"Venom" was predicted a while ago: a stand-alone for Spidey’s most celebrated, Modern Age adversary and as some do claim, Marvel’s equivalent to DC’s Bane.
The Todd McFarlane/David Michelinie creation did appear in Sam Raimi’s "Spider-man 3" (per Topher Grace), but when the Tobey Maguire saga subsided, so did the chance for a rematch, let alone a separate entry. (In truth, whether either had a solid chance is still debatable.)
For director Ruben "Zombieland" Fleischer's here-and-now version, Tom Hardy (who fashioned a complex Bane for "Dark Knight Rises") occupies the eponymous role, aka Eddie Brock: for this story's sake, an uncouth, San Francisco journalist/cable personality.
The alien (Symbiote) entity that constitutes Eddie’s Hyde is, in fact, contained and nurtured by a mad scientist named Carlton Drake, portrayed by Riz "Rogue One" Ahmed. Drake believes he can improve human evolution by giving it a radical shove (rather like Strother Martin’s Dr. Stoner in "Sssssss", but with a twist yank straight from "The Hidden"). As Drake's (mis)fortune would have it, Brock's dogged snooping results in the correspondent's voracious transformation, though the lead-up does take some time.
For the record, Brock's venomous side doesn’t surface unless he’s endangered, springing forth like Banner’s Hulk to halt and/or kill his aggressors, tipped by a terrific tongue that would make even Gene Simmons envious. Though Brock is unsettled at first by his erratic powers, he comes to terms with such, letting the symbiotic relationship advance toward indirect and violent acts of good. He also thrives on the desperate need to survive. After all, Brock, in Venom form, is a rampant experiment, forestalling capture and yet yearning to get even with the monstrous man who made him (it?): a simultaneous Hulk/Frankenstein allusion.
Participating in the conflict is Michelle Williams as love interest, Anne Weying, who becomes She-Venom for an accidental spell. Williams projects a welcome, flirtatious warmth, which remains credible throughout the melodramatic content.
Thanks to writers Jeff Pincher, Scott Rosenberg and Kelly Marcel, the story also spews a righteous air of pugnacious doom (similar to a "Blade" or early Seagal flick), which contrasts to the brighter (though no less conflict-ridden), Avengers-based "Spider-man: Homecoming". Even so, the buzz is that Hardy's Venom and Tom Holland's Spidey are destined to meet. Why not? They hold a Sony connection. All the same, it's more likely that a She-Venom and/or Carnage sequel (considering Woody Harrelson's creepy cameo) would come first, if "Venom" equates box-office gold.
No matter what develops, "Venom" exists as an entertaining, modern Jekyll/Hyde: a product apt to please superhero, monster and vigilante fans all in the same, slippery swoop. That makes the film a suitable entry for the Halloween season, as well. So, grab your ticket and savor the dark fun.
In afterthought, the film does lose a significant point for the jarring Eminem song at the end. Why is it there? Is it meant as a lead-in to the villainous Carnage? I do believe Venom would bite Eminem's head off, or in the very least scare the shit out of him. Just don't see a kindred connection there...
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