Venom: Let There Be Carnage – A Symbiotically Silly Sequel That Knows No Restraint (Or Inside Voice)

Sony’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage is not so much a sequel as it is a loud, hyperactive therapy session between two codependent organisms, a journalist and his brain-eating roommate, voiced like a demented Cookie Monster on a protein bender. Directed by Andy Serkis and buoyed by Tom Hardy’s dual-role acrobatics, the film embraces its inner chaos like a raccoon given the keys to the liquor cabinet. And while it tries, really tries, to convince us it’s all intentional, Let There Be Carnage often feels like it’s about two rewrites away from greatness and one joke away from total derailment. In short: it’s an entertaining mess with a fantastic cast and just enough brains to eat (but not too many to digest).

From Lethal Protector to Lovable Odd Couple

The road to Let There Be Carnage was paved with studio ambition and mid-credits promises. When Venom (2018) made a killing at the box office despite critical shrugs, Sony didn’t just smell a sequel, they saw a franchise. The post-credits introduction of Woody Harrelson’s Cletus Kasady, wearing what looked like an ill-advised Party City wig, teased Carnage’s arrival with the subtlety of a chainsaw. It wasn’t a question of if a sequel would happen, but how quickly it could be greenlit and how much red CGI goo could be budgeted.

Andy Serkis stepped in as director, handpicked by Tom Hardy himself in what was probably the most earnest symbiote-to-director cold call in cinematic history. Serkis brought not only motion-capture expertise but a desire to imbue the film with a slapstick relationship dynamic worthy of The Odd Couple meets The Fly. That’s a choice. And boy, do they commit. Sony’s original 2020 release plan was repeatedly smacked down by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Serkis spent much of post-production editing remotely, proving once again that nothing, not even global catastrophe, can stop a determined alien goo from reaching the multiplex.

Casting, Chemistry, and Carnage (with a Capital “C”)

Tom Hardy returns not only as Eddie Brock but also as Venom, whisper-growling his way through a performance that is either inspired or unhinged (likely both). Hardy’s performance here borders on vaudeville, with Venom tossing barbs and Eddie tossing kitchen appliances. The central love story of the film isn’t Eddie and Anne, Michelle Williams is barely given time to sip her coffee, it’s the gooey bromance between man and parasite. Their lovers’ quarrels escalate to full-scale breakups, reconciliations, and yes, even a “coming out” rave scene featuring glowsticks and self-actualization. Subtle, it is not.

Woody Harrelson, liberated from his cursed mop-top wig, embraces Carnage with the theatrical glee of

someone who just discovered the joys of chewing scenery and refuses to stop. Naomie Harris’s Shriek is, tragically, underwritten, a powerful mutant turned gothic damsel with a scream but no voice, narratively speaking. The plot, such as it is, is a collision course: Cletus and Carnage want to kill Eddie and Venom, escape prison, free Shriek, and, because even symbiotes need hobbies, burn down an orphanage and have a gothic wedding. This is all crammed into 90 minutes, making the film feel like it’s constantly sprinting to its own punchlines, never sure whether it’s telling a joke or is the joke.

Maximum Mayhem, Moderate Praise

Critics were divided, which should surprise exactly no one. Rotten Tomatoes granted it a politely confused 57%, and audiences gave it a solid B+ on CinemaScore, which is the survey equivalent of “yeah, it was fine, I guess.” Reviewers praised Hardy’s gonzo performance and the improved pacing while side-eyeing the script’s tonal whiplash and undercooked villain motivations. The mid-credits scene, a wink toward the multiverse and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, became the most buzzed-about two minutes in the film, which tells you everything about priorities in modern superhero cinema.

Financially, Let There Be Carnage held its own. With a pandemic box office gross of $506 million on a $110 million budget, it proved there’s still a sizable audience for superhero absurdity that doesn’t require a Ph.D. in Marvel lore. The sequel, Venom: The Last Dance, arrived in 2024, promising more mayhem, more multiverse, and presumably, more moments where Venom sings show tunes while cooking Eddie breakfast. At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before Venom hosts SNL.

Worth the Ride, but Hold the Red Ones

Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a film caught between identities, like its symbiotic star, it can’t quite decide if it’s a romantic comedy, a creature feature, or a Marvel-branded LSD trip. The humor, while often clever, leans so hard into self-parody that the film nearly collapses under its own punchlines. But despite its tonal overindulgence, there’s something admirable in how fully it commits to being weird, loud, and unfiltered. Like a karaoke duet sung entirely by one man using two voices, it’s bizarre, brave, and just endearing enough to work, barely.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5

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