I’m not going to pretend to be the biggest fan of the Venom movie series. Their success not only paved the way for questionable films like Morbius and Madame Web, but the very concept of a Venom story without Spider-Man feels fundamentally flawed. As a comic enthusiast, it’s hard to ignore that Venom’s core identity is being Spider-Man’s dark reflection – the venomous counterpart to the spider.
The original Venom from 2018 felt like a missed opportunity, failing to truly invest audiences in Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiotic partner. Venom: Let There Be Carnage was arguably a marginal improvement, leaning into a more absurd and entertaining tone. Venom: The Last Dance, the trilogy’s conclusion, follows a similar path. While it starts strong, showcasing perhaps the best Eddie Brock and Venom dynamic yet, it gets weighed down by familiar issues that detract from its strengths.
Venom: The Last Dance picks up directly after the Spider-Man: No Way Home post-credits scene, which, strangely, is re-shot for this film. Back in their universe, Eddie and Venom are fugitives again, but soon become targets of a shadowy black ops organization. Adding to their troubles, Knull, the powerful and enigmatic creator of the symbiote race, dispatches Xenophages to hunt Venom, furthering his ominous agenda.
Venom and Eddie: A Duo That Still Packs a Punch
Despite my reservations about the Venom films, Tom Hardy’s portrayal of both Eddie Brock and Venom remains a highlight. Hardy’s clear passion for Venom shines through, especially as he takes on a co-writing role. Venom: The Last Dance amplifies the comedic anti-hero aspects of Eddie and Venom, and this time, it largely works. Their witty exchanges are sharper, making The Last Dance the funniest installment in the trilogy. Surprisingly, the film even manages to land some genuinely emotional moments between Eddie and Venom amidst the chaotic scenarios they encounter.
Venom’s character work is at its peak in this film, and the action sequences are equally elevated. The Last Dance undoubtedly features the most impressive action scenes of the trilogy. A standout early fight against low-level criminals effectively showcases both Eddie and Venom’s combined abilities. Other notable action highlights include a thrilling chase sequence where Venom controls various animals and a visually striking final showdown. In terms of visual dynamism and sheer entertainment, Venom: The Last Dance surpasses its predecessors.
Subplots and Supporting Casts Dilute the Venom Toxin
Image via Sony
While Venom: The Last Dance starts strong with its best Venom portrayal and an excellent opening fight, the introduction of the military subplot derails some of this momentum. Alongside Knull, Eddie and Venom are pursued by a clandestine military group led by symbiote expert Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and scientists Dr. Payne (Juno Temple) and Dr. Sadie (Clark Backo). The film attempts to flesh out these new characters, but their storyline pales in comparison to the more engaging Venom and Eddie escapades.
Despite the talent of the actors involved, their performances feel underwhelming, and their character arcs are simply uninteresting. One character’s defining trait is, inexplicably, a love for Christmas. This tedious subplot would be easier to overlook if it were brief, but this bland detour consumes almost as much screen time as Eddie and Venom themselves.
Related
‘Venom: The Last Dance’ Director Just Dropped a Major Tease About Knull’s Future
Sony seems to have significant plans for Knull, the King in Black.
Perhaps even more disappointing is the film’s main antagonist, Knull. The decision to heavily feature Knull in marketing materials, seemingly to drive ticket sales, undermines any potential impact. It’s difficult to gauge the effectiveness of Knull’s portrayal in Venom: The Last Dance because he’s not given sufficient screen time to develop. While he could be a compelling villain and Sony’s answer to Thanos (Josh Brolin), his introduction in this final Venom film feels more like a setup than a satisfying payoff – and not a particularly captivating one at that.
Instead, the primary antagonists become the Xenophages, powerful monsters devoid of any real personality. Their sole purpose is to attack characters like Martin (Rhys Ifans) and his group of alien hunters, who are mildly amusing but ultimately inconsequential. The Xenophages’ brutal methods of dispatching victims are surprisingly graphic for a PG-13 movie, but this shock value doesn’t compensate for their lack of depth.
Plot Inconsistencies: A Toxin to Narrative Cohesion
Another major issue with the Xenophages in Venom: The Last Dance is their erratic behavior. They shift from being an imminent threat to Eddie and Venom to seemingly forgetting about them entirely, despite their demonstrated ability to swiftly eliminate other un-symbiote-bonded individuals. This is just one example of the film contradicting its own internal logic and established rules from previous installments. The result is a continuity mess that rivals even the X-Men film franchise’s notorious inconsistencies.
In a strange way, Venom: The Last Dance‘s inconsistency is the most consistent element of the Venom franchise. This saga has always been a mix of positives and negatives, aiming to bring a beloved comic book character to the big screen. Venom, in his comic book history, has oscillated between hero and villain, goofy and menacing.
Is Venom: The Last Dance the best film in the trilogy? Arguably, yes. And it’s undeniable that it offers a degree of entertainment. However, the Venom film franchise ultimately resembles the “Most Improved” player on a little league baseball team. You acknowledge the effort to improve, but you suspect they won’t be playing at a level remembered in the major leagues. The “toxin” of inconsistent writing ultimately weakens what could have been a stronger final dance.
Venom: The Last Dance is now available on VOD.
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Venom: The Last Dance
The action may be stellar, but Venom: The Last Dance continues the series’ trend of failing to form a symbiotic relationship with its title character and its narrative.
PG-13
Adventure Sci-Fi
Action Superhero
5 10
Release Date October 25, 2024
Runtime 110 Minutes
Director Kelly Marcel
Writers Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy
Cast
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Pros & Cons
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Tom Hardy continues to be effortlessly charming as Eddie Brock.
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Eddie and Venom’s chemistry is impressively dynamic.
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The film boasts the best action scenes in the entire trilogy.
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The military subplot takes up too much time and doesn’t garner any interest.
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Knull doesn’t make a huge impact as a new potential big bad.
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There are plenty of plot holes and inconsistencies.
Venom: The Last Dance
PG-13
Adventure Sci-Fi
Action Superhero
Cast
Eddie Brock, balancing life with the alien symbiote Venom, faces a complex struggle with a powerful new adversary threatening their existence and the world. As a turbulent alliance forms between man and symbiote, the duo embarks on a thrilling journey of survival, challenging their limits and ethical boundaries.
Release Date October 25, 2024
Director Kelly Marcel
Writers Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy
Franchise(s) Spider-Man, Venom
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