NS: Venom - Let There Be Carnage discussion

[cyberghostface]

Did anyone here watch this? I was a bit underwhelmed.

My main issue is that it's way too short at around 90 minutes. It just feels incredibly rushed. Part of me was wondering if there would be a longer director's cut but according to director Andy Serkis... nope, it's always been that short in part because they only had 54 days to shoot. I'm not expecting Endgame length here but a full a two hours would have improved the film significantly.

I've never been a big fan of the characterization of Eddie being a buffoon and Venom being a clown but at the same time I'm in the minority on that and that's fine. They definitely play on the shipping angle and Venom even has what's been compared to a "coming out party" so I think people here will have fun with it.

As for Carnage... well, this was a mixed bag. I love Woody Harrelson and he does a great Cletus Kasady. I was a bit disappointed at how little he gets to let loose. I never expected an R-rated film but I was hoping for something akin to Heath Ledger's Joker and we never get that from him.  And when he gets the symbiote... well, they do this thing similar to Venom where the symbiote is another personality who argues with Cletus. This has never been the case in the comic (where Cletus is so connected to the symbiote that he doesn't even say "We" because it's just an extension of himself) and it just felt off to me. I did like Carnage's relationship with Shriek but again this is something they could have done more with. A review described the two as being akin to "Natural Born Killers" and I would have loved to have seen a few scenes with Carnage and Shriek just painting the town red, but they never really go there.

Again it's not a bad film but it could have been a lot better. I still think the length is its biggest problem and if there was any evidence of there being a longer version I would be all #releasetheserkiscut but unfortunately... what we have is all there is. Maybe they can release an R-rated Carnage film with Woody Harrelson akin to Joaquin Phoenix as Joker?

Comments

[tinygaylaura]

I'm hoping to see this tonight so I'll have thoughts on my own experience to share about it after that

For now I'll say I'm sad to hear they never quite went all out with Carnage and Shriek especially because a "Natural Born Killers" kind of vibe was what I was hoping for here

Also sad to hear it is quite short

I like a long film. It doesn't have to be Lord of the Rings in length or anything but I agree I think at least near the two hour mark is a good length

Still I look forward to watching it and forming my own opinions on it

[deh_tommy]

The movie doesn’t come out until the 15th over here so I can’t really judge. I didn’t like the first movie, though, and judging by the reception I doubt I’d much like the second.

If he’s gonna get his own solo film, I’d love to see a good slasher-horror movie with Carnage, kind of like how Zeb Wells and the ANAD solo title handled him.

[tinygaylaura]

Can I ask why you weren't a fan?

Not meant as an insult just curious what about it didn't land for you

[deh_tommy]

That wasn’t a bad movie per se, just not really my cup of tea. I thought Tom Hardy was great in both roles, but I didn’t really care much for the writing or much of the action. I was also pretty disappointed with their choice of villain - what makes Carnage so special if generic Symbiote here already kind of served the same purpose and behaved the same way?

I suppose that didn’t help that there was already a better Venom-ish movie released that year called Upgrade, which really scratched my itch in regards to what I was looking for in a symbiote movie.

[tinygaylaura]

I think the symbiote villain in the first film served a different enough role to Carnage myself but that's fair

I have not watched Upgrade, I should give that a try

[mazway_75]

Despite Serkis' claims, still get the feeling a bunch cut and wouldn't be surprised there's an "unrated Carnage cut" with more, just felt way disjointed.

Really, it's all about setting up the mid-credits scene but just felt a wasted opportunity as Harrelson as Carnage should have been way more fun.