I am still uncertain whether the symbiote suit in Spider-Man 2 is cool or cringeworthy

Venom has always been a challenging character to portray convincingly. Obvious evil has become increasingly difficult to quantify in both the real world and the media we consume. So when attempting to transform a virtuous character like Peter Parker into an edgy character, it ends up looking more like a loud-mouthed incel rather than a superhero possessed by an alien symbiote. His angry outbursts come across as comical rather than menacing, especially with his flowing emo haircut and the assumption that all women love him.

Eddie Brock is a different beast, but the film interpretations by Tom Hardy and Topher Grace once again depict him not as a character to be feared, but as one to laugh at. Yes, in the end, we cheer for Hardy as the reluctant anti-hero, but nowadays it's unclear where that line is drawn. Then comes Venom in Insomniac Games' Spider-Man, where Harry Osborne takes on the role of Peter Parker, wearing some sticky alien goo once again.

Yuri Lowenthal's interpretation of Peter Parker with the symbiote suit doesn't differ significantly from those that came before it. He becomes easily agitated, more prone to violence, and his voice cracks often enough to sound like MatPat from Game Theory. Even in the three hours of the game that I played during a recent preview, his behavior towards Harry Osborne and Miles Morales is overly confident and arrogant, as mood swings cause him to flip-flop his motivations on a dime, even though he only wants to do the right thing at heart. The symbiote is designed to bring out his worst impulses, even if it means hurting people around him. The moral dilemma is captivating, but the same old behavior really isn't.

However, there is potential that this interpretation has evolved and changed, if my ears don't deceive me. Significantly more aggressive lines of dialogue by Lowenthal have been toned down to sound more realistic and less comedic. This portrays a character who is still fundamentally Peter Parker but is being pulled by a dark force on his moral compass, transforming into an angry, irrational superhero who abandons his values.

When it leans into exaggerated groans and guttural screams, it doesn't sound scary but rather silly, in a way that the symbiote suit doesn't always need. Insomniac seems to be taking things quite seriously.

Spider-Man 2, therefore, this unintentional comedy feels hindering. The friendship between Peter and Harry will soon be put to the test, and Miles will undoubtedly have to confront his mentor when the symbiote suit becomes too much for him. All this drama feels wasted when the portrayal bringing it to life is monotonous. Not because of anything Lowenthal has done, but because the direction leans into versions of the character that we have seen countless times before.

As hopeful as I am, I am unsure if Spider-Man 2 will subvert my expectations enough, as it possesses all the traits of a symbiote-infected Peter Parker who is unwilling to change. Even in cutscenes, he wears all-black attire daily, indicating that the alien has already infiltrated his already lacking sense of fashion. He has always been somewhat of a loser, but as an older version of a superhero who has already put away his greatest villains and has years of experience, one would expect him to approach the symbiote suit differently and not act like a defiant teenage child. It needs to go deeper, and the foundations are there.

Peter has just lost Aunt May, and if he fails to find a cure, he will also lose Harry. This, along with an ongoing turbulent relationship with Mary Jane and the betrayal of his lifelong mentor, Doctor Octavius, has cornered him. He wants to isolate himself, be alone with his thoughts, because there is a fear that he would only hurt other people if he burdened them with this weight. So, when the symbiote suit appears, he focuses on those impulses and drives them to the worst extremes.

Peter wants to be alone, but he also wants to handle everything by himself, even though asking for help is the best way forward. He will end up hurting himself, others, and the world he tries to protect because a strange alien tells him not to confront these demons but to embrace the worst aspects of them. That's exactly where this game needs to go.