Spoilers! If you seriously want to witness this masterpiece of a movie, I advise you to watch it first, so then you can come and read this article afterwards.
Directed by Andy Serkis, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” picks up where the previous film had left off, roughly taking place a year and a few months after the events of the first film. Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his alien symbiote partner, Venom, are leaving the honeymoon phase of their relationship, battling out their differences from food preferences to life goals every moment they get. As Eddie attempts to regain his spotlight as a renowned journalist by interviewing serial killer Cletus Kassidy (Woody Harrellson), things go sideways when Kassidy gets his own alien symbiote, Carnage, and breaks out of prison.
Critical reception of the film has stated how the film is worse than its predecessor, with a plot that goes everywhere with confusing motivations of how the film paces. “Chicago Sun Times” critic Richard Roeper exclaimed how the film was “this vehicle [that] runs out of gas halfway through the yawner of a climax.”
However, the Venom sequel is enjoyable and loved by the fans, despite the reviews. According to Box Mojo IMDB, as of Oct. 8, 2021, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” has grossed a worldwide total of $140.1 million. On Rotten Tomatoes, the sequel has an 85% audience score, compared to its 59% critical score.
The Venom sequel is especially well recieved by the LGBTQ+ community, who feel that the relationship between Eddie Brock and Venom is very queer-coded. A classic romance sequence in other films, there is a moment when Eddie is sad over his previous relationship, and Venom cooks him a wholesome attempt of a full breakfast while giving encouraging advice. Both characters in the film miss each other after a raucous “break-up.” There is a scene where Venom attends a club by himself where he rejects someone with “Sorry, you’re not my type.” The scene is played off as his bond as a symbiote only working with Eddie, but it’s clear what the underlying context suggests. The film closes off with Eddie and Venom laying down on the beach together, looking out towards the ocean, and discussing how when you love someone, you accept them for who they are and all of their flaws.
I give the movie a 10 out of 10 rating for romantic comedy. It doesn’t matter if the shots of the film weren’t up to par with “Interstellar,” or even if the fight between Carnage and Venom was too short. The movie was made to serve the audience Eddie’s and Venom’s ups and downs as bonded partners, and the audience, including myself, ate it all up. I whole-heartedly recommend the movie, especially if you love romantic comedies with a touch of gore and CGI on the side.
