+++ Opinion +++
ProSieben is showing “Venom” on September 16, 2022 from 8:15 p.m. A Marvel blockbuster that runs on TV without commercials? Normally we would give a clear recommendation for all fans of superhero adventures at this point. We were really excited about the story of the alien symbiont that makes Tom Hardy’s life on earth very difficult, but neither our critic Antje Wessels, who only gave 2.5 out of 5 possible stars in the DashFUN review, nor the author of this article . With the sequel recently released for home cinema, things are quite different.
While “Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage” is criticized in the official DashFUN review for being still Trusting less than its predecessor and even earning half a star less in the end, “Venom 2” was unbridled fun for me, which superbly captures the insanity of the comic book template (except for the bloody carnage) and turns it into an extremely entertaining action- Packed with a spectacle that you rarely get to see at Marvel.
» “Venom 2” on Amazon Prime Video*
» “Venom 2” DVD, Blu-ray & 4K at Amazon*
My advice: Whether you like Venom or not, it’s worth giving Part 2 a shot.
So imposing the usual MCU adventures around Avengers and consorts are also staged, they just tire me so much after more than ten years. Even films like “Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings” or “Eternals“, which are obviously trying to break new ground, in the end only offer “more of the same”. And that kind of makes sense. Since the films are all anchored in the same world, there also needs to be certain points of overlap that connect them with one another. but do these comic book adaptations really have to be every two to three hours long? No, they don’t have to.
Venom 2 proves there’s another way to Marvel action. Because an epic does not have to be spun around every title hero, an excessive story enriched with all kinds of supporting characters, which brings together the most diverse storylines on different time levels and ultimately mutates into a story monster. More is not always more. The main thing is to concentrate on the essentials. And that’s exactly what Venom 2 does.
The Marvel sequel makes no compromises when it comes to action and humor, while also taking the story’s greatest strength to the extreme: the relationship between Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and the alien symbiote. Not only does their love-hate relationship work way, way better than the totally chilled love affair between Eddie and Anne (Michelle Williams) in Part 1, it’s perfect buddy comedy material as well.
Director Andy Serkis knows how to make excellent use of the great chemistry between Hardy and the animated parasite, stringing one funny and nasty exchange of blows after the next and thus ensuring a special amusement that one looks for in vain in many MCU films.
And if you think heroic adventures are only as good as their villains, you might like Venom 2 a lot better than its predecessor, too. Unlike Riz Ahmed’s Dr. Carlton Drake not only wins the much crazier Carnage (Woody Harrelson) directly the sympathy of the audience, but also remains in his actions – and that is of great importance for a good villain – always understandable.
Yes, I can twist and turn the two films however I want. For me it is clear: Venom 2 is great fun – and better than its predecessor in every way. And that bodes well for an exciting future, as video editor Sebastian summarizes in the following video (spoiler alert!):
*The links to the Amazon offer are so-called affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we will receive a commission.
This is a re-release of an article previously published on DashFUN.
