Early reviews for Venom: Let There Be Carnage are in, and it sounds like the film is an overall improvement over its predecessor. Written by Kelly Marcel and directed by Andy Serkis, Venom 2 stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady, Michelle Williams as Anne Weying, and Naomie Harris as Francis Barrison / Shriek. Venom: Let There Be Carnage releases in theaters in the U.S. on October 1, 2021.

Because of the comic book character’s immense popularity, the original Venom was highly anticipated. It ended up being a disappointment for many, though it still performed well at the box office and found a substantial fan base for it’s uniquely wacky brand of superhero action. Venom 2 has had even more excitement surrounding it because of the presence of Carnage in his live-action debut. But because of Venom’s shortcomings, many have doubted whether Venom: Let There Be Carnage can truly deliver on its immense potential.

Related: How Much Venom 2 Cost To Make (& How Much To Be A Box Office Success)

Fortunately, it sounds like Venom 2 is notably better than the original. Early reviews for the film are in, and they’re a bit mixed but skew positive overall, giving particular praise to the continued Odd Couple dynamic between Eddie and Venom. Harrelson’s villainous Carnage also seems to be a hit, bringing the murderous villain to the big screen in spectacular form. The movie clearly isn't without it's problems, and its far from a masterpiece, but it sounds like the sheer craziness and bombast may be worth the price of admission. Check out what the critics are saying about Venom: Let There Be Carnage below.

Molly Freeman, Screen Rant

"Even though the film is an action-packed comic book movie and Eddie and Venom's relationship is still a compelling dynamic, it still has some major issues in its character and story development. Perhaps one day someone will get a Venom movie exactly right and, though today is not that day, Serkis, Marcel and Hardy deliver an entertaining spin on the continued adventures of Eddie Brock and his symbiote."

Amy Nicholson, The New York Times

"Yes, there are battles — all of them exponentially less interesting than a twitch of Hardy’s eyebrow. “Let There Be Carnage” flourishes in high-energy moments and feeds off low expectations; it’s the mold in the Avengers’ shower. Perhaps the next installment could do away with the pretense of these dingbats needing to save the world? As Venom growls, 'Responsibility is for the mediocre.'"

Leah Greenblatt, EW

"That happy, heedless embrace of anarchy somehow serves the movie's YOLO sensibility, and even comes to define it in its own way — if we're all disposable space chum in this franchise game anyway, who needs a coherent narrative and character arcs? Just bite the head off every chicken, and lean in."

Peter Debruge, Variety

"The set-pieces look sloppy, the visual effects are all over the place, and the laughs come largely at the movie’s expense. But it does introduce Carnage, so in that respect, mission accomplished."

Matt Goldberg, Collider

"I suppose if you like your comic book movies to play it a little straighter, then Let There Be Carnage will be frustrating. It’s not a raunchy comedy like Deadpool nor is it a darker superhero picture like Batman. It exists awkwardly in between, but at least by leaning more towards comedy, you get an entertaining albeit instantly forgettable picture where a muscular CGI alien fires off quips."

William Bibbiani, TheWrap

"'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' is a bold and brisk superhero story, unlike any other mainstream Hollywood film in the genre. It crams a heck of a lot of movie into an hour and a half, but it doesn’t feel like it needed to be longer. It just feels like we need more movies like it."

Kate Erbaldn, IndieWire

"'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' is at its best — and its most unique, amusing, and fresh — when it’s tossing out those expectations and letting its freak flag fly. There doesn’t need to be carnage (or, hell, even Carnage), there just needs to be Venom, and more of it."

Francesca Rivera, IGN

"Venom: Let There Be Carnage finally pairs Venom and Eddie with a worthy villain in a story that embraces its weirder side. Andy Serkis directs a fun and action-packed sequel that highlights Venom as his own character and features Woody Harrelson and Naomie Harris as breakout villains with excellent chemistry. Taking itself less seriously and having more fun, its relatively short runtime is packed densely with plenty of action, character development, and campy humor. At the same time, it’s a love story about relationships evolving and learning to grow and trust each other. Venom as a series is working through its growing pains, but it looks like it’s uphill from here."

By all accounts, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a pretty messy and uneven movie. The story has been described as confusing by some critics, and the emotional stakes seem to be hit or miss. But the core of the film – the bizarre, hilarious relationship between Eddie and Venom, and now between Cletus and Carnage as well – still seems to deliver enough sheer entertainment value to justify a ticket for anyone who loved the original, or who wants to give the lead character another shot.

The ending of Venom: Let There Be Carnage is getting special mention in reviews for the interesting ways it sets up the future of the franchise, and it seems like that may be the film’s greatest strength – that it improves on Venom and lays a path for continued improvement going forward. Hardy is still the star of the show, and he’s earned high praise across the board in early reviews. If he’s willing to return to the role once more, the Venom franchise might finally yield the movie fans have always hoped for. Even without that, though, Venom: Let There Be Carnage seems like a marked improvement over the original and an entertaining ride despite its flaws.

Next: Why Venom Should Lead A Movie Team Of Antiheroes (Like The Suicide Squad)

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