The early reviews for Sony’s Venom movie are in – and they’re not that good. It’s important to point out that that doesn’t exactly mean it’s a bad film, just that the majority of critics aren’t really enjoying it. At the time of writing this article, it sits at a 32% on Rotten Tomatoes, which might be a higher score than many were expecting.
The Critics Consensus reads:
Venom‘s first standalone movie turns out to be like the comics character in all the wrong ways – chaotic, noisy, and in desperate need of a stronger attachment to Spider-Man.
Some Of The Good Reviews
Tribune News Service: It’s a mess, but wow, is it ever a fun, fascinating mess.
JoBlo: This won’t change how you view superhero movies, but it’s a great escape nonetheless.
Polygon: Venom would be another anonymous notch on the superhero movie belt if not for Hardy, whose dedication to batshit nonsense is a saving grace – and reason enough to make a second movie.
io9: It’s a loud, kind of silly action/buddy cop movie that just wants you to kick back with a bucket of popcorn and have a good time while a space monster licks his chops at you.
Mashable: A movie that initially seemed just-plain-bad becomes so-bad-it’s-good. Or maybe it’s just plain good. It’s been a full day since I’ve seen it, and honestly, I’m still not sure. Either way, I laughed a lot.
IndieWire: This radically different approach will surely be jarring to some, but the fact that this movie could never exist in the same world as “Captain America: Civil War” despite hailing from the same brand of comics is part of its charm.
Some Of The Bad Reviews
The Verge: It’s a train wreck of a movie, mixing and matching wildly dissonant tones, bizarre plot contrivances, and a truly unique lead performance.
IGN: Tom Hardy does his best to elevate a tonally confused script, but Venom will leave you begging for an antidote.
Collider: Venom almost gets away with its nonsensical plot in the end thanks to that Eddie and Venom bromance, but then you’re reminded of the major missed opportunity here.
THR: A significant problem in a film full of them is that Eddie comes off as a dope, an eager dufus hardly convincing as a boundary-pushing journo or someone who can out-think a titan of technology.
EW: It never rises above bombastic and busy – which is something I never thought I’d say about a movie starring three aces like Hardy, Ahmed, and Williams.
Forbes: It’s not “good,” but it has a self-satirical edge, and Tom Hardy seems to be trying to be the first actor to win an Oscar and a Razzie for the same performance.
So there you have it. It appears that Venom is one of those bad movies that is so bad it’s good. Probably. If you were expecting more from it, we’re not exactly sure what you had in mind, as it wasn’t exactly trying to win Oscars. We already know certain Lady Gaga fans aren’t looking forward to it.
Venom hits theaters everywhere on October 5th.