Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Did you know that the human body is home to a whole environment of bacteria and other organisms as a matter of its regular bio processes? I note this here to assure you, reader, that I enter into this review without any particular biases against symbiotic organisms that would affect my judgment of this film and its characters. So, there’s that in its favor. Also in the movie’s favor is a mildly funny script that keeps things moving while delivering just enough solid wisecracks—mostly in the voice of Venom the symbiotic alien—to push the proceedings up just high enough to merit a recommendation, if not a particular rave. Tom Hardy is fine as the much put-upon Eddie, Woody Harrelson performs solid if not spectacular work as the antagonist, while the women and minor supporting cast provide adequate effort in filling out the scenes. Mostly, this flick is about the gooey guys underneath, and the CGI star mostly makes the movie an entertaining experience, if a bit light on any feeling of real consequences. You do get the sense, though, that this story, even with its already jokey and unserious attitude, still missed a lot of opportunities to score some major points with even more outrageous humor and/or visuals. Still, it’s better than it might have been, especially as a sequel to a movie about a relatively minor character in the overarching universe. This one’s hardly a classic, but if you’re in the mood for a decent film with a relatively brief running time—at an hour and a half, it gets in and gets out before it ever has a chance to get tedious—this flick checks the boxes.

No Time to Die

A fitting swan song for Daniel Craig’s run as James Bond, even if it does get a little too mushy here and there. There are some minor pacing problems, but when the action comes it does so in sequences that rival any in the series. As with any Bond film, the eye candy must be first rate; here Lea Seydoux and Ana de Armas admirably fill that need here. Other cast members do good to excellent jobs in support. Mostly, though, this is about Craig, stating his case as (maybe) the best Bond ever. It may be hard to lift him above Connery--who after all defined the role, and had the advantage of better context (Cold War) and, frankly, better productions (storylines, writing, and that certain, mid-century spy movie joie de vivre) on his side--but the modern man probably sits at at least No.. 2. That's hardly something to be ashamed of. This last trip through the MI6 underworld reminds us how lucky we’ve been to have had the franchise resurrected from its seeming expiration back in the Dalton/Brosnan days, when the joy largely went out and camp was practically king. Our man--or, at least, the original king's man--will return, per the post-credits teaser--but it’s hard to imagine the new guy doing any better than Craig's body of work. (That is, assuming the new Bond is a guy, and that the producers don’t go really far off the reservation with their choice). This Bond may not have gone out with the biggest bang, but he left a big, shining legacy for film history to remember and enjoy.

28 Days Later

Strangely unengaging for an apocalypse movie. Not to say it doesn't hold the interest, but I really didn't find anything particularly special in this. Plus there's enough seeming inconsistency to make suspension of disbelief that much harder. (I say "seeming" inconsistency, because let's face it, how would you know what such a calamity would really be like?) If you really dig this sort of movie, then go ahead and enjoy. But otherwise, you can skip it.