Venom Seems to Be Everything We Imagined, Which Is Not a Compliment

Even with low expectations, we have been watching the development of Sony’s standalone Venom movie with more than a little interest, if only because it seems like such a weird outlier.

This isn’t a Joker situation, where we’re rolling our eyes at the very idea of it (even if we still can’t look away), nor is it a situation where we’re enthusiastic about the potential of something different and a bit unconventional, like with Guardians of the Galaxy, Deadpool, or even the upcoming Aquaman. Venom is just kind of … there, leaving us kind of fascinated as to why it’s happening separately from Spider-Man at all—that is, except for the obvious answer that Sony is determined to find a way to turn Spider-Man villains into their own franchise.

Now that people have actually seen the movie, and reactions have been allowed on social media, it seems that odd fascination is pretty much warranted. Judging by early reactions, Venom is every bit as weird a movie as you’d imagine, not only drawing multiple comparisons to some of the best-known superhero adaptation disasters, but apparently feeling exactly like the time capsule relic impression we all got from the trailer:

That’s not to say no one had anything nice to say about it. In fact, it seems like a lot of whether you come away from the movie in mildly amused confusion or outright hate has to do with whether you’re into watching Tom Hardy turn in a truly bizarre performance. The movie apparently can’t decide whether it wants to fully double down on that or be something else entirely, though, so you’re in for a mixed bag either way.

It’s a testament to the weirdness of this movie that I’m not sure 100% sure whether the make-out bit is a joke or not.

In the end, it seems like a lot of what you get out of the movie will have to do with your expectations going in—frequently the case, but maybe more so in this instance. So, if you didn’t already get the idea that this would not be the refreshing, modern, unique take on Venom that would have been the best-case scenario for the movie, adjust your expectations now, and you may find yourself at least able to get some enjoyment out of a movie whose sheer existence seems surreal.

(image: Sony Pictures)

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Dan Van Winkle

Dan Van Winkle (he) is an editor and manager who has been working in digital media since 2013, first at now-defunct Geekosystem (RIP), and then at The Mary Sue starting in 2014, specializing in gaming, science, and technology. Outside of his professional experience, he has been active in video game modding and development as a hobby for many years. He lives in North Carolina with Lisa Brown (his wife) and Liz Lemon (their dog), both of whom are the best, and you will regret challenging him at Smash Bros.

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