Monday, 9,00pm, Film4
Venom (2018) is that rare Marvel offshoot that somehow feels like a fever dream concocted in a Glasgow pub, after one too many lagers. Directed by Ruben Fleischer, the film stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, a down-on-his-luck journalist whose life is thrown into chaos when he bonds with a malevolent, yet oddly humorous, alien symbiote. A strange hybrid of body horror, action-comedy, and buddy film, Venom never quite fits into the usual Marvel mold, and that’s partly why it stands out. It’s rough around the edges, sure, but it’s also unapologetically weird, like the comic book anti-hero it brings to life. The dynamic between Eddie and Venom is a high-energy, chaotic mess that’s somehow more endearing than it has any right to be—think Lethal Weapon, if Riggs was an alien goo monster with a penchant for biting off heads.
Now, if you’re familiar with the comics, you’ll know that Venom has always been a bit of a rebel in the superhero world, a rogue symbiote that sometimes helps, sometimes hinders, and always leaves a trail of destruction. The film captures that anarchic spirit, but with a bit more humor. Tom Hardy’s performance is gloriously unhinged—he’s sweaty, twitchy, and constantly looks like he’s just crawled out of a dumpster. Meanwhile, Venom, voiced by Hardy himself, is all deep growls, sardonic one-liners, and unexpected vulnerability. It’s a bumpy ride, with some clunky dialogue and a villain (Riz Ahmed’s Carlton Drake) who’s more cardboard than chaos, but it still manages to keep you on your toes.
Of course, the real unsung hero here is the soundtrack by Ludwig Göransson, who brings the same meticulous flair he later brought to The Mandalorian. Göransson’s score is a fascinating blend of eerie electronic tones and heavy, aggressive percussion—like something you’d expect to hear playing in a futuristic nightclub where half the patrons are actually interdimensional parasites. It’s moody, chaotic, and darkly kinetic, perfectly underscoring Venom’s manic energy. And the cherry on top? Eminem’s title track, because nothing screams “alien symbiote” like a fast-talking rap verse—though, I suspect, if Venom himself picked the track, he’d probably go for something a bit more...fleshy.