moving forward, but Ejiofor has played similar roles many times before and usually brings a lot more to them. You hate to say that because both actors are very good, but Let There Be Carnage might have been better off without them. The characters don’t add much and the performances leave a lot to be desired.
In the end, Venom: Let There Be Carnage fits neatly into the increasingly prevalent superhero genre that has emerged over the past few years. This is not a film designed to attract new fans. It’s made for fans of the original films and that’s it. So, if you liked those films, you’ll definitely like Let There Be Carnage. If you didn’t, you won’t. And if you’re somewhere in the middle like me, that’s how you’ll feel.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage does all of this without nailing any of it. Whether you choose to focus on the fun parts – like the goofy side antics and the third act – or the bad parts – the unnecessary plot and poor acting – it’s ultimately up to you. But, as I said, you always know it’s trying, and that’s at least something.
Written and directed by Kelly Marcel, based on a story by Marcel and Hardy. Venom: Let There Be Carnage is in theaters on Friday
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