Film Review: "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" (2021).

From the director of Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle comes Venom: Let There Be Carnage. This superhero film directed by Andy Serkis, written by Kelly Marcel and based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane. It is a sequel to Venom (2018) and the second film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. Eddie Brock is still struggling to coexist with the shape-shifting extraterrestrial Venom. When deranged serial killer Cletus Kasady also becomes host to an alien symbiote, Brock and Venom must put aside their differences to stop his reign of terror.

In August 2018, ahead of Venom's release, Tom Hardy confirmed that he had signed on to star in two sequels. In late November, Sony gave an October 2, 2020, release date to an untitled Marvel sequel that was believed to be Venom 2. A month later, Venom writer Jeff Pinkner confirmed that a sequel was happening, but he was not involved in writing it at that point. In January 2019, Marcel signed a "significant" deal with Sony to write and produce the sequel after also working on the script for the first film. Hardy, Woody Harrelson and Michelle Williams were also expected to return for the sequel. No director was confirmed for the film, with Sony considering replacing Fleischer due to his commitments to Zombieland: Double Tap (2019), though he still intended to be involved in Venom 2. In late July, Sony hoped for filming to begin that November and had met with several candidates to replace Fleischer as director since he was still completing work on Zombieland: Double Tap at that time; Rupert Sanders, Travis Knight, and Rupert Wyatt were considered before Serkis was hired to direct in August. Serkis was hired partly due to his experience working with CGI and motion-capture technology as both an actor and director. The film is primarily inspired by the comic book story arc Maximum Carnage (1993) and the Spider-Man: The Animated Series story arc The Venom Saga (1996). By mid November, Hardy, Harrelson, Williams and Reid Scott returned to reprise their roles, with Naomie Harris and Stephen Graham rounded out the film's cast as newcomers. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in February 2020. Filming took place at at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire and London, England, as well as San Francisco, California, under the working title Fillmore. The film was originally set for an October 2, 2020 release date. It was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moving to June 25, 2021, September 17, September 24, and then October 15, before being moved back up to October 1.

The film stars Hardy, Harrelson, Williams, Scott, Harris and Graham. Hardy has never been better as he throws punches in all directions and his comedic skills are spot-on.

It's far from perfect, but works extremely well in its corner of the cinematic universe as the antidote to the run of the mill superhero entry.

Simon says Venom: Let There Be Carnage receives:

Also, see my review for Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Venom.