I’m a continuity nerd, so when “Spider-Man: No Way Home” folded the Sony Spider-Verse films into its multiverse, I was quicker to check out “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” (2021) than I otherwise would’ve been. Like the 2018 original, it’s silly, and it’s even more pointless since it doesn’t have anything new to say. But it’s notably better constructed.
Serkis is in town
Andy Serkis, the most legendary motion-capture actor of all time, directs his first mega-franchise film and shows he understands filmmaking in general. The first “Venom’s” special-effects fights between two silly-string-blob-monsters are an incomprehensible tangle. “Venom 2’s” action is clean and graspable.
Do we care about the combatants? Not really, but they are played by talented actors having fun chewing scenery. Tom Hardy, who developed this story with screenwriter Kelly Marcel, is back as street journalist Eddie Brock, who has the alien parasite Venom living inside him and occasionally bursting out.
“Venom: Let There Be Carnage” (2021)
Director: Andy Serkis
Writers: Kelly Marcel (screenplay, story), Tom Hardy (story)
Stars: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams
Their détente here is amusing as it grows into a weird friendship. Hardy also does Venom’s gruff voice, and the screenplay’s basic one-liners are worth a chuckle coming from Venom — at least for this movie’s reasonable 105-minute length. I wouldn’t follow this odd couple into a TV sitcom.
Woody Harrelson, as Cletus/Carnage (the same type of creature as Venom, but a bad guy), doubles our pleasure. Further classing up “Venom 2” beyond what it deserves are Naomie Harris (Moneypenny in the recent James Bonds) as Cletus’ lover Shriek (one guess as to her superpower), and Stephen Graham as the detective on the heels of the two fugitives.
Michelle Williams, as Eddie’s ex Annie, has nothing substantial to do. Annie is an honest-to-god damsel in distress (what a throwback!) at one point, but Williams earns her check in a professional manner.
A throwback vibe
“Venom 2” feels like a 1990s superhero movie in the way it’s not about anything deep. It continues the original’s themes of inner demons and accepting your own identity. If we’re extremely generous, it’s about how the mental-health and justice systems sometimes create villains rather than curing people.
In the old days, superhero fans were forgiving of shallow, cliché-ridden stories, but they asked that the movie be artistic or cool. “Venom 2” takes a fair shot at those adjectives. As noted, the special effects are a big improvement.
Additionally, this movie looks great. Cinematographer Robert Richardson and the color-correction team give San Francisco a smooth, buttery look. This is a nice contrast with the unavoidable goofiness of what’s happening on screen.
Also, Marco Beltrami’s score is featured more than the aggressive rap-rock soundtrack (which emerges in the end credits).
Director Serkis is known for classier big movies like “Lord of the Rings” and the “Planet of the Apes” prequels, so perhaps he’s responsible for adding that flavor to “Venom 2.” While we might wish that this talented cast and crew was hired for something more substantial, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” is a surprisingly pleasant experience. The Marvel Cinematic Universe can accept it as a multiverse cousin without embarrassment.