Thomas and the Magic Railroad Review

Thomas and the Magic Railroad

Release Date: 8th December 2000 - Australia

Production Companies

Gullane Pictures

Destination Films

Isle of Man Film Commission (in association with)

Britt Allcroft (Thomas) Ltd.

The Magic Railroad Company

Genre: Family/Fantasy/

Adventure

Rating: G

Runtime: 85 minutes

Budget: $19,000,000 (estimated)

Box Office Gross: $19,749,009 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

In the Island of Sodor, where Thomas and his friends reside, things do not look good when an evil diesel engine named Diesel 10 and his two cronies, Splatter and Dodge, arrive and intend to cause trouble. Even Mr. Conductor, the magical being who always travels between Sodor and the human world of Shining Time, is low on his gold dust. It is up to a resourceful young girl named Lily, who is on her way to visit her grandfather, until she meets Mr. Conductor, along with Thomas and his friends. They embark on an adventure to find more gold dust and save the Magic Railroad.

Cast

Peter Fonda - Grandpa Burnett

Stone

Mara Wilson - Lily

Cody McMains - Patch

Alec Baldwin - Mr. Conductor

Russell Means - Billy Twofeathers

Didi Conn - Stacy Jones

Michael E. Rodgers - Mr. C.
Junior

Lori Hallier - Lily's Mum

Jared Wall - Young Burnett
(Voice)

Laura Bower - Young Tasha
(Voice)

Edward Glen - Thomas (Voice)

Neil Crone - Diesel 10/Splatter/

Gordon/Tumbleweed (Voices)

Colm Feore - Toby (Voice)

Linda Ballantyne - Percy
(Voice)

Kevin Frank - Dodge/Bertie/
Harold/Henry (Voices)

Susan Roman - James (Voice)

Shelley Elizabeth Skinner -
Annie/Clarabel (Voices)

Britt Allcroft - Lady (Voice)

Philip D. Fehrle - Spectator (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Keith W. Strandberg - Passenger (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew

Creator/Writer/Producer/
Director - Britt Allcroft

Based on the Railway Series -

Wilbert Awdry

"Shining Time Station" Creator - Rick Siggelkow
Writer - Robin Kingsland

Executive Producers - Brent Baum, John Bertolli, Nancy Chapelle, Charles Falzon, Barry London and Steven Stapler (Uncredited)

Producer - Phillip D. Fehrle

Co-Producer - Mark Jacobson
Creative Consultants - Neil Crone and Kevin Frank

Steam Railroad Consultant - Linn Moedinger

Dog Trainer: Isle of Man - Julie Tottman

Animal Trainers: Toronto - Dawn Barkan and Stacey Basil

Production Designer - Oleg M. Savytski

Art Director - Lucinda Zak

First Assistant Art Directors - Jason Knox-

Johnston and Mark Scruton

Associate Set Designer - Charles Dunlop

Set Decorator: Isle of Man - Cheryl Dorsey

Set Decorator: Toronto - Caroline Gee

Costume Designer - Luis Sequeira

Hair Stylist/Makeup Artist: Pennsylvania -

Pamela Peitzman

Cinematography - Paul Ryan

Location Manager: Isle of Man - James Clearly

Location Manager: Toronto - Rob Gwynne

Unit Production Manager: Pennsylvania Unit - 

Keith W. Strandberg

Special Effects Supervisor: Isle of Man Unit -

Peter Hutchinson

Special Effects Coordinator - Laird McMurray

Special/Visual Effects Supervisor - Bill Neil
Visual Effects Producer - Mike Chambers

Visual Effects Producer: GVFX - Dave Axford

Visual Effects Co-Producer: GVFX - Sasha Jarh

Model Supervisor - Steve Asquith

Creative Consultant: Model Unit - David Mitton

Key Model Builders - Dave Aisling,

David Johnston and Jason Ehl

Director of Photography: Model Unit - Terry Permane

First Assistant Camera: Model Unit - Nigel Permane

Film Editor - Ron Wisman

ADR Editor (Uncredited)/Sound Supervisor/

Supervising Sound Editor (Uncredited) -

Nelson Ferreira

Original "Thomas" Music and Songs -

Junior Campbell and Mike O'Donnell

Lyrics - Don Black and Sue Ennis

Songs/Music - Hummie Mann

Review

I remember watching the Thomas the Tank Engine series at a young age. It was back when I had it on VHS. As I got older, I outgrew it. Even today, small children still watch the show. Some adults enjoy the series but not the later seasons. It may be due to HIT and later Mattel, which owned the series. Recently, I started rewatching the original British series. I hate to admit that I have rewatched the episodes of Thomas, so please try not to laugh. I never wanted to review any Thomas movies because they were all preschool-oriented, but I made an exception. I have mixed feelings about seeing this film again. I am doing this as a tribute to Peter Fonda, who has recently passed away and is one of the film's actors.

I had not heard many good things about THE MAGIC RAILROAD, not because it spun off from a children's show but because the movie seemed bizarre and inconsistent. I read an article about the film that was changed and truncated by the studio. Test audiences complained about it for several reasons. One was that a few character voices proved too old for the engines. And secondly, one villain was too scary for younger kids. These changes would confirm the perceived "Americanisation" when international critics were unfamiliar with Shining Time Station. This American kids' show existed when Thomas was at the peak of its popularity.

Another problem with MAGIC RAILROAD is that some fans suggested that the feature may have derailed the franchise. It also may have led to Britt Allcroft stepping down as head of Gullane. Allcroft helped co-found this company, which HIT later bought in 2002.

MAGIC RAILROAD is cutesy yet too confusing, and the plot is easily convoluted and meandering. That is why it got re-edited. Due to the minimalist puppet animation, the mouths of the trains cannot move. It has been a recurring problem since the TV series. However, the transition to CGI is not possible until 2008. The acting from the late Peter Fonda is not engaging for a kids' film, as the character he portrays is quite similar to his role in Ulee's Gold. Alec Baldwin does his best with Mr. Conductor, but unfortunately, he overacts. Mara Wilson's performance as Lily is painful, and she interacts with the character in a manner that is not easy to watch. Also, James's voice sounds too feminine and boyish.

I urge you, viewers, to watch the TV series and, for one time, watch the movie and compare it to the kids' show if and when the director's cut is released.

Star rating: (3/10) Disappointing

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The Meg Review

The Meg

Release Date: 16th August 2018 - Australia

Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures
Apelles Entertainment
Di Bonaventura Pictures
Flagship Entertainment Group
Gravity Pictures
Maeday Productions

Distribution
Roadshow Films

Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 113 minutes

Budget: $130,000,000

Box Office Gross: $530,517,320 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

A deep-sea submersible was exploring the Mariana

Trenches below the Pacific

Ocean when it encountered

a Megalodon, a 75-foot prehistoric shark thought to be extinct. Desperate, a Chinese oceanographer hires Jonas Taylor, an expert sea rescue diver who had once escaped from the same shark years earlier. Jonas must embark on a daring rescue mission to save the crew from this gigantic deep-sea predator and confront his fears.

Cast

Jason Statham - Jonas Taylor

Li Bingbing - Suyin

Rainn Wilson - Morris

Ruby Rose - Jaxx

Winston Chao - Shang

Cliff Curtis - Mac
Shuya Sophia Cai - Meiying
Page Kennedy - DJ
Robert Taylor - Heller
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson - The Wall
Jessica McNamee - Lori
Masi Oka - Toshi

Hongmei Mai - Mother

Wei Yi - Awesome Kid on Beach

Rob-Kipa Williams - D'Angelo

Tawanda Manyimo - Marks

Mark Trotter - Injured Sailor

James E. Gaylyn - David E. Jordan

Andrew Grainger - Morris' Lawyer

Steven A. Davis - Speedboat

Crewman

Glen Levy - Speedboat

Mercenary

Edwin Wright - Morris'

Helicopter Pilot

Marc Copage - Interrogator

Ivy Tsui - Bride

Jeremy Tan - Groom

Yao Yao - Dude on Raft

Kelly the Dog - Pippin the Dog

Crew

Director - Jon Turteltaub

Based on the Novel "Meg" -

Steve Alten

Screenplay - Dean Georgaris

and Jon & Erich Hoeber

Executive Producers - Randy Greenberg, Wayne Wei Jiang, Gerald R. Molen, Barrie M. Osborne and Catherine Xujun Ying

Executive Producer/Executive Charge of Production - Chantal Nong

Producers - Belle Avery and Lorenzo di Bonaventura

Producer/Unit Production Manager: China Unit - Colin Wilson

Co-Producers - Ben Erwei Ji

and Alexander Loewy
Casting Directors - PoPing AuYeung

and Mindy Marin

Casting Director: Australia - Nikki Barrett

Casting Director: New Zealand - Liz Cullane

Production Designer - Grant Major
Supervising Art Director - Kim Sinclair

Construction Supervisor - Neil Kirkland

Set Decorator - Amber Richards

Costume Designer - Amanda Neale

Makeup and Hair Designer - Jane O'Kane
Director of Photography - Tom Stern

First Assistant Director - Geoffrey Hansen
Second Unit Director - James Madigan

Second Unit Director: H20 Unit - John Mahaffie
Stunt Coordinator - Allan Poppleton

Dive Coordinator - Dave Morrell

Special Effects Supervisor - Steve Ingram
Special Effects Coordinators - Phil McLaren,

Karl Chisholm, Dean Clarke and Amy Ingram

Visual Effects Supervisor - Adrian De Wet

Visual Effects Supervisor: SPI - Sue Rowe

Additional Visual Effects Supervisors: Scanline

VFX - Stephan Trojansky and Jan Krupp

Visual Effects Producer: Soho FX - Allan Magled

Visual Effects Executive Producer: Image

Engine - Shawn Walsh

Animation Supervisor: Scanline VFX -

Clement Yip

Compositing Supervisor: Double Negative -

Brian Connor
Editors - Steven Kemper and Kelly Matsumoto

Supervising Sound Editors - Erik Aadahl

and Ethan Van der Ryan

Supervising Sound Editor: E2/Sound Designer -

Jason W. Jennings

Production Sound Mixer - Tony Johnson

Re-Recording Mixers - Ron Bartlett

and Doug Hemphill
Music - Harry Gregson-Williams

Review
Apart from Jaws, I haven't seen a good shark film since, though many other thrillers have attempted to replicate its suspenseful impact. All have failed, with notable exceptions like Deep Blue Sea and THE MEG. The decision to watch THE MEG is easy since I have the movie on my hard drive. The film feels like a cheesy, low-grade B movie, and the whole giant shark idea has been done to death many times. Excuse the pun. However, if you can't get enough of seeing unsuspecting victims become shark bait, THE MEG will feed your appetite. The movie doesn't have memorable one-liners like in Jaws. The production is of high value. And that's what saves it from a big sinker. The feature offers some thrills that will satisfy your craving for excitement.

I knew Jason Statham was a good action star, but he has never been in a big fishy tale. Despite this, his performance remained unshadowed by the sea-based threat or Rainn Wilson in the supporting cast. Each of these players did fine acting in the feature.

While the movie is ridiculous, the fun, action, and suspense in THE MEG make it an enjoyable aquatic experience. If you haven't seen this film, it is worth watching for shark-loving moviegoers.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw Review

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

Release Date: 1st August 2019 - Australia

Production Companies

Universal Pictures

Dentsu (presented in association with)

Seven Bucks Productions
Chris Morgan Productions

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 136 minutes

Budget: $200,000,000

Box Office Gross: $760,381,706 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Muscle-bound lawman Luke Hobbs and outlaw Deckard Shaw have often engaged in smack talk and butted heads and were enemies. That is, until one day, they decided to stop a cybernetically enhanced terrorist with superhuman strength from unleashing a bio-chemical that could change humanity's fate.

Cast

Dwayne Johnson - Luke Hobbs

Jason Statham - Deckard Shaw

Idris Elba - Brixton

Vanessa Kirby - Hattie

Helen Mirren - Queenie
Eiza Gonzalez - Madame M
Eddie Marsan - Professor
Andreiko
Eliana Sua - Sam
Cliff Curtis - Jonah
Lori Pelenise Tuisano - Sefina
John Tui - Kal
Joshua Mauga - Timo
Joe Anoa'i - Mateo
Rob Delaney - Agent Loeb
Alex King - Lt. Grapefruit
Tom Wu - Tsoi
John Macdonald - Lermotov
Joshua Coombes - Young
Deckard
Meesha Garbett - Young Hattie
Harry Hickles - Young Owen

Ryan Reynolds - Eteon Director/Locke (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Nathan Jones - Russian Fighter Pilot

Spencer Wilding - Eteon's Uber Merc

David Leitch - Eteon Helicopter Pilot (Cameo)

Kevin Hart - Air Marshal
Dinkley (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - David Leitch
Based on Characters - Gary Scott Thompson
Story/Screenplay/Producer - Chris Morgan
Screenplay - Drew Pearce
Executive Producers - Steven Chasman, Ainsley Davies, Dany Garcia, Kelly McCormick and Ethan Smith
Producers - Hiram Garcia,
Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham
Casting Directors - Lucy Bevan,

Marisol Roncali and Mary Vernieu
Production Designer - David Scheunemann
Supervising Art Director - Dominic Hyman
Art Directors - David Allday,
Will Coubrough, Charlotte Malynn, Wolfgang Metschan, Simon McGuire and Remo Tozzi
Set Decorator - Lisa Chugg

Set Decorator: Hawaii Unit - Shane Vieau

Property Master - Roy Chapman

Property Master: Hawaii Unit - Sean Mannion

Armourer: Hawaii Unit - Harry Lu
Costume Designer - Sarah Evelyn
Director of Photography - Jonathan Sela

Director of Photography: Second Unit - Fraser Taggart

Aerial Directors of Photography: Hawaii

Unit - David B. Nowell and Hans Bjerno

First Assistant Director - Paul Barry
Second Unit Directors/Stunt Coordinators -

Simon Crane and Chris O'Hara
Second Unit Director - Greg Rementer

Stunt Coordinator: UK - Pete White

Picture Vehicles Supervisor - Alex King

Picture Cars Coordinator: Hawaii Unit -

Dennis McCarthy

Helicopter Pilot/Aerial Coordinator - Frédéric North

Special Effects Supervisor - Alistair Williams

Special Effects Supervisor: Hawaii Unit -

J.D. Schwalm

Visual Effects Supervisor - Dan Glass

Visual Effects Supervisors: DNEG -

Michael Brazelton and Stuart Lashley

Visual Effects Supervisors: Framestore -

Benjamin Loch and Kyle McCulloch

2nd Unit VFX Supervisor - Felix Pomeranz

Digital Effects Supervisors: DNEG - Chris Keller,

Rick Leary, Jolene McCaffrey, Steve Newbold

and Shailendra Swarnkar

Editor - Christopher Rouse

Sound Design and Supervision - Mark Stoeckinger

and Peter Brown

Sound Design - Stephen P. Robinson,

Alan Rankin, Eliot Connors, Ann Scibelli

and Luke Gibleon

Production Sound Mixer - John Casali

Re-Recording Mixers - Jon Taylor

and Frank A. Montano

Additional Re-Recording Mixers - Andy Koyama

and Greg P. Russell
Music/Score Programming - Tyler Bates

Review

The Fast and the Furious series earned a ton of money at the box office and gained positive reviews from critics through its later instalments. While the movie franchise is far from over, HOBBS & SHAW is the latest spin-off that sees the two supporting characters team up as the film enters the buddy-cop sub-genre, with comedy and a running time of 136 minutes. I had not yet been able to re-watch all the movies at home before watching the spin-off at the cinema. Seeing Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham pair in their self-produced film is lovely. While the film is over-the-top and silly, it relies on the action choreography in scenes, with the visual style in its place.

This film's director, David Leitch, is known for his successful endeavours, such as John Wick, Atomic Blonde, and Deadpool 2. Despite his unfamiliarity with the franchise, Leitch did well with the spin-off.

Aside from Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham as the dynamic onscreen duo, their buddy chemistry helped save this movie. Vanessa Kirby looks dapper as Deckard's sister, and Idris Elba portrays the main antagonist, Brixton. There are special appearances courtesy of Ryan Reynolds and Kevin Hart, which is unexpected.

HOBBS & SHAW did not rise as the best action movie like the few other instalments, possibly due to its length. It remains a modest, stand-alone, action-packed blockbuster with plenty of adrenaline to catch the viewers' attention. If you must, go and see this film.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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Italics and Footnotes

Some of you may have looked at most of the changes I made to my blog. I added footnotes in the plot descriptions of my reviews. Each of these came from other websites, like IMDb, for instance. I improved the review descriptions by downsizing the caps lock on the other movies I mentioned in my critiques. I have also added italics in the films highlighted to maintain consistency with my obituaries and "best of" features.

For further announcements, I accidentally deleted my obituary of Richard Williams. Fortunately, I brought the post back up again. I just updated it. I'm so sorry for deleting it. I assure you this will never happen again and not disrespect a dead man's legacy.

I re-uploaded Slipstream and Johnny English Reborn since I barely had time to explain that I updated these reviews. Also, my top 10 animated features post is currently under maintenance. It will be re-posted at some point.

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In Memory of Richard Williams (1933-2019)

Richard Williams (1933-2019)

For those of you who have not heard of his name, it is with deep sadness that I announce that Richard Williams died of cancer on August 16th, 2019, at age 86. Williams was a Canadian-born animator best known for animating "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "The Pink Panther." He was also known for his unfinished animated masterpiece "The Thief and the Cobbler." Unfortunately, this piece had a turbulent history because of its independent funding. The film fell out of Williams' hands, completed production, and underwent two rounds of editing by two distributors. It was later recovered from its obscurity by a fan named Garrett Gilchrist, who produced a fan restoration of Williams' version entitled "The Recobbled Cut." It is compiled from the film's previous versions and supported by numerous people, including those who worked on the unfinished project. This fan edit played a large part in restoring "The Thief and the Cobbler" back to what the creator had intended it to be. It is available to watch on YouTube. In 2013, Williams released a rough cut of his movie "A Moment in Time," which screened in Los Angeles in Williams' presence at this event.

As a teenager, I began admiring Williams and his animation genius when I discovered "The Thief and the Cobbler" while browsing the internet. It means a lot to him, considering how many years he spent working on that film before being dismissed.

Williams began his animation career by working on television commercials and produced his self-financed short film "The Little Island" in 1958, which earned him a BAFTA award. He then started animating title sequences for various movies. Two of these animations ended up in "The Pink Panther" movies by director Blake Edwards.

In 1971, Williams directed the animated short "A Christmas Carol," which won him an Academy Award. He also made a full-length animated feature, "Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure," and the Emmy-award-winning TV animated movie "Ziggy's Gift." Williams' proudest accomplishment was the animation for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," which earned him two Oscars. In 2002, Williams authored his how-to book "The Animator's Survival Kit." Before his death, he made two short animations, including "Circus Drawings" and "Prologue."

We lost an unsung legend, but we will never forget his legacy. Here are the clips from his films that contain his stunning and sometimes surrealistic animation.

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In Memory of Peter Fonda (1940-2019)

Peter Fonda (1940-2019)

The legendary actor Peter Fonda died on August 16, 2019. He was 79. He suffered from respiratory failure caused by lung cancer. The son of actor Henry Fonda and younger brother of actress Jane Fonda, Peter was famous for his role in "Easy Rider," which he also co-wrote with his friend Dennis Hopper.

Peter's acting career began in 1961 with his debut in the Broadway production, "Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole." His first film outing came in 1963 with "Tammy and the Doctor," when producer Ross Hunter searched for a new male actor to star alongside Sandra Dee. This movie was a minor hit, and a supporting role in "The Victors" soon followed. Peter would later graduate to a starring role in "The Young Lovers." During the mid-1960s, Fonda became entrenched in the emerging counterculture as a figure and starred in Roger Corman's B-movies, including "The Wild Angels." He would go on to co-write, co-produce, and star in the successful "Easy Rider" with Dennis Hopper, which earned them an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Fonda and Hopper would work again in "The Last Movie" with The Mamas and The Papas singer Michelle Williams. Fonda starred in movies like "The Hired Hand," "Idaho Transfer," "Two People," "Open Season," "Futureworld," "Outlaw Blues," "High-Ballin," 'Split Image," "Escape from L.A.," "The Passion of Ayn Rand," "Thomas and the Magic Railroad," "Ghost Rider," "3:10 to Yuma," etc.

In 1997, Peter gained high recognition and critical appraisal for his performance in "Ulee's Gold," for which he earned an Oscar nomination as Best Actor.

In his personal life, Peter had fathered two children. One is actress Bridget Fonda, from his first wife, Susan Brewer.

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Venom Review (Updated)

Venom

Release Date: 4th October 2018 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures (presents)

Marvel Entertainment (in association with)

Tencent Pictures (in association with)

Avi Arad Productions

Matt Tolmach Productions

Pascal Pictures

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 112 minutes

Budget: $116,000,000

Box Office Gross: $856,085,161 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Eddie Brock, a journalist,
is on a mission to expose
Carlton Drake, the
mastermind behind the
Life Foundation, but
loses everything as a

result, including his job
and fiancée. At the lowest
point in his life, he comes
into contact with an alien
entity that gives him

extraordinary superpowers
and transforms him into

Venom. Will these powers

be enough for this new,

deadly guardian to take

on the great powers,
especially against the far
more powerful and heavily

armed symbiote rival, Riot?

Cast

Tom Hardy - Eddie Brock/
Venom
Michelle Williams - Anne
Weying
Riz Ahmed - Carlton Drake/
Riot
Scott Haze - Security Chief

Roland Treece
Reid Scott - Dr. Dan Lewis
Jenny Slate - Dr. Dora Skirth
Melora Walters - Homeless
Woman Maria

Woody Harrelson - Cletus

Kasady (Cameo)

Peggy Lu - Mrs. Chen
Malcolm C. Murray - Lewis
Donate
Sope Aluko - Dr. Collins
Wayne Pere - Dr. Emerson
Michelle Lee - Malaysia EMT/
Riot Host

Kurt Yue - Mission Control Translator

Chris O'Hara - Astronaut JJ Jameson, III
Emilio Rivera - Lobby Guard Richard
Amelia Young - Allie

Ariadne Joseph - Eddie's TV Producer

Deen Brooksher - Drake Interview Guard

David Jones - Drake Interview Guard

Roger Yuan - Village Eel Shop Owner

Woon Young Park - Malaysia Village Tough

Patrick Chundah Chu - Malaysia Village Tough

Vickie Eng - Elderly Village Woman/Riot Host

Mac Brandt - Jack the Bartender

Nick Thune - Beardo at Bar

Michael Dennis Hill - Reporter on TV

Sam Medina - Shakedown Thug
Scott Deckert - Noisy Neighbor Ziggy

Lauren Richards - Ziggy's Girlfriend
Jared Bankens - Isaac/Blue Host

Lucas Fleischer - Guard at Gate

Otis Winston - Chasing Guard

Zeva Duvall - Little Girl/Riot Host

Selena Anduze - Bistro Manager

Brittany L. Smith - Bistro Hostess

Jordan Foster - Waiter

Jane McNeill - Diner

Victor McCay - Diner

Elizabeth Becka - Diner

Ron Prather - Diner

Marcia White - Diner

Javier Vazquez, Jr. - MRI Tech

Ellen Gerstein - Hospital Lady with Dog/

Mrs Manfredi

Martin Bradford - Jacob/Blue Host

Steven Teuchert - Stoner Dude

Al-Jaleel Knox - Stoner Dude

Brandon Morales - Crowd Control Officer

Michael Burgess - Flight Technician

Matthew Cornwell - Ops Director

David Fleischer - Flight Trajectory Specialist

D. James Jones - L.F. Security Guard

Angela Davis - Evacuating Scientist
Stan Lee - Dapper Dog Walker (Cameo)

Wade Williams - Prison Guard

Ron Cephas Jones - Jack (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Ruben Fleischer
Marvel's Venom Character Creators -

Todd McFarlane and David Michelinie
Screen Story/Screenplay - Jeff Pinker
and Scott Rosenberg
Screenplay/Executive Producer - Kelly Marcel
Executive Producers - Howard Chen,
Edward Cheng, Tom Hardy and Stan Lee

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

David B. Householter

Producers - Avi Arad, Amy Pascal

and Matt Tolmach

Casting Director - John Papsidera
Production Designer - Oliver Scholl

Art Directors - Troy Sizemore,

Greg Hooper and Drew Monahan

Illustrators - Stephan Martinere,

Steve Burg and Tani Kunitake
Set Decorator - Larry Dias

Property Master - Josh Roth
Costume Designer - Kelli Jones
Director of Photography - Matthew Libatique

Aerial Director of Photography: Atlanta Unit -

David B. Nowell

Unit Production Manager - Dana Robin

Location Managers - Maria T. Bierniak

and Caleb Hinshaw

Location Managers: San Francisco -

James R. McAllister and Felix Gehm

First Assistant Director: Atlanta Unit -

Nick Satriano
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
Spiro Razatos
Stunt Coordinator - Chris O'Hara

Stunt Coordinators: Second Unit - Andy &

Jack Gill  

Fight Coordinators - Tim Connolly and

Daniel Hernandez

Aerial Pilot: Atlanta Unit - Frederic North
Special Effects Supervisor - J.D. Schwalm
Special Effects Coordinator - Eric Cook

Special Effects Motion Control Operator -

Gregory Nic Nicholson
Visual Effects Supervisor: SPI - Mark Breakspear
Visual Effects Supervisors - Sheena Duggal
and Paul J. Franklin
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -
Andrew Lockley

Associate Visual Effects Supervisor:

Double Negative - Daniel Paulsson

Visual Effects Producer - Mark G. Soper

Digital Effects Supervisors: Double Negative -

Jaykar Arudra, Daniel Baldwin, Xavier Bernasconi,

Aharon Bourland and Alexander Seaman

Senior Animation Supervisor: Double Negative -

Troy Saliba

Editors - Alan Baumgarten and Maryann Brandon

Supervising Sound Editor - Kami Asgar

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer/

Re-Recording Mixer - Will Files

Sound Designer - Robert Stambler

Re-Recording Mixer - Kevin O'Connell

Foley Artists - Sarah Monat, Robin Harlan,

Gary A. Hecker and Michael Broomberg

Music - Ludwig Goransson

Music Supervisor - Gabe Hilfer

Review

I did not prepare to review The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and VENOM simultaneously. I decided to look at the latter movie as I was supposed to see it in theatres, even though I didn't. VENOM has been in development alongside other spin-offs. All of those went on hold until Sony revived the project in 2018. VENOM was a vainglorious attempt to expand the cinematic universe of Spider-Man as part of an ongoing deal between Sony and Marvel.

Rather than being the kind of superhero horror film that should have been dark and moody, VENOM is tonally confusing. It feels more like a superhero action comedy in many ways. Due to Ruben Fleischer's woefully misguided direction, this mix of horror and comedy may appeal to some, but it doesn't work for me. Even the dialogue is clunky in scenes that aren't comedic. 

Tom Hardy was an interesting choice to portray the protagonist Eddie Brock, who becomes an unwilling host of Venom, the serpent-like anti-hero. Hardy's performance was acceptable, and he fares better than Topher Grace's awkward and weaselly interpretation of the same character in Spider-Man 3. The rest of the cast is not so great, especially Michelle Williams, who is underwhelming as Eddie's love interest.

Some visuals are intriguing, while others are subpar and don't do justice to VENOM. The movie's climactic scene is an example of this CGI failure.

VENOM is not everybody's cup of tea. It certainly wasn't mine. However, if you're someone who likes a mix of comedy and horror, then try this brew.

Star rating: (5/10) Average

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