REVIEW: VENOM-LET THERE BE CARNAGE

3.5/5

Crimson Peak.

97 Mins. Starring: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Reid Scott, Peggy Lu, Stephen Graham & Woody Harrelson. Director: Andy Serkis. 

Let the games begin, like the Bane of Hardy's 'Dark Knight Rises' once said. Critics tried to come with the anti-Venom like the character we hope to one day symbiotically see in this shared universe for the 2018 origin story that delighted fans in B-movie brilliance. Especially those who wished the former DC villain, Tom Hardy would take the claws of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine for Logan's next run. But Tom and all then sucked their teeth at all that toxicity and spat out the poison. All to the tune of superior box offices with no need to call the whole thing off. Catsup? Now the oily anti-hero is back in black, but he has a Red Goblin problem in the form of the Crimson Leviathan for the sequel, 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' this Autumn. Which is shrieking at the post pandemic big-screen openings with a wave of rave reviews from fans. And it's all about to change its own world building stakes. All for a Spider-Man villain we'd love to see crossover to Sony's other big-screen speaker breaking spider bite. If only. There's more chance of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield being in 'Now Way Home' like an animated Spider-Verse (the only time we've wanted multiple arachnids in the room at the same time). Or this writer in the Far East coming home for the holidays in this second calendar corona crippled Christmas. Speaking of such, this movie has only just come out here in Japan, months later. And the new Spider-Man 3 arrives in the land of the rising sun in the new year. So a word to the wise and warned. A writer for multiple outlets can't maintain radio silence on social media for three-weeks. So no spoilers, or veiled ones here please. We've already had the game changing post-credits scene that you should still stick around for ruined by the headline of a "reptuable" movie site. Just saying, don't be an incy wincy. Turn the tap tight on that water spout. 

Red notice like a Netflix film starring Deadpool, Black Adam and Wonder Woman is being put on as Woody Harrelson has promised us, "there's going to be Carnage", ever since teasing us with the last movies post-credits sting, practically telling us the title of this one. Now thankfully shearing the Ed, Sideshow Bob carrot top, the red head, dead for revenge, not redemption is looking to enter the saloon as he breaks from San Quentin prison like Clint Eastwood's 'Escape From Alcatraz'. Humming his own version of the Johnny Cash song. The man in prison orange becomes Woody, the Red Slayer like crimson was the new black. And it's a coat that suits this man with one hell of a jacket. An arrow arm, sword slicing, cut above the rest. The part feels like home to the 'True Detective'. The 'Natural Born Killers' star who had 'Cheers' to him as a 'Hunger Games', 'Zombieland' and 'Now You See Me' franchise favourite, like when he was the gay best friend with the wisest words in 'Friends With Benefits' (the crazy thing about that movie is that star Mila Kunis ended up married to same year, 'No Strings Attached' star Ashton Kutcher. Bathe in THAT!) becoming the perfect villain here like when he spent the entirety of the 'War For The Planet Of The Apes' straight razor shaving his already bald caesar. Head-to-head with Andy Serkis' motion captured, genius-level primate. And now he is directed here by Gollum himself, as this Serkis act sees one of our generation and the most advanced way to make movies best actors swapping capes and his Alfred tux from the forthcoming new 'Batman' movie (also by 'Apes' director Matt Reeves) for a directors chair in roughly the same universe that gave us his Klaw. The master of the alien side of cinema, throwing everything at the Brock San Francisco apartment (bacon, eggs, even the damn kitchen sink) and seeing what symbiote sticks. And it's a riot, like Riz Ahmed in the last movie for this sound of metal. 

Woody's looking for his Bo Peep like most ex-cons going home, now that he's out and Marvel have all the toys in the sandbox for their story. And 'Moonlight' and 'Black and Blue' star Naomie Harris is truly a scream as Shriek...another classic Marvel character that has the fans shouting from the same rooftops Spidey swings from. A sonic boom from the Ravencroft Institute that could even show Arkham Asylum real anarchy, cackling at their Goldblum like chaos theory. Louder than a bomb, or a 'First Class' X-Men Banshee, Moneypenny of Bond is right on the dollar here, bringing that wonderful 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' weirdness back. The same that made her an MI:6 household name. Savvy? Even if she's having trouble being heard by her not so soundproof or symbiotic boyfriend. Hey, what couples don't have their communication problems? Hardy's Eddie has his own with the Academy Award favourite Michelle Williams elevating everything here. Even her new fiancé Reid Scott has the best lines from Brock, almost all sound and noise. The 'Veep' and also 'Black and Blue' star like Harris or the forthcoming 'Morbius'' (s###s about to get real in the universe with this Joker. Ain't that right Batman?) Tyrese Gibson getting more to do here like convenience store owner Peggy Lu on the corner of 5th and funny. But for all the black and blue reunions, or those monkeying around, it's Hardy's one with 'Taboo' star and forthcoming 'Peaky Blinders' one Stephen Graham that is a master one like that BBC deal. The scouse chameleon copping a great role as an officer on the case who won't be beat. Even if he is keeping his ear to the street like Hawkeye on Disney + right now this Christmas. Because for all the absolute carnage, it's still the 'Mad Max' of Tom Hardy that shoots straight down this fury, hilly, 'Bullitt' road of the streets of San Francisco like a Pym particle. His Jekyll and Hyde act with both Eddie and the bass in his voice as Venom above his head like a speech bubble is a thing of Kemp beating, Kray brother 'Legend'. Surviving the maximum CGI carnage and letting this movie be more than all those who love to hate the turning comics of Marvel's enterprise. It may not be the Bane of his superhero starring life, but it's definitely got enough Venom to kick. Just when everyone thought it was going to bite, this thing takes your head off. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Venom', 'Morbius', 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'.