Sony's Venom movie had a tough hill to climb due to the absence of Spider-Man, but if you're looking for a reason to watch the film, the lukewarm social media reactions after Monday's Hollywood premiere probably won't help.
Early reactions to Venom are remarkably split and mixed. They run the gamut, with some putting the film the same league as Ben Affleck's Daredevil and Halle Berry's Catwoman (neither a good thing). Others praise Hardy's performance and the comedic moments, arguing the movie is worth your time.
We've picked our favorite reactions and split them into the good, the bad and the ugly.
THE GOOD
I enjoyed #Venom. It reminds me of a '90s Nicolas Cage movie in the sense that it's an Oscar-caliber actor going all-in on outlandish premise and the end result a highly watchable curiosity
— Aaron Couch (@AaronCouch) October 2, 2018
Comic fans will like #Venom, as it pulls directly from the comics in many places. Tater tot fans will also like Venom. It’s certainly clunky & not as fluid as some recent Marvel movies, but it’s funny, intentional or not. Don’t take it too seriously, and stay through the credits pic.twitter.com/Llzvtv0fLL
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) October 2, 2018
At risk of having my first unpopular opinion ever **insert sarcastic tone** I actually enjoyed #Venom a lot. It was funny. It had heart. Michelle Williams is great. So is Tom Hardy. Parts of it just straight up didn’t work but in general, I had a good time. Make up your own minds
— Roxy Striar (@roxystriar) October 2, 2018
THE BAD
Significant chunks of #Venom don’t work *at all* but there is some serious charm to the Eddie/Venom relationship. Not sure I had the intended reactions to some scenes but fun is fun - even when it’s totally ridiculous, right? It’s too bad they didn’t go for the R rating though.
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) October 2, 2018
I’m *fascinated* with VENOM. The cast seems to all know they’re in a darker superhero movie, except Tom Hardy who is basically remaking Jim Carrey’s Liar Liar. I kinda loved watching this movie, in a Rocky Horror type of way. At one point Tom Hardy and Venom make out.
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) October 2, 2018
Social embargo for #Venom is up. I talk about this a lot in my review but this is a movie that somehow slipped through a wormhole from 2004. That's my biggest take. It's a movie that spilled from the pre-MCU era through a crack in time and space.
— 16 Tape Recorders In A Trench Coat (@rustypolished) October 2, 2018
THE UGLY
Sorry to say that #Venom is pretty much a complete failure - a tonal mess that feels 15 years old, ignoring the storytelling strides that the superhero genre has made in recent years.
— Tom Jorgensen (@Tom_Jorgensen) October 2, 2018
A few fun Venom-centric moments aside, it has nearly nothing to offer. Don't get your hopes up.
#Venom is Catwoman level bad, with Tom Hardy's worst performance since This Means War.
— Daniel Richtman #BlackLivesMatter (@DanielRPK) October 2, 2018
DON'T SEE THE MOVIE!
Venom will release in theaters on Oct. 5.
Are you excited to watch Venom? Do you have any expectations for the Sony film? Let us know in the comments section below.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Phillip Martinez is a game and culture reporter for Newsweek. Prior to joining Newsweek in 2018, he was a reporter ... Read more
