VENOM (2018)
Spectacular antihero redemption for discerning adults only.
Should You Watch It?
Venom has genuine entertainment value. Its San Francisco chase and climactic alien battle offer spectacular action, while the relationship between Eddie and Venom supplies sweet humor, especially around Eddie’s romantic problems.
The film also carries a strong moral, redemptive worldview. Two “losers” find purpose, and the story includes symbolic death, resurrection, and baptism. But that material comes wrapped in gratuitous foul language, loud presentation, and mostly implied gruesome violence. The alien symbiote even bites off and eats the heads of evil people.
This is a well-made-enough comic book movie with meaningful redemptive ideas, but it is not suitable for children or young teens. Adults who can engage the content with discernment may take the trip; families should choose something else.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESEddie Brock is an investigative television reporter who challenges a ruthless billionaire after discovering troubling practices at the billionaire’s company. The confrontation costs Eddie his job and relationship.
Then Eddie becomes infected by a powerful alien creature. As the alien-human partnership develops, Eddie and his unusual companion must stop another alien from bringing an invading population to Earth.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means Venom is entertaining but uneven. The movie has innovative, spectacular action stunts, including an especially exciting motorcycle chase through San Francisco. The stakes in the final battle are enormous, and the exchanges between Eddie and Venom produce some sweet humor.
The film takes too long to make Venom a real character. Until then, Tom Hardy mumbles through much of Eddie’s performance and does not build enough sympathy for the reporter. The movie is also too loud. It ultimately offers effective action and humor, but its uneven acting and delayed setup keep it from being stronger.
The Worldview
Venom presents a strong moral and redemptive worldview. Eddie and Venom are both portrayed as outsiders who can change direction and find purpose together. The film also uses symbolic images of death, resurrection, and baptism.
The main human villain is a godless radical environmentalist who says God has abandoned mankind. He believes humanity is destroying Earth and pursues an extreme solution involving human-alien hybrids and outer space. His plan treats vulnerable people as expendable and places the whole human race in danger. The film rejects that destructive answer while affirming sacrifice, moral limits, and redemption.
The story’s central longing is for a flawed person to become something better through relationship and moral choice. Scripture likewise says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Strong redemptive, moral worldview with a symbolic death, resurrection and baptism and the human villain is a godless radical environmentalist who says God has abandoned mankind
Foul Language
About 31 obscenities (including one “f” word and some “s” words), six strong profanities (three using Jesus and three GDs) and nine light profanities
Violence
Strong, sometimes scary and implied gruesome violence includes powerful alien creature slams humans around and throws them against objects and through glass, alien creatures invade people’s bodies (sometimes killing them), lots of guns are fired, explosions, two large scary alien creatures fight, it’s strong implied but not graphically shown that large aliens can bite off and eat the heads of people, man is jerked around by alien parasite within him, human is pierced by an ax-looking object, alien creatures scale great heights, alien creatures have rows of scary-looking teeth, cars chase man and alien on motorcycle, vehicles crash into one another, some vehicles flip over and sometimes explode, ambulance flips over, spaceship crashes
Sex
Implied fornication in one scene, and couples live together
Nudity
Brief upper male nudity
Alcohol Use
Brief alcohol use
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
No smoking or drugs;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Villain uses homeless people as human guinea pigs and deceives them into signing release papers.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Eddie and Venom are both described as outsiders who need redemption. What does genuine change look like, and where does it come from?
2 Corinthians 5:17 · Ephesians 2:10Venom agrees not to kill and eat people except for occasional “bad guys.” Why are our own moral standards not enough to define right and wrong?
Judges 21:25 · Isaiah 5:20The villain treats vulnerable people as tools for his plan. What does Scripture say about the dignity and protection owed to the weak?
Proverbs 31:8–9 · James 1:27The film uses symbolic death, resurrection, and baptism. What do these signs point toward in the Christian faith?
Romans 6:3–4 · Galatians 2:20The Final Word
Venom offers spectacular action, sweet humor, and a surprisingly redemptive moral core. Its gratuitous language and implied gruesome violence make it unsuitable for children and young teens. Discerning adults may find real merit here, but families should choose something else. WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For other options, see.
