Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the big budget film Venom has hit the cinemas with a bang, or should we say a bomb? This movie has been widely panned by critics, though quite a few cinemagoers have rated it highly for the humour – and a few fun memes have been created due to its slapstick and bizarre comedy angles.
With a rating of 32% on Rotten Tomatoes it is safe to say that there will be no major awards or box office records made for this movie any time soon, but it may just become a cult classic down the road…maybe.
Tom Hardy plays the main character and though he gave a strong performance it is not enough to carry the rest of the film, which plods along dully with too many plot lines intersecting and not enough action to keep you entirely entertained.
The Story
The skilled Tom Hardy plays earnest investigative journalist Eddie Brock, who is willing to go to any length to get “The Story”. Brock goes after the megalomaniacal tycoon Dr Carlton Drake (Played by Riz Ahmed), the head of The Life Foundation, which is obviously a front for evil deeds.
Willing to take any measure necessary to get “The Story”, journalist Brock goes to far and hacks his own girlfriend Anne Weyings (played by Michelle Williams) laptop, Anne also happens to be the lawyer for master of evil Dr Drakes – convenient.
After stepping over too many boundaries and burning too many bridges, Brocks life falls apart – he loses his job, his girl and ends up as a dishwasher (so the opposite of the Bruce Lee story?). Maybe he should try placing some bets on a sports betting NZ site, to earn a bit of extra money.
Brock is then approached by a doctor who works for The Life Foundation, who has inside information about the evil Dr Drake attempting to cross humans with aliens called symbiotes. So Brock, desperate for a comeback, sets off to investigate and is naturally infected by a symbiote.
Brock then gets a crash course in alien body snatching by the symbiote that is called Venom, Venom gives Brock superhuman strength and healing powers, as well as Bruce Lee Kung Fu moves (no more dishwasher). Along with these amazing powers that Venom shares, he sometimes completely takes over, and we get to see the badass black and white teeth monster bite peoples head off – a highlight for sure.
Brock then teams up with his ex-girlfriend and her new man (strange but true) to figure out what the alien situation is and perhaps if he can have Venom removed – as Venom is eating him from the inside out as he is a parasite (symbiotic should be a beneficial relationship to both parties?) as well as stop the evil Dr Drake.
Too watch or not too Watch – go watch it! It’s a rambling movie, with no direction, the main character does not make sense in the storyline of the movie but…Tom Hardy gives an excellent performance and carries the entire movie basically alone.