Venom Social Buzz: Bizarre and Cartoonish, but Tom Hardy is Fun to Watch

(Photo by Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Following Monday night’s premiere of Venom, the first wave of critical reaction hit social media and they’re not exactly pretty. On the one hand, most of the professional reviewers agree that the Marvel Comics adaptation is not a good start to Sony’s new cinematic universe. On the other hand, Tom Hardy apparently gives a performance that’s worth checking out, and the movie is so ridiculous that many viewers will at least be entertained in a dumbfounded way.

Here’s what critics are saying about Venom:

Tell It to Us Straight

A few fun Venom-centric moments aside, it has nearly nothing to offer. Don’t get your hopes up.
– Tom Jorgensen, IGN

Like a turd. In the wind.
– Jeremy Conrad, IGN

Think Affleck Daredevil. Think Ang Lee Hulk. Think Halle Berry Catwoman. That’s… I mean, that’s really all there is to be said, I think.
– Meg Downey, CBR

It has a self-aware cartoonishness, especially in its latter half. It’s not ‘good,’ but it’s better than expected.
– Scott Mendelson, Forbes

Venom wasn’t as bad as everyone was saying it was going to be.
– Beatrice Verhoeven, The Wrap

What’s the deeper issue?

Modern superhero movies have gotten really good at telling emotional stories about their leads, you’re interested and invested because you care about them. The writing of Eddie Brock leaves you nothing to root for and so nothing to stay interested in.
– Tom Jorgensen, IGN

Does it just not seem fresh enough?

This is a movie that somehow slipped through a wormhole from 2004. That’s my biggest take. It’s a movie that spilled from the pre-MCU era through a crack in time and space… The humor, the story beats, everything right down to the Eminem theme song feels like it emerged Kimmy Schmidt style from a sealed off early ‘00s bunker.
– Meg Downey, CBR

Sorry to say that Venom is pretty much a complete failure — a tonal mess that feels 15 years old, ignoring the storytelling strides that the superhero genre has made in recent years.
– Tom Jorgensen, IGN

Is it a good time at the movies?

Not sure I had the intended reactions to some scenes, but fun is fun — even when it’s totally ridiculous, right? It’s too bad they didn’t go for the R rating, though.
– Perri Nemiroff, Collider

I laughed a lot — but I’m not sure whether that was intentional or not.
– Beatrice Verhoeven, The Wrap

I kinda loved watching this movie, in a Rocky Horror type of way.
– Mike Ryan, Uproxx

It’s…not a complete disaster? At least I was never mad watching it?
– Meg Downey, CBR

How is Tom Hardy’s performance?

Tom Hardy is pretty phenomenal.
– Jimmy O, JoBlo

Tom Hardy’s performance in Venom is either Johnny Depp in the first Pirates of the Caribbean or Chris Klein in Street Fighter: The Legend o Chun-li. Either way, it’s not boring.
– Scott Mendelson, Forbes

The cast seems to all know they’re in a darker superhero movie, except Tom Hardy who is basically remaking Jim Carrey’s Liar Liar.
– Mike Ryan, Uproxx

He does make a lot of weird, misguided choices himself. Lots of strange, unnecessary tics.
– Tom Jorgensen, IGN

Tom Hardy is and always will be a great actor.
– Beatrice Verhoeven, The Wrap

So the stuff between him and the CGI creature works?

Significant chunks of Venom don’t work *at all* but there is some serious charm to the Eddie/Venom relationship.
– Perri Nemiroff, Collider

At one point Tom Hardy and Venom make out.
– Mike Ryan, Uproxx

Venom opens everywhere on Friday, October 5. Read all the reviews as they come in here.