VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE - 5 Things That Worked And 3 Things That Didn't (Spoiler-Free Breakdown)

With Venom: Let There Be Carnage set to arrive in theaters later today, we're expanding on the points in our review to bring you more details on what does and doesn't work in Andy Serkis' Venom sequel...

By JoshWilding - Sep 30, 2021 12:09 PM EST

Filed Under: Venom: Let There Be Carnage

The review embargo finally lifted for Venom: Let There Be Carnage a little earlier today, and the response thus far has definitely been interesting (you can find what we had to say here). Soon, fans will get to share their takes on the movie, but we're now taking a deeper dive into the Venom sequel by breaking down what did and didn't work...minus any spoilers, of course!

We'll have plenty of spoilery coverage for you soon, but in the meantime, we're getting a little more in-depth with this breakdown to explore what Andy Serkis got right, and how the movie very occasionally drops the ball. There's no denying that Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a major improvement over its predecessor, but there are issues, and Venom 3 will hopefully perfect the formula.

Overall, this sequel is an absolute blast, and something tells us you'll have a lot of fun with it. It turns out Serkis was exactly what the Sony franchise needed, and even our complaints are relatively minor ones. Some are likely to bother you more than others, though, and we think you'll learn a lot here.

To take a look through this breakdown, all you guys need to do is click on the "Next" button below!

Did Work: Carnage Is A BEAST Of A Character

In terms of villains, Venom definitely disappointed. Riot was a complete letdown, while those other symbiotes (including Scream!) proved themselves total non-factors in the movie. Of course, Carlton Drake is a relatively minor character in Eddie Brock's world, so that can be mostly forgiven...screwing up Carnage, on the other hand, would be a very diffrent matter.

Thankfully, that's not the case here as Woody Harrelson (minus the silly wig) proves himself a perfect fit for the role of Cletus Kasady. The movie is light on blood and guts, but he's an unrepentant killer and a genuinely terrifying, unhinged presence.

More importantly, Carnage is a complete and utter beast. As soon as Cletus' transformation takes place, the symbiote is unleashed in a way that makes us wish we could have spent more time with him. He looks incredible in motion, and once he squares off with Eddie, the results are insanely good. We just really hope he's not another one-and-done villain.

Didn't Work: What World Is This Set In, Anyway?

Venom: Let There Be Carnage is light on Easter Eggs, and we don't get any of the MCU teases it seems Morbius will be full of. Set photos for that movie have referenced the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, with graffiti highlighting what appears to be Tobey Maguire's wall-crawler. Michael Keaton has even reprised his role as Adrian Toomes/The Vulture for a cameo role!

It's not a spoiler to say that The Daily Bugle gets a mention here, but it's the West Coast edition of the newspaper rather than TheDailyBugle.net. Some clarification from this sequel would have been welcomed, and it feels a lot like Sony may have hedged their bets here before going all-in with Morbius.

Now, it's worth noting that at our junket screening, there was no mid-credits scene. Like most of you, we've read the descriptions and it sounds like the sequence might muddy the waters even further. Either way, it feels like Sony needs to decide whether this franchise is destined for bigger things or if the plan is for it to remain standalone in nature (not a bad option, but one that would disappoint).

Did Work: Two Surprising Love Stories

The romantic subplot with Eddie Brock and Anne Weying didn't really work for us in Venom. Luckily, it's mostly put on the backburner in this sequel, with two different loves stories receiving the spotlight. Eddie and Venom is one of them, as the duo move on from whatever that was in the first movie to instead clashing over what they want from the symbiotic bond they formed in 2018.

Venom hopes to become a "Lethal Protector," while Eddie just wants to keep off the radar. Serkis finds a way to really deepen their dynamic in this movie, leaving behind the alien calling his human host a "p*ssy" in order to explore how they can continue working together moving forward.

The other is between Cletus and Frances Barrison. We didn't expect his dynamic with "Shriek" to receive so much screentime, but Venom: Let There Be Carnage wastes no time in getting us invested in the teen lovers being reunited as adults. They're definitely villains, but this adds a little more depth to them (avoiding any risk of them becoming little more than one-dimensional baddies).

Did Work: Tom Hardy Finally Gets Venom

Venom was a bad movie, and Tom Hardy's performance was among the biggest talking points (and not always for the right reasons). He went completely overboard playing Eddie Brock, taking the comic book tough guy and transforming him into a nebbish, nervous wreck in the process.

The lobster tank scene is a good example of what we're talking about, but there were signs of good work in the British actor's performance that are enhanced here courtesy of Serkis' direction.

There's still some silliness, and this Eddie is by no means the muscular meathead who tormented Spider-Man for so many years. He's become a little more layered, though, and it feels like Hardy finally gets this interpretation of Venom. His work here is phenomenal, and if you weren't on board with a meeting with Peter Parker before, something tells us you will be after seeing this sequel.

Didn't Work: The 90-Minute Runtime (Mostly)

Venom: Let There Be Carnage's 90-minute runtime has been widely discussed online, and there's no denying that it hurts the movie. It's not a complete detriment as we appreciated the punchy nature of the sequel and the fact that there's no filler (see: Trevor in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).

However, an extra twenty or thirty minutes could have made this 4* movie a 5* one. Detective Patrick Mulligan would have benefited from a little more screentime, as would Anne Weying. Both get memorable roles, but there's not a whole lot of character development.

Spending more time with all these characters would have been welcomed, but the fact that Serkis left us wanting more is no bad thing. Something tells us there could be a lot of deleted scenes on the eventual Blu-ray release, and what we do get in Venom: Let There Be Carnage works well; however, just a few extra minutes here or there could have made a massive difference.

Did Work: Humour That's Actually Funny

If you were laughing your guts out from start to finish while watching Venom, we're going to question your sense of humour, but won't hold it against you. For the most part, the gags in that 2018 movie fell flat and were more in the "laughing at" rather than "laughing with" category. Thankfully, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a legitimately very funny movie throughout.

As always, there are moments that will work better for some than others, but rest assured that Serkis has nailed the humour (though credit should also go to screenwriter Kelly Marcel).

Regardless, the Venom sequel hits a home run with jokes, heart, and action, hence why it's been more positively received than its predecessor. There are some goofy moments, but nothing as bad as what we saw three years ago, and it's goofy in a way that will make you smile or laugh out loud. Trust us when we say you'll be on board with Eddie and Venom's clash over chicken, anyway.

Did Work: The Epic Final Battle

By no means would we say Venom: Let There Be Carnage is light on action, but with that scant 90-minute runtime, there's no room for a typical mid-point battle between the protagonist and antagonist.

It's not a bad thing for the sequel to move past that trope, of course, and when Venom and Carnage do finally come to blows, it's more than worth the wait. This entire sequence is nothing short of jaw-dropping, and we're confident in saying that it will eventually rank high on lists of the all-time greatest superhero movie fight scenes (hey, that's a pretty good idea for a feature...).

There are a couple of creative decisions we didn't love, but they mostly work within the context of the movie itself. We'll explore those a little more in future posts, but the battle itself is damn near flawless and a comic book fan's dream come true for what these two fighting should look like.

Didn't Work: Yeah, It's Still Not Quite Like The Comics

If you go into Venom: Let There Be Carnage expecting a more comic accurate movie than Venom, then you're going to be disappointed all over again. There's a lot here that does line up with the source material (including Carnage's portrayal and the awesome action scenes), but for better or worse, Sony is doubling down on Venom and Eddie being two separate beings.

That's something we've seen in the comic books in recent years, of course, but it means that when Spider-Man eventually meets the symbiote, it'll likely be a lot different to what we've seen on the page.

Without getting into spoilers, there are some creative decisions made near the end of the movie that both take us one step closer to the comics and one step back from them. It is what it is at this stage, but Sony has its own very distinct idea for how Venom should be portrayed on screen. It's not perfect, but providing Serkis returns to the franchise, then we think it could still be a fun ride.

VENOM 3 Filming Is Apparently Close To Wrapping Up And Sony Has Managed To Keep Plot Details From Leaking

Recommended For You:

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE Director Andy Serkis Says The Sequel Originally Had Even More Spider-Man

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Do you have what it takes to write for us?

Want to contribute?

54 Comments

1 2

Blergh - 9/30/2021, 12:19 PM

Currently on 65% on RT, certainly not as bad as the first movie in terms of reception but still far from good.

Dotanuki - 9/30/2021, 12:24 PM

Stop trying to make this movie happen. I refuse to believe that the final fight is amongst the best battles.

Feralwookiee - 9/30/2021, 2:35 PM

@Dotanuki - Come on! When have you ever seen two big rubbery cgi blobs hitting each other before?

PhoenixBlade - 9/30/2021, 12:27 PM

I have no idea why the runtime is such a hot topic. Films with very little substance should be around 90 minutes. Even that said there’s some great films around the ninety minute mark. I have no idea where this agenda has come from. Is it because blockbusters these days tend to be two hours so people have just forgotten the past?

Origame - 9/30/2021, 12:35 PM

@SamaelSaint - that and the outrage of the Snyder cut being 4 hours with a possible intermission for theaters. I really don't get why films need to remain over 2 hours to be acceptable. Let the films be as long as they need to be to tell their story.

MotherFuckerJon - 9/30/2021, 12:31 PM

See you say spoiler free...but then continue to give away the fact that Carnage survives to not be a "one and done" villain. Come on man, you couldn't have waited one more day?

Origame - 9/30/2021, 12:35 PM

@HydraB0b - thats what I call a fumble.

Origame - 9/30/2021, 12:39 PM

@Waddles - that did sting. My trigger is "now dig on this"

Origame - 9/30/2021, 12:38 PM

Sony already stated this takes place in its own universe. Also, I won't spoil the end credit scene but that also makes it clear about the universe its in, so I really don't get that point at all.

1 2

Related Headlines

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

VENOM 3 Filming Is Apparently Close To Wrapping Up And Sony Has Managed To Keep Plot Details From Leaking

MarkJulian

Feb 25, 2024 12:02 PM

Venom

VENOM 3: First Title Logo For Sony Pictures' Threequel Revealed At CES 2024

MarkCassidy

Jan 08, 2024 09:01 PM

Venom

VENOM 3 Adds TED LASSO Star Juno Temple In Undisclosed Lead Role

MarkCassidy

Apr 20, 2023 06:04 PM

Related Headlines

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

VENOM 3 Filming Is Apparently Close To Wrapping Up And Sony Has Managed To Keep Plot Details From Leaking

MarkJulian

Feb 25, 2024 12:02 PM

Venom

VENOM 3: First Title Logo For Sony Pictures' Threequel Revealed At CES 2024

MarkCassidy

Jan 08, 2024 09:01 PM

Venom

VENOM 3 Adds TED LASSO Star Juno Temple In Undisclosed Lead Role

MarkCassidy

Apr 20, 2023 06:04 PM

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE Director Andy Serkis Says The Sequel Originally Had Even More Spider-Man

JoshWilding

Mar 01, 2023 07:03 AM

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

VENOM 3 Star Tom Hardy Reveals That Pre-Production Is Officially Underway With New Instagram Video

MarkCassidy

Feb 22, 2023 11:02 AM

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics Will Turn The Infinity Stones Into Living Beings In This Summer's INFINITY WATCH Annuals

JoshWilding

19 mins ago

Star Wars

AHSOKA Star Ivanna Sakhno Joins The Cast Of M3GAN 2.0 In A Lead Role

MarkCassidy

7 hours ago

Latest Headlines

The Mandalorian

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Will Reportedly Begin Shooting As Soon As Later This Month

JoshWilding

11 mins ago

Marvel Comics

Marvel Comics Will Turn The Infinity Stones Into Living Beings In This Summer's INFINITY WATCH Annuals

JoshWilding

19 mins ago

Star Wars

AHSOKA Star Ivanna Sakhno Joins The Cast Of M3GAN 2.0 In A Lead Role

MarkCassidy

7 hours ago

X-Men '97

X-MEN '97 Drops A Reveal Which Could Have Major Consequences For The Wider Multiverse Saga - SPOILERS

JoshWilding

9 hours ago

Deadpool & Wolverine

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Promo Art Recreates Classic Comic Cover; New Look At Dogpool Revealed

MarkCassidy

10 hours ago

Suicide Squad

SHOGUN Star Anna Sawai Was Forced To Pass On Audition To Play Katana In SUICIDE SQUAD

MarkCassidy

11 hours ago

Hot Headlines

131 comments

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Finally Unveils Harrison Ford's Red Hulk

MarkCassidy

1 day ago EST

120 comments

Chris Hemsworth Says "I Became A Parody Of Myself" In Taika Waititi's THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

JoshWilding

1 day ago EST

92 comments

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Reveals Full Look At Sam Wilson's Suit As Toys Highlight Red Hulk

JoshWilding

1 day ago EST

89 comments

X-MEN: Could MUFASA Director Barry Jenkins Be A Contender To Helm MCU Reboot?

MarkCassidy

1 day ago EST

82 comments

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Movie Sets Theatrical Release; New Synopsis Reveals Major Lore Changes

More Cartoons & Animated ►

FORTNITE Heads To A Galaxy Far, Far Away With STAR WARS Crossover Event

More Anime & Manga ►

M3GAN 2.0 Casts AHSOKA Star Ivanna Sakhno In Major Role

More Horror ►

MONKEY MAN Exclusive Interview With Mask Designer Eddie Yang; Dev Patel Film Now Available On Digital HD

More Action Movies & TV ►

AEW President Tony Khan Responds To Recent Criticisms From WWE Hall Of Famers Goldberg And Kevin Nash

More Pro Wrestling ►

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Gets An Exciting Production Update As Next STAR WARS Movie Draws Near

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

More Cartoons & Animated ►

More Anime & Manga ►

More Horror ►

More Action Movies & TV ►

More Pro Wrestling ►

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE - 5 Things That Worked And 3 Things That Didn't (Spoiler-Free Breakdown)

With Venom: Let There Be Carnage set to arrive in theaters later today, we're expanding on the points in our review to bring you more details on what does and doesn't work in Andy Serkis' Venom sequel...

Did Work: Carnage Is A BEAST Of A Character

Didn't Work: What World Is This Set In, Anyway?

Did Work: Two Surprising Love Stories

Did Work: Tom Hardy Finally Gets Venom

Didn't Work: The 90-Minute Runtime (Mostly)

Did Work: Humour That's Actually Funny

Did Work: The Epic Final Battle

Didn't Work: Yeah, It's Still Not Quite Like The Comics

VENOM 3 Filming Is Apparently Close To Wrapping Up And Sony Has Managed To Keep Plot Details From Leaking

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE Director Andy Serkis Says The Sequel Originally Had Even More Spider-Man

VENOM 3 Filming Is Apparently Close To Wrapping Up And Sony Has Managed To Keep Plot Details From Leaking

VENOM 3: First Title Logo For Sony Pictures' Threequel Revealed At CES 2024

VENOM 3 Adds TED LASSO Star Juno Temple In Undisclosed Lead Role

VENOM 3 Filming Is Apparently Close To Wrapping Up And Sony Has Managed To Keep Plot Details From Leaking

VENOM 3: First Title Logo For Sony Pictures' Threequel Revealed At CES 2024

VENOM 3 Adds TED LASSO Star Juno Temple In Undisclosed Lead Role

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE Director Andy Serkis Says The Sequel Originally Had Even More Spider-Man

VENOM 3 Star Tom Hardy Reveals That Pre-Production Is Officially Underway With New Instagram Video

VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE Director Andy Serkis Reveals Why He's Not Returning To Helm VENOM 3

Popular Headlines

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Finally Unveils Harrison Ford's Red Hulk

RUMOR: Wesley Snipes' Return As BLADE Could Be Happening Much Sooner Than Expected - Possible SPOILERS

BLACK ADAM Star Dwayne Johnson DID Make Moves To Take Over DCEU; New Report Claims He Pees In Bottles On Set

X-MEN '97 Drops A Reveal Which Could Have Major Consequences For The Wider Multiverse Saga - SPOILERS

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Hi-Res Promo Art Reveals New Look At Logan's Suit And Wade Wilson's Weird Variants

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Will Reportedly Begin Shooting As Soon As Later This Month

Marvel Comics Will Turn The Infinity Stones Into Living Beings In This Summer's INFINITY WATCH Annuals

AHSOKA Star Ivanna Sakhno Joins The Cast Of M3GAN 2.0 In A Lead Role

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Will Reportedly Begin Shooting As Soon As Later This Month

Marvel Comics Will Turn The Infinity Stones Into Living Beings In This Summer's INFINITY WATCH Annuals

AHSOKA Star Ivanna Sakhno Joins The Cast Of M3GAN 2.0 In A Lead Role

X-MEN '97 Drops A Reveal Which Could Have Major Consequences For The Wider Multiverse Saga - SPOILERS

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Promo Art Recreates Classic Comic Cover; New Look At Dogpool Revealed

SHOGUN Star Anna Sawai Was Forced To Pass On Audition To Play Katana In SUICIDE SQUAD

Hot Headlines

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Finally Unveils Harrison Ford's Red Hulk

Chris Hemsworth Says "I Became A Parody Of Myself" In Taika Waititi's THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Reveals Full Look At Sam Wilson's Suit As Toys Highlight Red Hulk

X-MEN: Could MUFASA Director Barry Jenkins Be A Contender To Helm MCU Reboot?

X-MEN '97 Recap: "Tolerance Is Extinction - Part 1" Includes Some Amazing Marvel Universe Cameos - SPOILERS

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Gets An Exciting Production Update As Next STAR WARS Movie Draws Near

THE ACOLYTE Footage Leaks Online Ahead Of Its Debut With STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE This Weekend

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA New Poster, TV Spots And Still Released As Press Tour Kicks Off In Sydney

REBEL MOON Extended Cut Gets New Title And Official R-Rating For "Gore, Sexual Content, & Graphic Nudity"

ALIEN: ROMULUS Still Gives Us A New Look At One Of The Movie's Xenomorphs

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Action-Packed Final Trailer Features Lots Of New Footage

Cartoons & Animated Features

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Movie Sets Theatrical Release; New Synopsis Reveals Major Lore Changes

X-MEN '97 Showrunner Breaks Down "Tolerance Is Extinction" And Reveals Whether That Was The Amazing [SPOILER]

SAUSAGE PARTY: FOODTOPIA - Prime Video's Sequel Series Gets A Suitably Salacious First Poster

X-MEN '97's Latest Episode Features An Intriguing Link To The MCU's Wider Multiverse Saga - SPOILERS

X-MEN '97 Spoilers: Bastion Enacts His Plan But There's A Huge Twist...And A Game-Changing Return

X-MEN '97 Features Some Huge Cameos...Including A Spectacular Marvel Superhero - SPOILERS

Gaming

FORTNITE Heads To A Galaxy Far, Far Away With STAR WARS Crossover Event

STARFIELD Update Brings Improved Surface Maps, New Gameplay Options And More

Xbox Games Showcase Confirmed For June 9 Followed By Possible First Look At CALL OF DUTY

Team-Based Shooter STAR WARS: HUNTERS Sets A June Release Date

PALWORLD: More Pals Set To Arrive This Summer In Newly Teased Update

STARFIELD: SHATTERED SPACE Expansion Coming This Fall; Bethesda Teases Another New Update Soon

Anime & Manga

BLUE LOCK THE MOVIE -EPISODE NAGI- Celebrates Success With New Trailer Ahead Of North American Debut

CRUNCHYROLL Announces Price Hikes For Mega And Ultimate Fan Tiers

MY HERO ACADEMIA Shigaraki Voice Actor Teases Big Show Down With Star And Stripe In Season 7

DRAGON BALL: SPARKING! ZERO Trailer Reveals More Powerful Characters Joining The Roster

GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- Reveals Slayer As Final Season 3 DLC Fighter

HATSUNE MIKU Is Coming To MAGIC: THE GATHERING SECRET LAIR

Horror

M3GAN 2.0 Casts AHSOKA Star Ivanna Sakhno In Major Role

TERRIFIER 3: Art The Clown Is Up To His Old Tricks In First Official Promo Still

AVENGELYNE: Margot Robbie Eyeing Lead Role In Olivia Wilde's Comic Book Adaptation

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN - Return To Shadyside With First Official BTS Teaser

IN A VIOLENT NATURE Teaser Highlights Stellar Reviews Along With Terrifying New Footage

DEAD BOY DETECTIVES Features A Cameo From ANOTHER Member Of THE SANDMAN's Family - SPOILERS

Action Movies & TV

MONKEY MAN Exclusive Interview With Mask Designer Eddie Yang; Dev Patel Film Now Available On Digital HD

Tom Cruise's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 8 Adds SEVERANCE Actor Tramell Tillman