Having kids around during school breaks means lots of screen time, and last night I decided to watch Venom on Blu-ray. I must admit, I was somewhat let down. It's certainly an okay film, and I did enjoy parts of it, but not as much as I anticipated. The ratings suggested that most viewers liked it a lot, and I do like the character Venom. Of course, the critics at Rotten Tomatoes—those supposedly intellectual and overly sensitive people—panned it, which usually makes me want to see something even more. What I did appreciate was how cool Venom himself is: his voice, appearance, and straightforward nature. The special effects and action sequences were also quite entertaining. That’s really the main reason I watch superhero movies these days, especially given the quality of writers Marvel seems to be using lately. It was a bonus that there wasn't an excessive amount of preaching about social issues or being politically correct. Those who are looking for it might find something, but most viewers probably don’t really care in this kind of film. My biggest issue with the movie is that I couldn't connect with the main character. He’s a truly unpleasant person. He’s a journalist with an inflated ego and a general lack of respect for pretty much everything—the type CNN would hire, it seems. Even after being infected by Venom, he vacillates between being a pathetic coward and just plain rude. The only real difference between him and the villain is that the villain is considerably smarter. Eddie doesn't become even remotely likeable until the very end of the film. Venom, on the other hand, really steals the show—both as a creature and as a character. He’s tough, quite funny, and everything Eddie should have been. He develops more personality than the main guy does, too. It's unfortunate because otherwise this could have been excellent. The plot is straightforward and works well for what it is; there aren't any pointless twists or complicated side stories. Even with a flawed lead, he doesn’t have to deal with a bunch of backstory trying to explain things that don’t matter. If the main character were more appealing, this would definitely be a great movie. As it stands, it’s simply good.

Source on TMDB