I don't really want to go too much into detail about Ruben Fleischer's "Venom" because there are far worthier films that I need to write about today but, suffice to say, it's a total bomb. At some point during yesterday's press/audience screening the crowd was laughing at scenes that, I'm pretty sure of it, the filmmakers didn't intend to portray as comedic. This is a visually dull film, think back on Marvel films circa 2004 ("The Punisher" etc.) ,but more importantly, this is a project that seems to have died in the editing room. The PG-13 rating has handicapped its creators, as you're watching "Venom" you feel as if Fleischer is trying to transcend the restrictions at hand, he wants to create a unique take on the superhero movie and, in a way, this is indeed a unique superhero flick, dealing with identity and scientific malevolence among other heavy themes. However, the editing is a mess. There's no fluidity to the whole thing, just when you think the film is about to turn nasty it cowers down and doesn't go 'there.' It will be interesting to watch the director's cut, which now MUST be released, especially considering that its star, Tom Hardy, mentioned the other day that his favorite scenes, about 40 minutes of them, he claims, were entirely cut out during editing. The idiotic decision to make this film, which is about one of the bloodiest, most carnally violent comic characters, into a Marvel-friendly affair turns out to be its ultimate downfall. There's no reason to think "Venom" would have been that much better if Fleischer had the creative freedom to make the movie he wanted to make. However, given the campy nature of the version I did watch last night, and it's destined to become some kind of camp classic in the near future, you might as well add some graphic blood and guts to the looney equation. For the sake of cult classics everywhere, and B-movie infamy, a director's cut of "Venom" MUST be released.
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