Tom Hardy returns as the lethal protector Venom, one of MARVEL’s greatest and most complex characters. In search of his next big story, journalist Eddie Brock lands an exclusive interview with convicted murderer and death row inmate Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson), who discovers Eddie’s secret and becomes the host for Carnage, a menacing and terrifying symbiote. Now, Eddie and Venom must get past their contentious relationship to defeat him. Directed by Andy Serkis (Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle) with a story by Tom Hardy & Kelly Marcel and screenplay by Kelly Marcel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage also stars Michelle Williams and Naomie Harris as Shriek.
For in-depth thoughts on Venom: Let There Be Carnage, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Venom: Let There Be Carnage comes to Blu-Ray in its original 1.85:1 with a gorgeous transfer that is no slouch even knowing that there is a 4K version on the market. The resulting image is truly spectacular to behold. While certainly not as flawless as the 4K UHD likely is (it was not made available to me for review), there is a great amount of depth and clarity to the picture with subtle details coming through clearly. There is some really cool production design featured in the film along with loads of special effects which you can really appreciate with this transfer. There are a variety of landscapes presented here with each location providing something exciting to explore. Every location is handled with the precision of a finely authored disc. The film employs a shadowy color palette for large portions of the movie, but there are bursts of color such as neon in the club. Skin tones all look very natural and provide a good amount of facial detail in close ups. Black levels hold up well with very little in the way of black crush or noise. The few very brief instances of noise and banding are likely cleaned up on the 4K UHD Blu-Ray, so if you are capable you should likely go with that option.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray release boasts a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that packs one hell of a punch. This disc brings these pulse-pounding moments to life with a depth and clarity of sound that is staggering. As the action kicks into full effect, the sounds of crashing through objects and other subtle effects flow out of your side and rear speakers. Each sound is precisely placed with perfect spatial awareness. The track engages all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of chaos that really makes you feel like you are in the thick of the action. The implementation of environmental effects come through in a natural way. There is an insane amount of activity in the low-end which will keep your house shaking with every confrontation. Dialogue comes through clearly without getting muddied by the score or any sound effects. Sony knocked it out of the park with this track, so those with a good surround sound setup should have fun with this one. Although, if you really want fully immersive sound you will want to spring for the 4K UHD Blu-Ray which offers Dolby Atmos.
Special Features
- Let There Be…Action: A seven-minute featurette which takes a look at the deft blend of humor and action, the direction of Andy Serkis, finding character moments within all of the visual effects, analysis of key action moments and more.
- Outtakes & Bloopers: A three-minute collection of flubbed and forgotten lines, laughing fits, goofing around, cursing and more that makes for an amusing time.
- Deleted Scenes: Six scenes of unused material totaling nearly ten minutes which features some scenes with unfinished special effects including a different version of the mugging and a longer beach ending.
- Eddie & Venom – The Odd Couple: A ten-minute piece which takes a look at the evolving nature of the relationship between Eddie and his symbiote pal in comparison to the first film.
- Tangled Web – Easter Eggs: A nearly five-minute look at some of the hidden treats sprinkled throughout the film that you may have overlooked.
- Sick and Twisted Cletus Kasady: A nearly six-minute look at the character of Carnage and the unique traits that Woody Harrelson brought to this role.
- A Fine Romance – Cletus & Shriek: A five-minute exploration of the unique dynamic between these two characters and the added layers of emotion it brings to the narrative.
- Concept To Carnage: A four-minute look at the process of bringing Carnage to the screen from his comic book origins.
- Select Scene Previs: Three scenes are shown with comparisons between early renderings and their final form which helps you appreciate all the details that go into certain moments.
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- Ravencroft Breakout (2:15)
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- San Quentin Carnage (4:10)
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- Show & Tell (2:23)
- Extras Trailer: A minute-long trailer encouraging you to watch the supplemental features.
Final Thoughts
Venom: Let There Be Carnage builds upon the first installment by tightening up the pacing and really delivering the goods when it comes to the action. Woody Harrelson is a wonderful addition as Cletus/Carnage and the attempt to give him some depth is appreciated. The ample use of humor in this one also works really well for the most part as you get character development between Eddie and Venom. It is not high art, but it is often a hell of a lot of fun. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring an excellent A/V presentation and a pretty substantial selection of special features. If you are a fan of the film and are capable, you might want to spring for the 4K UHD Blu-Ray but this Blu-Ray is rock solid. Recommended
Venom: Let There Be Carnage is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
