Where's the Venom?

I saw Spiderman 3 yesterday afternoon in a theatre that sits 200 with other people (the way to watch a movie in my opinion ). I've been waiting to give myself up to the franchise. Maybe it's my sense of comic-book loyalty and knowledge or maybe the CGI-stuff turns me off a bit knowing it's not real (which admittedly is by far the smoothest, most realistic computer-generated motion I've seen in a live-action major movie film). The acting from the stars was really emotionally-based which tugged at my heart-strings at times, and made me have even more respect for each one of them playing characters I know very well. Overall, I liked the movie.

My only complaint was the back story and portrayal of Venom, who is my all-time favorite villain. Topher Grace kinda looks like Eddie Brock but is nowhere built like Eddie in the comic book. Eddie is a strong, square-faced mofo where as Topher is a skinny, lanky guy. I am not sure if they would've been able to cast a Brock look-alike (where as I feel they got Sandman's casting right on).

The back story as to how Brock ended up hating Spiderman/Peter Parker was changed I feel for simplicity's sake to arrive at the same conclusion: Brock goes to a church and bonds with the symbiote after Spiderman discards. However, the original storyline to me is a lot better.

What would've helped me really enjoy Venom on the big screen would've been knowing the psychological/emotional aspects of the symbiote itself. It "hates/loves" Spiderman in some ways and actually has preferences. The only reason it took to Brock was because he hated Spiderman as much as it did when it got rejected which layed the foundation for an awesome super-villain. I also felt the movie missed a cross-over spin-off opportunity with the Fantastic 4 franchise since Peter in the comic books consults with Dr. Reed about the symbiote and he relays to Peter what its weaknesses are vs. finding that out by accident in the film.

The result is still the same at the end of the movie, and it's incredibly difficult to stay loyal to every single detail put forth previously. Venom's back story in the film was more loyal to the comic books than Sandman's. We'll see if Carnage rears his head.

Currently listening : The Final Countdown By Europe Release date: 28 August, 2001