Venom in 4K

[Barry]

A review of “Venom” on 4K.

This was a better movie than I expected.  It was well acted, with good special effects and very good surround sound. But first:

The REAL origin of Venom, a Spider-Man villain: It is all about money. 
In 1984 Marvel wanted to have a deal with Mattel to create toys, models and games for sale featuring Marvel’s characters. Mattel had a condition for this, they wanted a multi part comic series that would encourage buyers to buy their toys.  So Marvel produced a twelve part title entitled “Secret Wars” that would feature ALL their characters.  In this story Spider-Man got a new black suit so everyone who had a toy with the old suit would buy a toy with the new one.

Fans hated it and when they returned Spidey to his old uniform Marvel ran one of their most popular story lines: The Black Suit contained an evil Symbiont that was feeding off Peter Parker.  Later it feed off other people including, most famously, Eddie Brock. This storyline was picked up on in the third Tobey McGuire Spider-Man movie.

Spidey is not featured or mentioned here.  After the failure of the last two Spider-Man movies, Sony’s now has an agreement with Marvel to become part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and they will have nothing to do with the Venom films

Here, a meteor falls to Earth and the Symbionts ware captured by evil doctors who want to control it and contaminant innocent victims with it. Eddie Brock, played by Tom Hardy, is contaminated by it and, in a Hulk-like manner turns into the creature.

The relationship between Venom and Eddie, who now co-habit the same body, is often frightening and often funny. Obviously to make series out of this, Venom is more influenced by good-natured Eddie than the other way around.  They wind up fighting to save Earth rather than conquer it. The wonderful and charming Michelle Williams stars as his girl-friend, who is also hosts a symbiont for a brief time. The comics actually had a She-Venom and it looks like she could be it in a sequel.

Nothing special, but I enjoyed it and give it a grade of “B.”

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review and historical references Barry.

Will have to check it out.

[DavidHir]

I rented it when it came out.  Not a bad movie.

[InnerCircle]

I watched it in IMAX 3D. It was pretty good. I do hope it comes out in IMAX Enhanced 4K Blu-ray.