Venom (2018)

 "Eyes! Lungs! Pancreas! So many snacks, so little time!"

I thought, given that current stuff that must be blogged is interrupting my consumption of the former Netflix Marvel seasons- damn you, Stranger Things, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Boys- I'd best start to attack the current backlog of Marvel films. So it starts here.

This is one of those films that starts off as though it's going to be rubbish. I don't like the texture, the coliuring, the cinematography, surprising from the director of Zombieland... but the script and acting win through. 

This film doesn't pretend to be clever. But, after getting obver the music video direction, it becomes apparent that the script is decent, if not exceptional, and that both Tom Hardy and Riz Ahmed (as Elon Musk, in every detail) are very good indeed.

It's odd in a Venom film not to see Spider-Man- Sony own him for cinematic purposes at present; is this film part of the MCU? We see Stan the Man, I suppose. But it's interesting that a film based on Venom and Eddie Brock can succeed without reference to Spidey- although, of course, we get a subtle appearance from John Jameson.

Tom Hardy and Michelle are both impressive in the vrewlationship that anchors the film. Hardy impresses as the Symbiote. The story beats are good, despite the lack of Spidey and directorial shortcomins., and I look forward to more Sony Marvel stuff.