Venom (2018)
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A struggling journalist becomes the host of an alien symbiote, leading to a complex partnership between man and monster.
The story
Eddie Brock, a struggling journalist, finds his life upended when he becomes the host of Venom, an alien symbiote whose species plans to invade Earth. After a series of events involving a research facility and a desperate attempt to save a friend, Eddie finds himself bonded to the creature. The symbiote, which grants him superhuman abilities but poses a threat to his health, begins to communicate with him. As the two entities learn to coexist, they must navigate the dangers posed by the Life Foundation and the other symbiotes seeking to claim Earth.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a probe from the Life Foundation brings symbiotic lifeforms to Earth, one escapes and eventually finds a host in journalist Eddie Brock. Following a failed rescue mission where a symbiote transfers to him, Eddie becomes bonded with the creature, which he names Venom. While the symbiote's presence grants him superhuman abilities, it also causes internal physical damage. Meanwhile, a second symbiote known as Riot bonds with the villainous Carlton Drake. During a confrontation, Anne Weying (Eddie's ex-fiancée) briefly hosts the symbiote to help Eddie. Eventually, the two main characters, Eddie and Venom, form a partnership to protect San Francisco. After a final battle where the space probe carrying Riot and Drake explodes, Eddie and Venom remain bonded, secretly patrolling the city as a duo.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ruben Fleischer
- Writers
- Jeff Pinkner · screenplay; Scott Rosenberg · screenplay; Kelly Marcel · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Tom Hardy · Eddie Brock / Venom; Michelle Williams · Anne Weying; Riz Ahmed · Carlton Drake / Riot; Scott Haze · Roland Treee; Reid Scott · Dan Lewis
- Genres
- superhero; action; thriller; science fiction
- Themes
- duality
- Tone and mood
- dark; action
- Premise and plot tags
- antihero; symbiote; superpower
- Source material / true-story basis
- Marvel Comics
- Franchise connections
- Sony's Spider-Man Universe
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews from critics, though Tom Hardy's performance and the relationship between Eddie and Venom were praised. It was a significant box office success.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 31% · scale: percentage · review count: 365; Metacritic · score: 35 · scale: 100 · review count: 46
- Production trivia
- The line 'Eyes, lungs, pancreas ... so many snacks, so little time' was taken directly from a comic.; Tom Hardy performed martial arts and boxing for the role.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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