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Last summer, Spider-Man finally became a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his own fun-filled and action-packed superhero thriller, Spider-Man: Homecoming. Now, one of Spidey’s biggest rivals gets his own anti-hero adventure in Venom, and Spidey’s part of the Marvel story continues to grow.
Venom stars Tom Hardy as investigative reporter Eddie Brock. When Eddie has the opportunity to interview Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), the CEO of a company known for battling cancer through gene therapy, he can’t help but turn the fluff piece into an investigation. But after his questions get both Eddie and his fiancée, Anne (Michelle Williams), fired, he ends up losing everything. Months later, when he’s approached with information that confirms his suspicions, Eddie breaks into the lab, only to have his body—and sometimes his brain—taken over by a powerful alien life form that turns him superhuman.
Venom is a vicious creature who terrorizes the city, eating people along the way. Yet, despite being one of Spider-Man’s greatest rivals, he’s actually an intriguingly complex character. After all, while he may be a dark, scary alien monster, his host is a reporter who’s constantly digging for the truth. That causes an interesting battle that wages within Eddie’s body—and it offers plenty of potential for Venom’s future appearances.
Meanwhile, though the film may look dark and fierce, it’s often surprisingly funny. Tom Hardy may be known as a big, tough guy, but he still manages to fill the film with laughs. Eddie is a down-and-out reporter who just happens to stumble into this situation—and he’s appropriately shocked and mortified when he’s overtaken by this pushy and incredibly violent alien being. As the two demolish their way through San Francisco, Eddie generally does so against his will—usually yelling and shrieking as he goes.
Granted, this film isn’t quite up to the typical jaw-dropping Marvel standards. The build-up isn’t especially thrilling, and it takes longer than necessary. Hardy’s cast mates are generally pretty bland, too—and if you’re eager to spend more time with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, you’ll be disappointed to find that he’s nowhere to be seen. But Hardy alone makes for an entertaining and (eventually) action-packed installment.
Venom probably won’t be included on any lists of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s a very different kind of Marvel movie with a different kind of hero. But it’s still an entertaining and unexpectedly fun-filled adventure, thanks to its lovable star.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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