--- title: "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" year: 2021 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/venom-let-there-be-carnage" fi1m_id: "venom-let-there-be-carnage" imdb_id: "tt7097896" tmdb_id: 580489 wikidata_id: "Q60498064" fi1m_score: 56 critics_score: 52 critics_reviews: 23 published: "2026-10-05T16:05:03.642950+00:00" updated: "2026-10-05T16:05:11.589259+00:00" region: "AE" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) Directed by Andy Serkis · 1h 37m · Science Fiction, Action, Adventure ## Identity Venom: Let There Be Carnage - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/venom-let-there-be-carnage - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** venom-let-there-be-carnage - **IMDb ID:** tt7097896 - **TMDB ID:** 580489 - **Wikidata ID:** Q60498064 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7097896/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/580489, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60498064 **Fi1m score: 56** · Critics 52 from 23 reviews *In a sentence:* Tom Hardy arguing with himself is considerably more fun than watching the computer graphics settle their differences > Tom Hardy makes Eddie and Venom’s quarrels intermittently worth the trouble. Andy Serkis keeps things brisk, but thin villains and muddled action leave too little around the jokes to justify an evening. ## Synopsis Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is trying to get along with Venom, also played by Tom Hardy. Neither makes it easy. Their disagreements become running arguments, as each insists the other is the problem. Anne Weying (Michelle Williams) also enters the story, along with Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), whose other identity is Carnage. Eddie wants his partnership with Venom to work, but their mutual irritation keeps getting in the way. The threat of Carnage gives them something else to worry about besides each other. ## Review *Venom: Let There Be Carnage* is an intermittently funny comedy about two characters who cannot stop arguing, interrupted by action we struggled to follow. Andy Serkis understands where the laughs are and gives Tom Hardy room to pursue them. At 97 minutes, the film does not make a long evening of its modest ideas, though brevity cannot make the villains more interesting. There is enough pleasure in the quarrelling to make the rest feel like a wasted opportunity. Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock and Venom with enough distinction that their arguments can briefly make us forget we are watching one performer conduct both sides. Eddie’s exasperation and Venom’s noisy insistence are funny because each considers himself the sensible party. We laughed at their squabbling because both put such effort into making a petty disagreement sound like a serious injustice. The performance gives the relationship an affection that the dialogue would struggle to establish by itself. Kelly Marcel’s screenplay is most comfortable when it leaves the pair to bicker, but it returns to that pleasure too often without finding much new for them to argue about. The early exchanges establish a rhythm that later scenes tend to repeat. Maryann Brandon and Stan Salfas give the comic confrontations a useful sharpness, keeping the changes of temper quick. They cannot supply the development that the writing skips, and some transitions feel as though a necessary scene has gone missing. The supporting cast have less room to manoeuvre. Woody Harrelson has too little character to work with as Cletus Kasady and Carnage, and Naomie Harris is scarcely better served as Frances Louise Barrison and Shriek. Michelle Williams is similarly underused as Anne Weying, despite bringing a welcome steadiness to the exchanges. These are performers capable of making a strange situation feel inhabited, but the screenplay mostly needs them to keep it moving. Robert Richardson’s cinematography becomes murky in the action, making it harder to distinguish the computer-generated bodies when they collide. Oliver Scholl’s production design gets swallowed up in that confusion: the surroundings rarely help us judge the space or the force of an impact. Marco Beltrami’s music supplies urgency, but does little to make these clashes feel different from one another. The result is loud and busy without being especially exciting, and the cutting does not reliably tell us where to look. For a monster film, it is curiously reluctant to make its creatures properly unpleasant. The 15 certificate need not promise anything in particular, but the title encourages expectations of nastiness that the action does not satisfy. Nor does the film find enough inventive physical comedy to make up for that restraint. It keeps returning to arguments that the central performance has already made as funny as they are likely to get. We can see the appeal of treating a superhero partnership as a relationship that needs counselling. The film is comfortable letting its central characters be needy and ridiculous, and that gives it a little warmth. But liking this double act means tolerating a good deal of thin plotting and unreadable combat. If Tom Hardy arguing with himself does not sound sufficient for an evening, there is little reason to stay. *Fi1m score 56, published 5 October 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews are divided, with negative verdicts outnumbering positive ones, but praise consistently centres on Tom Hardy and the squabbling relationship between Eddie Brock and Venom. Even several disappointed critics enjoy the comic timing and odd-couple friction. Supporters find the sequel brisker, stranger and more willing to embrace camp humour than its predecessor. For some, the affection beneath the bickering gives the film an unexpectedly touching centre. The disagreement is over how far that relationship carries a thin story and frequently muddled action. Reservations cluster around murky effects, underdeveloped villains and supporting characters left with too little to do; even favourable reviews acknowledge some of these weaknesses. The spread is wide: The Wrap finds a tender, exuberant superhero story despite the plot holes, while Vulture finds the repeated banter increasingly tiresome. The divide is less about Hardy’s commitment than whether the sequel gives his double act enough fresh material. ## Straight answers **Is Venom: Let There Be Carnage worth watching?** *Venom: Let There Be Carnage* offers intermittent laughs for fans of Tom Hardy’s bickering double act, but we score it 56 for its thin plotting and muddled action. Hardy gives Eddie and Venom’s quarrels warmth and comic timing; unless that partnership is enough to carry an evening, we find little here to recommend. **How long is Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and what is it rated?** *Venom: Let There Be Carnage* runs 1h 37m. It is a science fiction and action film. **Where can I watch Venom: Let There Be Carnage in the UAE?** *Venom: Let There Be Carnage* is available to rent from Apple TV from AED 14.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and is it suitable for children?** *Venom: Let There Be Carnage* has a UK 15 certificate and is not suitable for children under 15, though we find its monster action more loud and confusing than frightening. The computer-generated creatures collide in murky combat, but the film holds back from making them properly unpleasant; its title suggests more nastiness than the action delivers. **How does Venom: Let There Be Carnage compare to The Mask?** *Venom: Let There Be Carnage* is the weaker choice beside [*The Mask*](https://film.one/film/the-mask), which we recommend for its more inventive physical comedy and elastic effects. Hardy finds laughs in Eddie and Venom’s repeated quarrels, while Jim Carrey’s cartoon-like behaviour gives *The Mask* greater comic freedom; both offer an unruly alter ego, but Hardy has more muddled action to contend with. ### Reviews we read (23) - **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (4/5): O'Sullivan finds the sequel a major improvement and an enjoyable return to the franchise. She praises its idiosyncratic character work and the energetic final battle, while noting that it leaves little time for CGI slug-fests. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/venom-movie-let-there-be-carnage-review-sequel-better-tom-hardy-b960469.html) - **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (4/4/3): The review finds the sequel imperfect but sincere, chaotic fun. It praises Tom Hardy’s effortless rapport as Eddie and Venom, especially the film’s campy humor. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/venom-let-there-be-carnage) - **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (75/100, inferred): Grierson considers it a substantial improvement over the 2018 original. The standfirst singles out that overall improvement, without naming a particular element. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review/5163680.article) - **Los Angeles Times**, Robert Daniels (72/100, inferred): Daniels finds the sequel touching, wild entertainment, though its action visuals and CGI-heavy finale undermine some of its drama. He especially praises the grounded, sharply edited breakup fight between Brock and Venom. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-09-30/venom-let-there-be-carnage-sequel-review-tom-hardy) - **Sight and Sound**, BFI (68/100, inferred): The review finds the sequel strangely affecting despite its odd humour and repetitive plot points. It praises Tom Hardy’s performance as both Eddie and Venom for giving the film a believable emotional core. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/venom-let-there-be-carnage-serves-strangely-affecting-superhero-sequel) - **IndieWire**, Kate Erbland (C+): Erbland finds the sequel zany and entertaining, though it has not yet reached its full stride. She especially praises Tom Hardy’s comic performance and the film’s willingness to embrace its weird, silly side. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review-tom-hardy-andy-serkis-1234666951/) - **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (C+): Hassenger finds the sequel faster and funnier than its predecessor, but still underwhelming and ultimately cynical. He praises the comic-duo friction between Brock and Venom, while faulting the film for never getting gnarly or clever enough. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/venom-returns-in-the-faster-funnier-still-underwhelmi-1847760784) - **Slant Magazine**, Wes Greene (2/4): Greene finds the film lean but ultimately loud, incoherent, and pointlessly cruel. He praises the playful, satirical depiction of Eddie and Venom’s relationship, especially its early comic moments. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review-tom-hardy/) - **Empire**, Ben Travis (2/5): Travis calls the sequel a dispiritingly weak, frustrating film despite a few glimmers of promise. He praises Tom Hardy’s affinity for the dual role, while faulting the PG-13 restraint and muddled action. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/venom-let-there-be-carnage/) - **Radio Times**, Hanna Flint (2/5): The review gives the sequel two stars, suggesting it is a disappointing follow-up. It singles out the warped buddy-movie dynamic between Eddie Brock and Venom. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-151y58/venom-let-there-be-carnage/) - **Total Film**, Jamie Graham (2/5): The critic finds the film entertaining in its character banter but ultimately undernourishing, with weak action. They praise the odd-couple dynamic between Brock and Venom, especially Venom’s club spotlight moment. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/venom-2-review-let-there-be-carnage/) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, John DeFore (35/100, inferred): DeFore finds the sequel familiar and argues that its monster lead feels like a Marvel also-ran, despite the comic potential of the character. He praises the bantering chemistry between Eddie and Venom but criticizes the generic action and Michelle Williams’s sidelined role. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review-1235022883/) - **The Guardian**, Benjamin Lee (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel disposable and mostly unfunny, calling its monster mayhem tiresome. Hardy’s committed performance is singled out as a bright spot, while the supporting cast and finale disappoint. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/sep/30/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review) - **The New York Times**, Jeannette Catsoulis (30/100, inferred): The review is negative about the sequel. It faults the film’s execution, though the inaccessible page prevents confirming which specific element the critic singles out. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/30/movies/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review.html) - **Vulture**, Alison Willmore (20/100, inferred): Willmore finds the sequel a disappointing, slapdash repetition of the first film’s odd-couple joke. She praises Tom Hardy’s performance as a source of the original’s charm, but says the sequel overdoes the Eddie-and-Venom banter. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/venom-let-there-be-carnage-movie-review.html) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (15/100, inferred): Debruge finds the sequel incomprehensible, sloppy, and visually ugly, with little directorial vision. He acknowledges that it introduces Carnage, but criticizes the weak story, unconvincing effects, and missing-feeling scenes. [Read](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review-1235077693/) - **The Wrap** (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel a bold, brisk, tender superhero story, despite its plot holes. They single out Venom’s exuberant comic voice and the film’s unconventional relationship at its heart. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/venom-let-there-be-carnage-film-review-tom-hardy-woody-harrelson-sequel/) - **Consequence**, Clint Worthington (75/100, inferred): Worthington finds the sequel deeply, charmingly dumb, praising its focus on Eddie and Venom’s chaotic, bromantic relationship. He faults the thin villain characterization and murky visuals, while wishing Carnage and Shriek had more to do. [Read](https://consequence.net/2021/09/venom-2-review-let-there-be-carnage/) - **Digital Spy**, Gabriella Geisinger (75/100, inferred): Geisinger finds it a fun, campy action ride that delivers on its odd-couple premise. She praises the comic chemistry between Brock and Venom, while wishing the supporting characters had more room to develop. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a37767981/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review/) - **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (7/10): The critic finds the sequel flawed but recommends it for its breezy, offbeat charm. Tom Hardy’s uninhibited performance and the sweet, queer-coded romance between Eddie and Venom are singled out as its heart. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/618980/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review-a-goofy-romantic-comedy-disguised-as-a-superhero-sequel/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (2/5): Crow finds the sequel an improvement over the first film but still a largely muddled, uninspired disappointment. He praises the goofy breakup-comedy scenes between Hardy’s Eddie and Venom, while criticizing Carnage’s underwhelming story and the distracting CGI. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review/) - **NME** (40/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel so-so, with Tom Hardy’s performance providing much of its energy. They praise the comic squabbling between Eddie and Venom but fault the muddled climax and vague queer representation. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/venom-let-there-be-carnage-review-3070656) - **The Playlist**, Rodrigo Perez (D-): The critic finds the sequel a chaotic, unpleasant mess. They single out its relentless Eddie–Venom squabbling and garbled sound mix as especially grating, while noting its brief runtime as a small plus. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/venom-let-there-be-carnage-tom-hardy-ridiculous-mess-review-20210930/) ## Details - **Director:** Andy Serkis - **Director:** Andy Serkis - **Screenplay:** Kelly Marcel - **Story:** Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy - **Cinematography:** Robert Richardson - **Editor:** Maryann Brandon, Stan Salfas - **Music:** Marco Beltrami - **Production design:** Oliver Scholl - **Costume design:** Joanna Eatwell - **Producer:** Tom Hardy, Kelly Marcel, Matt Tolmach - **Cast:** Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock / Venom; Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady / Carnage; Michelle Williams as Anne Weying; Naomie Harris as Frances Louise Barrison / Shriek; Reid Scott as Dr. Dan Lewis; Stephen Graham as Detective Mulligan; Peggy Lu as Mrs. Chen; Sian Webber as Dr. Pazzo - **Runtime:** 1h 37m - **First release (the UK):** 14 September 2021 - **Genres:** Science Fiction, Action, Adventure - **Budget:** $110 million - **Box office:** $507 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVwq2HlKYpE ## Where to watch in the UAE - Apple TV: rent AED 14.99, hd - Apple TV: buy AED 34.99, hd *Checked 2026-10-05.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Mask* (1994), Fi1m 71: Another unruly alter ego, with more inventive physical comedy and elastic effects. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-mask.md) - *Upgrade* (2018): Sharing a body becomes a nastier problem, with considerably clearer action. - *The Host* (2006): Family squabbling survives a monster attack, without making the danger feel negligible. - *Brain Damage* (1988): A much nastier partnership, with bodily dependence feeding the black comedy. - *What We Do in the Shadows* (2014): Petty domestic arguments give these supernatural housemates more trouble than immortality. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/venom-let-there-be-carnage