Displaying items by tag: Tom Hardy

VENOM: THE LAST DANCE

US, 2024, 109 minutes, Colour.

Tom Hardy,  Chiwitel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Stephen Graham, Clark Backo, Alana Ubach.

Directed by Kelly Marcel.

It seems that diehard Venom fans are quite pleased with this third film, the story of journalist Eddie Brock, Tom Hardy,, his being associated, Simbiotically is the word, with a parasite that lives inside him, Venom, transforming into a fearsome creature, helmet head and face, strong gnashing teeth, beyond pterodactyl wings… But, quite a conversational style voiced also by Tom Hardy, as an immigrant to the US, eager to see the Statue of Liberty and enjoy the American lifestyle, a gambling spree  in Las Vegas!

However, this is an episode which may not use many converts. In many ways, the film is frequently quite grotesque, not only Venom and his dark visuals as it takes over Eddie, but a grim opening, way beyond the extremities of the universe, a sinister Xenolphage who exhorts even more fearsome and ugly creatures to destroy a codex (actually inside Eddie and Venom) and annihilate the world.

Tom Hardy, who  contributed to the story with the writer of all three Venom films, Kelly Marcel, who now directs, tends to be fairly weary of it all while Venom is excited! And the film is very episodic, a kind of Roswell site about to be demolished, Chiwiltel Ejiofor is the military commander, Juno Temple an ambitious scientist, the exploits in the underground laboratories exploring parasites and Symbiotes. Eddie and Venom are in Mexico, board a plane (on the outside) for New York are involved in a sky high confrontation with monsters, falling to earth, and continually pursued by the military.

Then, cheerfully, there is a rather hippie family, led by Rhys Ifans, believing in aliens and eager to see them, giving Eddie a lift who befriends the family. But, Venom is eager for a Las Vegas experience, Sally playing the machines and losing.

But, everyone comes together at the site to be abandoned, all kinds of special effects, explosions, pursuits, mayhem… But, of course, the ending (for most if not all). A distraction came while watching the film, and a felt need for distractions for the reviewer, wondering what would God’s response be as God sat down to watch Venom, thinking about the wonders of creation and realising that it might be beyond divine powers to imagine such a grimly contorted scenario as this one!)

1. Venom in the Marvel Universe? Preceding films? The continuity? This film is a climax?
2. The theory of Symbiotes? Origins, appearance, creatures and monsters, helmet heads, teeth, tongues, wings, transformations? Linking with humans? Two personalities in one? With Eddie, his history, previous crises, the death of Patrick?
3. The opening, the extremes of the universe, grim and dark, the Xenophage, bound, voice, the other creatures, the mission, the target, the Codex? The mission to Earth?
4. Eddie, his personality, his link with Venom, Tom Hardy using both voices? In the bar, drunk, the drinks, the bartenders, the manifestations? The future, to leave Mexico, to go to New York, the Statue of Liberty?
5. Introduction to Teddy Paine, the dream, with her twin brother, to be an astronaut, the storm, his death, her waking, call to work, her work with the Symbiotes, Sadie as her assistant? Her interactions with Strickland? The laboratory, below the Earth, elaborate? The work, the samples? Investigations? Reviving Patrick, the interrogations, his information?
6. The situation with the plant, extensive, to be decommissioned, three days, the remnants?
7. The targeting of Eddie, the mechanisms for surveillance, tracking him? The squads available to Strickland, the pursuit, the fight on the plane, the helicopter and the military, dropping into the water, confrontation with them, their deaths? The consequences for Strickland? His return to the plant?
8. The encounter with the family, Martin, his background, preoccupation with aliens, gathering the family, travelling in the van, his wife’s support, the delight of the little boy, the questionings of the daughter? The encounter with Eddie, his friendliness, Eddie trying to keep Venom under control? The singing of the David Bowie song? The bonding, dropping Eddie in Las Vegas, giving him the $20?
9. The Las Vegas episode, Venom wanting to gamble, the lack of money, hitting the poker machines, the people observing? Eddie looking drab, the encounter with the man in the suit, Eddie looking respectable? The encounter with the friend, up to the apartment, Venom enjoying the dance?
10. Eddie, to the plant, with Teddy Paine, with Strickland, the encounter with Patrick and the explanations?
11. Martin, the family, arriving at the site, under the fence, on the tower, able to observe everything, the collapsing tower? The final disillusionment with aliens!
12. The buildup to the confrontation, the special effects, the creatures arriving, the commands of Xenophage, the staff, the destruction of the underground laboratory, on the surface, the Symbiotes escaping, making contact with Teddy Paine, the pursuit of Sadie?
13. The buildup to the final drama, Strickland being wounded, on the platform, his code and eyes, setting the destruction in process? The explosion and destruction?
14. The aftermath, Eddie, the hospital, separation from Venom? And the views of the Statue of Liberty?
15. The final credits, possibility for future Venom stories?

THE BIKERIDERS

US, 2023, 116 minutes, Colour.

Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Karl Glusman, Toby Wallace.

Directed by Jeff Nichols.

1965 to 1973, a photojournalist, Danny Lyon, followed a bike club in America’s midwest, interviews, photographs, chronicling characters and events and ultimately publishing a book. This film is based on his book and photos, some of which appear during the final credits.

1969 was the year of Easy Rider, popular at the box office, awards, riding motorbikes.

For audiences who enjoy the adrenaline pumping of motorbike riding, this can be a vroom, VROOM experience. For those interested in masculinity in American Midwest society during the period, this is a macho, MACHO experience. Which raises many questions. (And, early in the film, the club leader, Johnny, refers to the 1955 Marlon Brando motorcycle movie, The Wild One.)

Danny Lyon’s observations and photos were of a club culture in the late 1960s, clubs for men who like riding bikes, jackets and jeans, non-stop smoking, drinking in their club-pub, out riding like a phalanx on the streets and open highways, generally working class men, critical of college educated men, rarely at home, and a few groupie women tagging along.

While this is a picture of the men in the club, the perspective of director, Jeff Nichols, is often that of a central female in this story. Her name is Kathy. She is played by British Jodie Comer, a very strong and commanding performance, being interviewed by Lyon in the mid-60s and then after the events in 1973. Most of the action is shown in flashback, her story of what it happened.

At first, Kathy is sheltered and rather naive, meeting a friend in the club’s pub, harassed, wanting to leave until she glimpses Benny a young sandy-haired moustachioed tall biker whom we have seen previously in an opening sequence, sitting at a bar, proud of his club jacket, announcing his club The Vandals, and severely bashed by two large rednecks from another gang. Kathy is smitten and within weeks is married to Benny.

The film is a showpiece for Austin Butler (after Elvis and Dune 2) but while he is visually striking, and a presence, his character seems one-dimensional (perhaps two-dimensional) and he does not make the impact on the audience that he does for Kathy and for the leader of the club, Johnny, who wants Benny to take over (and we are thinking, as if!). And, Tom Hardy, strong actor as he is, is not always persuasive as Johnny, the president of the club, not always quick on the uptake.

The club sometimes seems a local bikie equivalent of a cult, a leader exercising power (violently), his lieutenants loyal, the rest of the club eager to submit, and members from other bikie groups wanting to join The Vandals.

At this stage of the 1960s, these groups were clubs rather than gangs. There was some personal drugtaking but not dealing. There were tough macho attitudes and behaviour towards women (with Kathy targeted a number of times and becoming more desperate until she could not take it any longer) as Well Is towards men, rivals.

The Bikeriders shows the transition from club to gang, drug dealing, killings, the rise of the lawless leaders – and, going back to the 1960s, we can see that the macho attitude leads to masculine supremacy, to white supremacy, to the hate groups of the 21^st-century.

While Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy are British, there are substantial roles for Australians, Damon Herriman as Johnny’s lieutenant and Toby Wallace as the upstart future gang leader. Michael Shannon has appeared in Jeff Nichols films (Take Shelter, Midnight Special) and has some fine cameo speeches here lamenting his not being accepted for Vietnam, and his continued inferiority criticism of Pinkos (those men who are college educated).

Not exactly an enjoyable film but a challenge to thinking about clubs, gangs, supremacists, and the domination of males in this kind of society.

1. The title and the focus, the bike clubs, the later development into gangs, male supremacy…?
2. The origins of the film, Danny Lyon following the clubs, 1965-1973, the era of Easy Rider? The Vietnam War? The interviews, the two interviews with Kathy, her memories, the range of photos? Seen during the credits?
3. The initial impact of the bar scene, Benny, drinking, the two rednecks, challenging his jacket, his refusal, the bashing, his injuries? The later return to the hotel, the fear of the owner, giving up the names, and Johnny burning down the hotel?

4. Danny Lyon and his work, personality, with Kathy, observing, discussing, photos, the book? In the final credits? The interviews with Kathy, her age, manner, way of speaking, idiom, the story of going to the club, her friend, the reactions, touching her, leaving, the glimpse of Benny, the attraction? The explanation of Benny, with him, married within five weeks? Her perspective on the club, on the men, on the riders? Verbalising them? Her memories visualised?
5. The nature of the clubs, the men, the few women tagging along, their enjoying their own company, macho, talk, tough, drinking, continued smoking, the leader, Johnny, his control, the loyal lieutenants, the loyalty to the group, devotion to their bikes, bidding in groups along the streets and highways?
6. Benny, his character, one-dimensional, his place in again, loyalty to Johnny, follower, the relationship with Kathy, at home watching television, absent with the group, present at the picnics and the club gatherings? The later challenge to Johnny, his rushing in, his being bashed, his foot injury, hospital? Kathy and her reaction, growing more distant and disapproving, Johnny take him aside, wanting him to be his successor as leader? Benny and the final confrontations, Johnny’s death, his disappearance? 1973, returning to Kathy, then moving to Florida, seeing him at his job?
7. Johnny, character, leader, the later surprise discovery that he had wife and children, his leadership, Bruce and the other lieutenants, loyal and agreeing with him, decisions, slow on the uptake at times, power, violence, the knife fight, the members from the other group his decision, the young upstarts, wanting the leader to come alone and refusing him because of his disloyalty to the group, the later attack, the upstart and his death?
8. Similarities of the clubs to cults, the leader, loyalties, power and responsibilities? The sketches of the other members of the group, Bruce and his loyalty, Cal and his military background…? The groups together, the righting, talk, the bars, the episode of the red dress and the attack on Kathy, the intervention?
9. The young upstart, his manner in the town, with his parents, his group, wanting to join, Johnny demanding the test, his failing, ready to abandon his group, the later return, violence, his agreement knife fight, shooting Johnny?
10. The transition from bike clubs to buy gangs, issues of masculinity, attitudes towards women, the changes in the latter 20^th century, feminism? The gangs, drug dealing, violence? And the transition to mail supremacists and the groups in gangs of the 21^st-century?