After two films that received little acclaim, Venom returns with the third and final installment aimed at concluding this series that perhaps should never have been initiated. Initially, Sony Pictures endeavored to establish the supervillain’s identity, but soon understood that appealing directly to comic book fans would not guarantee box office success. As a result, from the second film onwards, the series shifted towards an overtly farcical comedy, becoming a self-aware and lowbrow affair where the appeal of being a symbiote in the Sony Spider-Man Universe stems from its absurdity. The series remains unapologetically true to this approach.
“RIDICULE DOES NOT KILL
Regardless, what is commendable about the first two Venom films is that Sony Pictures no longer feels hesitant about embracing its role of producing popcorn movies for a general audience, without any coherence or desire to cater specifically to comic book fans. After all, it’s not the comic enthusiasts who will help achieve box office success totaling a billion dollars. With an actor like Tom Hardy, who is also involved in writing and production, the studio feels further empowered. Venom 3 has been conceived with this same approach, aiming to please the masses while relying on characters who are now caricatures of themselves, a fact that is accepted albeit painfully. Venom 3 will fully embrace this stance by opting for a road trip movie this time, while maintaining the peculiar bond between Venom and his host Eddie Brock. For nearly 150 minutes, we’ll follow these two protagonists’ journey not westward but eastward, from Mexico to New York, the final destination. Naturally, when mentioning New York with a character like Venom, one cannot help but think of Spider-Man and a possible encounter between the two. I’ll save you the suspense: this Venom 3 never introduces Spider-Man, despite persistent rumors of Andrew Garfield’s return in the suit. There are indeed two post-credit scenes, but they are purely for laughs and nothing more…
MORDO & THE Lizard
References to Spider-Man’s lore or even Marvel are set to be amplified by Sony Pictures in Venom 3, raising questions about whether this approach is a deliberate troll from the studio aimed at frustrating fans. Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor appears in Venom 3 as Martin, the father of a family of vegan hipsters and also portrays Mordo in the MCU, Dr. Strange’s wizard nemesis. This casting decision leaves one pondering the rationale behind it. With numerous actors available in Hollywood, some even struggling for roles, it seems puzzling to choose comedians who already hold significant positions within both the MCU and the Sony Spider-Man Universe. The motivation behind this strategy remains unclear unless its purpose is merely to generate buzz among viewers during screenings, which could ultimately lead to disappointment. However, it must be acknowledged that the scenes featuring the hipster family traveling across the US in their van did elicit a smile due to their rather absurd situational humor. At this point, Venom fully embraces its identity as a satirical family comedy, employing mocking humor by exaggerating the hipster stereotype down to the children’s names, Echo and Leaf, and their mother’s name, Nova Moon. This creates an environment akin to “Namaste,” centered around a modern family advocating Montessori education while searching for extraterrestrial evidence in Area 51. Naturally, upon encountering Eddie Brock, they meet someone perfectly aligned with their quest.
After two films that received criticism, Venom returns with a final third installment aimed at concluding this series that many feel should not have been produced in the first place. Sony Pictures initially intended to appeal to comic book fans but quickly shifted focus to attracting general audiences to achieve commercial success. The series has since taken on a tone that veers into lowbrow comedy, particularly from the second film onward, emphasizing the absurdity of being a symbiote within the Sony Spider-Man Universe. This approach is now fully embraced.
Venom 3 presents a series of outlandish situations to justify Eddie Brock and Venom’s journey from Mexico to New York, passing through the Nevada desert, Las Vegas, and Area 51. They must limit full transformations to avoid being located by Xenophages, creatures sent by Knull to retrieve the codex within Venom and Brock’s DNA that would allow him to escape his prison. It is important to note that while some hoped for stakes with Knull’s arrival in the Venom saga, he has been reduced to one of the most useless supervillains in the Sony Spider-Man Universe. This reduction contrasts sharply with how Carnage was treated in previous installments, prompting hope that Knull would not be similarly disrespected. However, Knull is now merely a plot device and nothing more.
In Venom 3, efforts have been made to cater to the audience and pique their interest. Venom’s transformations into various animals in the film were clearly intended to generate hype, particularly on social media. These transformations are so calculated and tailored for buzz that the sequences seen in trailers or video clips do not extend much longer in the actual film. Whether it is Venom Horse, Venom Fish, or Venom Frog, each transformation lasts no more than a minute on screen, and sometimes only a few seconds for certain metamorphoses.
Without revealing any spoilers, the narrative inconsistency and situations regarding what transpired in the first two Venom films indicate that this installment takes a hallucinatory shortcut, serving as a reminder of how disposable the film feels. Its lack of flavor is such that its plot has already been forgotten by viewers. Indeed, to produce such a poor film knowingly and deliberately, I must say it almost borders on being a feat of genius in another context.
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