Carnage is one of the best villains in Marvel, because whilst many evil characters benefit from having a little bit of relatability or a sympathetic backstory, Carnage is simply horrific. That cannot be expressed in a film targeting pre-teens.

There doesn't need to be gore or intense graphic scenes for the character to be portrayed well, although it could help, but he has to be somewhat scary. Whilst it's good to flesh out characters on both sides of a battle, the addition of a love interest was needless and dull and in all made the fearsome villain come across as a bit pathetic. Carnage is supposed to be a bloodthirsty psychopath, not misunderstood or a victim of mistreatment.

Harrelson is an excellent actor who brought even more attention to an already well-publicised film, but this role felt like an utter waste on him. Artistic license is fine but he does not look in the least-bit similar to his comic book counterpart, and that visual intimidation would bring a lot to the film. Adding red hair does not cut it.

The CGI and special effects are all good, Venom remaining the same as the first film (and looking a whole lot better than his first film adaptation), but similar to the first film, the villain lacks the 'wow' factor visually. They're essentially the same physically, but on screen Carnage lacks the powerful statement of imagery that the comics create. Again, this could be due to a rating appropriate for a younger audience.

By far the best element of the film is the dynamic between Eddie and Venom. It's daft, incredibly well performed by Hardy, and genuinely funny throughout the film. That's great, and humour is needed in any superhero film, but if it's the best thing in a film containing these characters, it's not a great outcome.