Plot: What’s it about?
In May 1988 The Amazing Spider-Man issue #300 was released. It was a landmark in a couple of ways. First, it was the 300th issue. That’s always cause for celebration. But, and more importantly, it introduced the world to a character named Venom. Avid readers know that this wasn’t the first time we’d seen the black costume on Peter Parker, that appeared way back in The Amazing Spider-Man #252. But it wasn’t until that black alien symbiote “blog” merged with Eddie Brock that gave us the character we know know as Venom. And if you were smart enough to buy a copy or two of ASM #300, those are now going for a few thousand a piece. I, of course, wasn’t. Oh well. Venom quickly became, and still remains, one of the most popular comic book (anti)heroes even today. So in 2018 when Venom was released, it was a bit of a head-scratcher. On one hand it was nice to see this in film form (though it’d already been done in Spider-Man 3), but with no ties to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was just kind of…there. Sony evidently had plans for a Spider-Man universe all their own, however with the lackluster reviews and box office, we now know that our favorite web slinger has been a part of the MCU since Captain America: Civil War. This is, supposedly, the final installment in the Venom franchise – are we happy or sad?
By now we know that Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy), a former journalist who “merged” with an alien symbiote is..Venom. But there’s some evil villain in another dimension, which we’re left to our own imaginations as to its origin, who’s seeking to find Venom and steal the codex that resides with him. Eddie, in his infinite wisdom, decides that the best course of action is to leave Mexico and head up to the Big Apple. But, as it turns out, they “they” being Eddie and Venom) find themselves in the middle of the desert and then later – Las Vegas. This mysterious villain sends a monster after “them.” All this time a scientist (Juno Temple) studies a symbiote an in an underground laboratory under the guise of Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor). We all see where this is going. Or do we? The movie is a bit light on plot and explaining what little there is of it.
I have no idea if there was a contractual obligation to produce three of these Venom movies. I was genuinely excited for the first one, and a little less so for the second one (mainly due to it having Carnage as a character) and with this one I think my inner me said “Really? A third one?” To be fair, this one isn’t a total waste of time, but I just felt that the Venom character could have been used with a lot greater effectiveness. Given the lineage of it, perhaps an R-rating would have been better? Granted, we lose that oh-so-important PG-13 audience, but hey…My personal anecdotes aside, I will say that Sony’s blatant cash grab did work. The film pulled in nearly half a billion at the worldwide box office, so clearly there’s still a vast audience and Hardy is recognizable enough that the appeal is certainly widespread. Nevertheless, I think we’ve reached the end. For some it will be bittersweet, for others (me), we’re ready to move on.
Video: How’s it look?
I’d remarked in my previous reviews of the Venom films that “…I suppose it’s hard to classify how a movie starring an alien suit of skin with huge teeth should really look on screen. Is there an antecedent for that?” And, well, not a lot has changed. We’re in the same locale (San Francisco) that give us some of the sweeping really give us a great, HD view of the city by the sea. Flesh tones, for lack of a better term, look nice and natural. Black levels, which admittedly play a larger part here, are simply perfect. Venom’s “skin” takes on a shiny form that seems to flawlessly meld with Hardy’s character (that’s the point) and Carnage has a texture to “him” that’s really hard to put into words. The included Blu-ray looks great too, it’s just that the 4K ups the ante a tad bit more.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Not to be outdone, the Dolby Atmos mix is certainly not wasted on this film. If you’re like me and hear voices in your head, then you’ll be able to identify with Hardy’s character and Venom telling him what to do. Kidding, of course. But the Venom “voice” really does resonate and it makes for a worthwhile viewing experience and it actually is Tom Hardy’s voice. He recorded it prior to shooting his scenes and had it played back in an earpiece so he could react to the dialogue. Not to be outdone, there are some chase scenes, plenty of action around the Bay area and things, of course, get blown up. And guess what – it all sounds amazing! The atmospheric sound really does the job here with a veritable 360 sound stage that’s, for lack of a better word, dizzying. It really is a great soundtrack.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Deleted & Extended Scenes – Seven total, running just a shade over 12 minutes. Relax, no important plot points were overlooked.
- Venomous Laughs: Outtakes & Bloopers – Pretty much that. A few minutes of outtakes (Venom not really included since he’s, you know, not real).
- Bonded in Chaos: Tom Hardy – Some “highlights” to Tom Hardy’s performance as Eddie Brock/Venom.
- Author of Mayhem: From Writer to Director – A spotlight on, you guessed it, writer turned director Kelly Marcel.
- Venom’s Inner Circle – Essentially a look at some of the ensemble cast.
- Venom Unleashed: The Action & Stunts – Again, just that. We get a look at some of the stunts and “action” sequences found in the film.
- Select Scene PreVis – A trio of scenes are shown in very rough form.
- One Last Dance – Tom Morello x Grandson Music Video – Self-explanatory.
- Savor the Last Bite: The Venom Legacy – If you’re feeling nostalgic about our favorite alien symbiote, this will help ease the pain.
- Brock Bottom: Mrs. Chen Interview – Just that, an interview with the one and only Mrs. Chen.
The Bottom Line
Trilogies are a difficult thing. Some start out strong, falter and then “make up for it” with the third and final installment. I don’t think that’s the case here. While not a total waste of time, I felt this one could have used a bit more…writing. Or directing. Still, it’s hard to deny the long-lasting appeal and endurance of the Venom character and no telling when or if he’ll make an appearance in one of the “larger” MCU films. Time will tell. Sony’s disc is, as always, terrific.
