If you’ve ever searched Twitter when the embargo for a highly anticipated movie lifts, you know some people strategically use a popular trending topic to sneak in promotion for themselves or something else. That’s a normal social media occurrence. But what happened with the first reactions to Tom Hardy’s Venom is not. Instead of the usual noise, there seems to have been a coordinated effort to bog the film down with highly negative reviews. And who’s behind this effort? Lady Gaga fans. Yeah, Lady Gaga fans (and the bots they’ve created) are trying to boost the opening weekend box office for A Star is Born by dragging down its main competition. Why? Because everyone knows the most likely alternative for moviegoers who were looking forward to a comic book movie about a giant-tongued alien is a serious romantic drama instead. Obviously.
#LadyGaga fans review bombing #venom
This is wrong pic.twitter.com/kNGVzLhMnu— Navjot Singh?? (@Navjot_aka_dude) October 2, 2018
So what do the sincere reviews have to say about Venom? Will audiences lick it up or find it repulsive? It sounds like the answer to that question depends on whether you enjoy a messy, possibly incoherent but fun, pre-MCU style superhero movie.
Our own Hector Navarro landed on the “fun” side of the mixed reviews, as did others who also acknowledged the movie still has issues, many caused by the fact it never totally settles on what it wants to be.
#Venom was surprisingly funny! I had a freaking great time watching it. Despite some problems, it did right by its main character, Eddie Brock/Venom. People forget that he’s always had a weird sense of humor in the comics, and that humor is fully on display in the movie! pic.twitter.com/20ufNrbGU4
— Hector Navarro (@Hectorisfunny) October 2, 2018
#Venom wasn’t as bad as everyone was saying it was going to be. Tom Hardy is and always will be a great actor, and I laughed a lot — but I’m not sure whether that was intentional or not. Post-credit scene is ?
— Beatrice Verhoeven (@bverhoev) October 2, 2018
Not sure if Tom Hardy’s weirdness sabotaged #Venom or saved it, but it has a self-aware cartoonishness, especially in its latter half. It’s not “good,” but it’s better than expected. Doesn’t feel like an R-rated film, am guessing the deleted 40min is just Hardy clowning around.
— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) October 2, 2018
Tom Hardy’s performance in #Venom is either Johnny Depp in the first PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN or Chris Klein in STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI. Either way, it’s not boring.
— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) October 2, 2018
Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock and #Venom has some really entertaining moments. A clunky script without nuance bogs the #Venom down, preventing it from choosing between being gritty, funny, or something unique.
— Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) October 2, 2018
Action-sequences and Eddie and Venom’s odd relationship are the highlights of #Venom but if Sony wants to move forward with a universe, it needs to just keep the few parts that work and scrap the large portion which does t.
— Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) October 2, 2018
So #Venom.
I went in fearing the worst, BUT I actually liked it quite a bit more than I thought I would. I still wish it was rated R, but it seems like they set up something to cross over into Spider-Man’s movies, and it was funnier than I imagined.
— ?ashley? (@AshleyEsqueda) October 2, 2018
I’m *fascinated* with VENOM. The cast seems to all know they’re in a darker superhero movie, except Tom Hardy who is basically remaking Jim Carrey’s Liar Liar. I kinda loved watching this movie, in a Rocky Horror type of way. At one point Tom Hardy and Venom make out.
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) October 2, 2018
Comic fans will like #Venom, as it pulls directly from the comics in many places. Tater tot fans will also like Venom. It’s certainly clunky & not as fluid as some recent Marvel movies, but it’s funny, intentional or not. Don’t take it too seriously, and stay through the credits pic.twitter.com/Llzvtv0fLL
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) October 2, 2018
One common theme among these initial reactions is that Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and Venom interactions are enjoyable.
Significant chunks of #Venom don’t work *at all* but there is some serious charm to the Eddie/Venom relationship. Not sure I had the intended reactions to some scenes but fun is fun – even when it’s totally ridiculous, right? It’s too bad they didn’t go for the R rating though.
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) October 2, 2018
Some seem so surprised by the movie it’s hard to tell if they liked it or hated it.
It’s…not a complete disaster? At least I was never mad watching it? But it is an excruciatingly surreal experience. The humor, the story beats, everything right down to the Eminem theme song feels like it emerged Kimmy Schmidt style from a sealed off early 00s bunker.
— The Mothmeg ? NYCC (@rustypolished) October 2, 2018
Others weren’t ambiguous about how much they disliked it.
Sorry to say that #Venom is pretty much a complete failure – a tonal mess that feels 15 years old, ignoring the storytelling strides that the superhero genre has made in recent years.
A few fun Venom-centric moments aside, it has nearly nothing to offer. Don’t get your hopes up.
— Tom Horrorgensen (@Tom_Jorgensen) October 2, 2018
#Venom is Catwoman level bad, with Tom Hardy’s worst performance since This Means War.
DON’T SEE THE MOVIE!— Daniel R (@DanielRPK) October 2, 2018
Like a turd.
In the wind. #Venom
— Jeremy Conrad (@ManaByte) October 2, 2018
As far as first reactions go, that’s a pretty succinct “no” on the movie, but at least it’s real.
What do you make of these mixed reviews—both the real and fake ones? Tell us in the comments below if it has changed your excitement for the film.
Featured Image: Sony
