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A fairly mediocre superhero film that is saved by a likable lead and a few solid action scenes. The film suffers from pacing issues, especially in the first act. It’s stop and go, and there’s a long stretch of nothing too interesting happening before it gets to the meat of the story. Things do finally pick up, but they move almost too fast, and take a few odd detours on the way to the climax. There’s an odd sense of humor here, that often veers into something on the corny side. The action has some fun moments, but the finale feels rushed and is overloaded with CGI. The GGI in good overall, but Venom in motion tends to look more unrealistic than when he’s standing still. Also, some of the transitions from full Venom back to Eddie look pretty bad. Fortunately for this move, the lead actors keep you invested. Riz Ahmed is okay has the villainous Carlton Drake. The acting his fine, but he never comes off menacing, even when he’s doing evil deeds. Michelle Williams is a bit more of a mixed-bag. She’s likable as the love interest, but takes a few off-putting character turns, and she doesn’t get enough opportunities to show off her acting chops. But what makes this movie worth watching is Tom Hardy. He pours a lot into the Eddie Brock role. He runs the gamut of charming, to quirky, to anguished, and more throughout the film. It’s bit of a shame when he’s lost underneath the Venom CGI. There is a scene in the mid-credits. Venom fans will get excited, while causal viewers will be confused. And both groups will probably chuckle as the entire scene comes off as just silly.
** out of *****