Sometimes ordinary people can become heroes in a moment’s notice. When the prestigious Life Foundation seeks a solution to the seemingly inevitable destruction of the planet, Carlton Drake, head of the company, turns to new organisms discovered in space called “symbiotes.” By attaching to humans, the symbiotes can give their hosts extraordinary abilities, seemingly allowing them to survive anywhere else in the universe. But after one of the symbiotes escapes and eventually threatens a person of high importance, it comes down to Eddie Brock and titular symbiote, Venom, to save Earth in this action-packed, comically tingling blockbuster.

All of the commotion and fighting scenes can pull in an action lover. From car chases to Venom taking on an entire SWAT team to him busting open a rocket, this movie packs a punch–make that two, since the dual Eddie Brock/Venom rolls present twice the personality of the typical superhero–or villain. But more on that later.  

The film also has great humor, as Venom constantly calls Eddie out for “cowardly” decisions and calls them both losers. The characters never hold back and are brutally honest at times. This is a welcome contrast to the dark tone struck in the beginning with a sinister Venom speaking to Eddie in his head, giving him an almost demonic personality. There is even a romantic angle, with Eddie, played by Tom Hardy, struggling to regain the affections of his former girlfriend, played by Michelle Williams.

The plot is atypical in the sense that there is no consistent thread. The goal always seems to be changing, ratcheting up the tension and providing for an exciting story.

On the contrary, the film doesn’t connect in all the right spots. The biggest issue is that Venom’s enemy Spiderman is not included in the movie, even though he is central to Venom’s story. This exclusion may alienate traditional comic-book and superhero fans, who want the original story that they know and love. Another aspect that may strike a sour note with the viewing public is the main character’s identity as really more of an anti-hero than a traditional superhero. He’s a “good guy,” but…he also kills people. This is because Venom needs an extreme amount of food to feed on, and sometimes an apple won’t cut it. Finally, the romance feels unresolved and unsatisfying.

Although frowned upon by critics, Venom is a great multi-faceted movie that is definitely worth seeing in theaters.