Venom – Let there be Carnage Sneak Peek: Impressions (Spoiler-free)

My first encounter with Carnage was unsurprisingly from a game, specifically reading about “Spiderman & Venom: Maximum Carnage” in an old Nintendo Power magazine.
I was enthralled; the artwork looked like someone took Venom and turned his dial up to eleven. The descriptions on how Carnage was basically a wilder, crazier version of Venom (who, in my young mind, was already plenty crazy) immediately piqued my curiosity.

I’m reminded about that moment because Let there be Carnage is a wilder, crazier version of the first Venom film. Let me preface that if you enjoyed the first Venom, you’ll enjoy this one. Directed by Andy Serkis, expect a well-tuned CGI-fest, with the same weird bromance gags that still deliver on humour and help to develop Brock / Venom’s odd relationship and characters. Woody Harrelson plays a convincing serial killer (with equally convincing crazy eyes), reprising his cameo in the first Venom as Cletus Kasady. I mention “convincing” because it’s ultimately that origin point that helps sell the insanity that is Carnage, and how dangerous the pairing of Kasady / Carnage really is.
It was a helluva satisfying action-packed ride that delivers on fun. Stay for the end, there’s one after-credits scene and it’s a good one.