Venom 2: I’m Here for the Eddie and Venom

If you are in this for Venom and Eddie and the messed up but actually meaningful relationship that they have (I mean who wouldn’t want a friend like Venom? Sometimes. Maybe not living in you but still…)- you’ll probably really enjoy this.

If you are in it for Carnage you may be a little disappointed.

And that’s not Woody’s fault.

Frankly I felt like the brevity of this movie was one of the things I really appreciated when most films seem too long. Yet I admit an extra 20 minutes wouldn’t have hurt this.

Cause this movie worked when it embraced the crazy and it in pieces. Tom Hardy is great as Eddie Brock and Venom (although I had a hard time understanding Venom’s dialogue at some points that could just be me) Woody Harrelson knows how to play a Cletus Kasidy role like no one’s business and Naomie Harris is excellent as Shriek.

But it never really gelled together.

So Venom 2 pits Eddie and Venom who are mostly fighting about when to eat people these days (and not Sonny and Cher) against Kasady a serial killer on death row who provided Eddie with an exclusive and whose now really, really mad at him.

When he takes a bite of Eddie Carnage is born. Carnage wants to kill daddy while Cassidy wants to break his girlfriend out of the mutant style prison she’s been in for years. Interestingly she’s fine with the alien parasite that’s inhabiting his body. Carnage is not so fine with her sonic super powers which provided a real problem there for all involved.

This film is never as fun as the first but it has its moments. Venom coming out of the Eddie closet was amusing (I mean it glosses over what that does to people who aren’t bonded with him but still…) I very much appreciated what they did with Dan and Anne. I wished they had spent more time using Venom’s investigative skills at the beginning.

But while the film could have been tighter and they could have really gone for it I think what ultimately hurts Venom 2 Let There Be Carnage is the same problem I had with Spiderman Far From Home the most interesting thing is the end credits scene which is such a mic drop of what comes next and where is this going Carnage is essentially moot.

Recommend: Yes for my favorite alien parasite. But it’s not as good as the first and you maybe don’t need to see it in theaters.