10 Reasons Venom Is The Best Sony Spider-Man Universe Movie

Although Sony Pictures currently has three live-action movies set in its own Spider-Man universe, 2018’s Venom is still its best. Compared to Venom’s sequel Let There Be Carnage in 2021 and 2022’s Morbius, the dynamic film starring actor Tom Hardy in the titular role is easily the superior film Sony has produced thus far. While this alternate universe apart from the MCU may not yet have its own Webslinger, it certainly debuted a solid Lethal Protector.

Coming from director Ruben Fleischer, 2018’s Venom provided a first look at Sony’s Spider-Man universe which Sony Pictures intends to fill with some of the Wallcrawler’s most iconic villains (and perhaps a version of Spider-Man himself one day). Nevertheless, starting with Eddie Brock and Venom was as surprising as it was exciting given the character’s massive popularity from the comics and past depictions. To that end, here are 10 things the Venom movie does well, making it the best Sony Spider-Man universe movie produced so far.

10 Venom Has A Unique Origin Story

While the titular Venom symbiote may come from space, the character’s overall origin is effectively two stories rolled into one. Firstly, Venom maintains a strong focus on Hardy’s Eddie Brock and his life as an investigative journalist living with his girlfriend in San Francisco. However, a series of mistakes leads to Brock losing it all before crossing paths with the Venom symbiote, itself having its share of feeling like a reject among its own symbiote kind. As such, Eddie and Venom’s respective backgrounds and commonality make them a perfect bond as host and symbiote debuting in this new universe.

9 Venom Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously

While Venom does have its intense moments and elements of monster horror, it doesn’t take itself too seriously either. This is where Venom carries much of its charm as Eddie Brock hilariously struggles to adjust to his new life as a human host for an alien symbiote. While there are great moments of humor, they never overshadow the movie’s overall narrative as Eddie and his new other evolve to become the classic Marvel Comics anti-hero.

8 Venom’s Action Scenes Have Great Creativity

One of the best parts about Venom is its symbiote-filled action, especially when Eddie allows his other to take over as they become Venom. However, there are some very creative moments in which Eddie and his symbiote are working more in tandem without needing the full transformation. This includes the impressive motorcycle chase where Eddie is being pursued by the Life Foundation seeking to reclaim the symbiote. As Eddie drives, his symbiote reaches out with its black tendrils, creating obstacles and even launching Eddie high into the air while ensuring its new host remains on the bike.

7 Tom Hardy’s Performance Is Perfect

While Venom does have its flaws such as pacing and a two-dimensional villain, the love for Tom Hardy’s Venom performance was largely unanimous. Allowed to fully let loose in both humor and intensity, Hardy’s simultaneous depiction of both Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote is incredibly impressive. It’s certainly one of the best Marvel performances in recent memory, especially outside of the bigger MCU franchise.

6 Eddie Brock’s Relationship With The Venom Symbiote

To that end, the developing and somewhat toxic relationship between Hardy’s Eddie Brock and Venom is quite entertaining, both when they’re united in a common goal and when they disagree and bicker like an old married couple. Not only do they push each other, but their growing bond as host and symbiote is on full display from the moment the symbiote chooses Brock and is inadvertently freed from the Life Foundation. They truly have a great dynamic with their shared background as rejects while still having their own distinct personalities.

5 Venom’s Origins Work (Despite No Spider-Man)

The most surprising thing about Sony Pictures starting its new universe with Venom was the lack of an official Spider-Man. This is because Spider-Man is so integral to the Venom saga in the original comics, having been its first host before the symbiote bonded with Eddie as its truly perfect host. It’s why Venom looks as he does on the page with similar eyes as Spider-Man and the giant white spider logo.

However, 2018’s Venom managed to weave a faithful origin for the character that did not include Peter Parker or any other version of Spider-Man. This has given Sony time to create a stronger foundation for their universe before debuting a new Webslinger or somehow integrating Tom Holland’s MCU Spider-Man at some point. While it did create disappointment for some, the ability to make Venom’s origin work reasonably well without Spider-Man is impressive nonetheless. Likewise, not mentioning Spider-Man is better than referencing him poorly as was proven by 2022’s Morbius and its post-credits scene.

4 2018’s Venom Looks Better Compared To Past Versions

Compared to Topher Grace’s Venom who was rushed and crammed into Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, Hardy’s Venom looks a lot better. Not only is he bigger and bulkier as seen in the original comics, but he also looks more alien and natural in his own film compared to the previous live-action version. As such, it was certainly a plus for 2018’s Venom given the large consensus that the Spider-Man 3 symbiote just didn’t look right, especially after how impressive Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man looked wearing the symbiote, having been given an intimidating black suit compared to the typical red and blue.

3 The Venom Movie Adapts Strong Source Material

Much of 2018’s Venom story is adapted from Marvel Comics’ Lethal Protector storyline where Eddie Brock moves to San Francisco. There, Eddie and Venom effectively became an anti-hero for the first time doing more good than bad while still being quite monstrous. It also involves the Life Foundation and its experimentation on other symbioses (including the movie’s primary antagonist Riot). As such, Venom did a rather good job adapting and riffing off of one of the character’s most popular arcs from the original comics.

2 Michelle Williams as Anne Weying/She-Venom

Although she could have been used in the film more than she was, Michelle Williams’ Anne Weying was a very dynamic love interest in Venom having been with Eddie initially before moving on and finding someone else after Brock caused her to lose her job. However, she still cared for Brock and even united with the Venom symbiote to rescue Eddie, becoming She-Venom just like in the original comics. As such, she was certainly presented as a more compelling love interest compared to others in the superhero genre, offering only the hope of a hope that Brock could one day get her back if he could just redeem himself.

1 Venom Delivers Impressive CGI Symbiote Mayhem

The CGI in 2018’s Venom is very impressive. The blending of Eddie Brock and his symbiote as they bond together in various stages is visually captivating, as is Venom in his iconic, fully transformed state. Likewise, the final battle between Venom and Riot is stunning as the symbiotes clash together while their hosts throw their own punches in the middle of the chaos before Venom eventually emerges as the victor. While Let There Be Carnage has its own dynamic symbiote brawls, seeing it for the first time in live-action with 2018’s Venom is quite special.