EMBRACE YOUR INNER ANTI-HERO.

Down-on-his-luck investigative journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is infected by an alien lifeform, which gives him awkward new powers to fight the industrialist (Riz Ahmed) who caused his downfall.

Venom appeared in Spider-Man 3 (2007), but got a new shot in this grim and sluggish film from the man who brought us Zombieland (2009). The story needed that movie’s light touch, which becomes particularly obvious in the tiresome last battle between Venom and Riot.

Still, Hardy gets to have a little fun with his Jekyll/Hyde character.

2018-U.S. 112 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Ruben Fleischer. Screenplay: Jeff Pinkner, Scott Rosenberg, Kelly Marcel. Comic Book: David Michelinie, Todd McFarlane. Cast: Tom Hardy (Eddie Brock/Venom), Michelle Williams (Anne Weying), Riz Ahmed (Carlton Drake/Riot), Scott Haze, Reid Scott, Jenny Slate. Cameos: Woody Harrelson, Stan Lee. 

Trivia: Co-executive produced by Hardy. Adam Wingard and David F. Sandberg were considered for directing duties. Followed by two sequels, starting with Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021).