Venom is mediocre. It's not very good because it provides the bare minimum: hollow character development, motivation, creativity, and logic. Really, Venom is just a collection of popular superhero movie tropes. It's an origin story where the protagonist hardly arcs. Its villain is cartoonishly evil with no depth. The stakes are contrived and the subtext is nonexistent. Still, because Venom has fun with its basic formulas, it avoids becoming a complete mess. It's generic, but playful. In particular, Tom Hardy saves the sparse material with skill and charisma. Overall, it's mindless, but at least Venom isn't painfully dull or bloated.
Meanwhile, Venom possesses some craft. There is an interesting scene transition, a handful of appealing shots, and the effects include some real stunts. Also, the design of Venom's voice is compelling. The final action scene is cluttered, but thankfully, isn't overindulgent. The music is forgettable and the production design is sterile, but at least they are competent. Lastly, the direction lacks an artistic voice, yet mostly remains efficient. The best thing about Venom is that it keeps moving. The build-up to Venom's reveal is decently paced and the filler isn't overbearing. Ultimately, Venom's inferiority is softened by its levity.
Writing: 3/10
Direction: 4/10
Cinematography: 6/10
Acting: 7/10
Editing: 6/10
Sound: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 5/10
Production Design: 4/10
Casting: 7/10
Effects: 7/10
Overall Score: 5.7/10
Comments