VENOM
US, 2018, 112 minutes, Colour.
Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed, Scott Haze, Reid Scott, Jenny Slate, Melora Walters, Woody Harrelson.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer.
If The Predator were persuaded to go to the movies, then Venom would be an obvious recommendation. In fact, the hopes and ambitions of The Predator are fulfilled in Venom. The Predator and fellow aliens were involved in coming to earth, taking of the best qualities of humans, and experience of symbiosis. Symbiosis is to the fore in Venom but not quite in a way that was expected – who would have thought an alien and a human coexisting, dialoguing with each other, becoming a kind of superhero and avenger of evil?
This indication of the tone and style of Venom shows that it is both serious in its themes and somewhat humorous in its style.
Tom Hardy looks as if he is enjoying himself in the role of Eddie Brock, a television journalist in San Francisco, high ratings, living with Anne, a legal expert, and, played by Michelle Williams. However, he is ambitious, and a special target is Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed) a self-made entrepreneur whose spaceship was seen at the beginning of the film, exploding, crash landing in Malaysia, and some of the samples, alien samples, set free during the crash (and taking over one of the scientists, then an old woman at the airport, the alien moving from human to human (and a dog or two), living within them and giving them heightened powers.
One of Carlton Drake’s assistants, Dr Skirth (Jenny Slate) has some conscience issues and approaches Eddie, taking him to the plant, his taking incriminating photos, trying to help one of the experimental victims and, of course, being infected himself. (Actually, he refers to having a parasite but Venom really dislikes the word!).
It is not difficult to foretell the directions in which the screenplay will go. Michelle Williams must have been pleased to have the opportunity to have the parasite/alien inside the and take her over. Her new boyfriend, Dan (Reid Scott) is a surgeon and does his best to help Eddie.
Car chases, car crashes, building up to a confrontation between Carlton Drake and Eddie in alien monstrous form, and the realisation that Venom really likes being one with Eddie and that they have an evil-avenging career before them (though Venom is prone to like eating antagonists). And then, early in the final credits, Eddie visits a jail and who should be there but Woody Harrelson… So, more venom/Venom.
1. From the Marvel Universe? A different kind of story?
2. The title, poison? The name of the alien? Taking possession of Eddie? Eddie becoming Venom?
3. The San Francisco settings, the landmarks, city, towers, bridges, the building on the side of the mountains? The interiors of the plant? The streets, apartments? Restaurants and shops? The musical score?
4. A variation on the superhero character? Competence, loser, transformed? The alien living within him, the alien appearance taking over? Superpowers? Confrontation of evil characters?
5. A variation on the monster movie, the aliens, arrival from space, taking over humans, symbiosis? The experiments? The victims and deaths? The escape of the aliens, the takeovers?
6. The serious side of the story, science fiction, aliens and symbiosis, the mad and evil scientist, staff, experiments? The consequences for human experience?
7. The flippant side of the story, the offhand remarks, the comic touches, dialogue, and spoofs of monster movies? And the car chases and fights?
8. Eddie’s story, his background, his television program, the high ratings, his relationship with Anne, living together, her legal work, his interviews? The antagonism towards Carlton Drake? Reading the confidential documents on Anne’s computer, using them in the interview with Drake, probing, Drake and his hostility? The complaints? The boss, helping Eddie, sacking him?
9. The background of the spaceship during the opening, crashing, Malaysia, the escaping of the samples, the takeover of the characters, the scientist from the spaceship, the old woman in the airport and her later going to the United States? And the irony of taking over dogs?
10. Eddie, down on his luck, the visit to the Chinese shop and the protection racket man? Upset, going to Annie’s house, her arriving with Dan, the breakup?
11. Carlton Drake, his empire, self-made, surveillance of the space craft crash? His concern, the samples? Symbiosis, his plans, the experiments, the expendable humans, the visualising of the tests? Dr Skirth and her assistance? The pressure on her, her unwillingness, her going to see Eddie? The explanations? His accompanying her to the plant, taking the photos, aware of the experiments, the alien getting out, taking him over, fighting off the guards? The physical effect on him, psychological, hearing the voice of Venom from inside? Its taking him over on the outside, the physical appearance, his shock?
12. Anne and Dan, the help, the hospital, the MRI? The further developments, the dialogue between Venom and Eddie? The guards, the continued pursuits? The car chases? Dan and the tests, offering to help? Anne, the encounter, her being taken over? The kiss?
13. Maria, on the streets, selling the papers? Her death? The woman in the hospital with the dog? In the shop, the protection racket, the confrontation, his being devoured?
14. The buildup to the confrontation with Carlton Drake, his being taken over, the experience of symbiosis? Hero and villain in confrontation?
15. Eddie, his job, interviews, friendship with Anne, accepting his being one with Venom – their future?
16. The credits and the indication of the future – and the Woody Harrelson cameo?
