Venom (2018)

Director: Ruben Fleischer
Stars: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Runtime: 112 minutes

Synopsis: A mysterious symbiote called Venom takes journalist Eddie Brock as his host.

• Performances: 5/10

Why? I've never been a fan of Tom Hardy's acting. For me, he always plays the same character and has the emotional range of a bar of soap. In Venom, this statement is once again proven to be true, but kind of played in his favor. His performance as Eddie Brock was so ridiculous and over the top that I actually enjoyed it more than any of the other more serious performances. Michelle Williams' take on Anne was safe and forgettable, and Riz Ahmed's performance as the main villain Carlton Drake (who I'm convinced was inspired by Elon Musk) was over the top without being nearly as funny as Hardy's. 

• Screenplay: 5/10

Why? The first and third acts were boring. However, I actually enjoyed everything that happened in between. The part where Eddie and Venom get to interact with each other and start sharing the same body was hilarious and a lot of fun. I was laughing at the ridiculousness of these interactions mixed with Tom Hardy's acting, and so was the entire theater. The story follows the same formula as any other standard comic book movie and the main villain was just another mustache-twirling villain that'll be forgotten very quickly, but I barely paid attention to these two aspects. Yes, "Venom" is a bad movie without a doubt, but a lot of fun can be had if it's watched with the right group of friends and mentality.  

• Special Effects: 6/10

Why? I have mixed feelings about them. When Eddie fully turned into Venom, it looked really great but a part of me felt that it was too good for the movie I was watching. I think I would've enjoyed more self-aware effects as funny as the movie itself. I kind of had this feeling when Eddie doesn't achieve a full transformation, though. 

• Costumes/Makeup: 3/10

Why? Who the hell thought it'd be a good idea to give the film a PG-13 rating? I wanted more blood. A lot more blood. 

• Editing: 4/10

Why? The first act should've been much shorter in my opinion. I also found that some scene transitions needed more polishing.  

• Cinematography: 3/10

Why? Wayyyy too dark. To the point where I sometimes couldn't see what was happening. 

• Score/Soundtrack: 3/10

Why? Uninspired. It didn't do anything to elevate anything going on the film. It was just there in the background and felt more like an obligation than a part of the film.

FINAL GRADE: 5/10