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Rating
Synopsis
Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom are on the run after being accused of murdering Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham). Little do they know that Knull (Andy Serkis), the creator of the Symbiotes, is after them. He’s sent a creature called a Xenophage to find them because they hold the key to free him from imprisonment. These events catch the attention of Commander Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor), overseeing Imperium, an organization studying the Symbiotes. Though Dr. Teddy Payne (Juno Temple) wants to research the Symbiotes, Strickland wants to eradicate them. While running from the Xenophage and Imperium, Eddie hitches a ride with Martin (Rhys Ifans) and his family to Vegas. Unfortunately, Imperium captures Eddie, separates him from Venom, and locks him in Area 51 when the Xenophage attacks. With the world’s fate at stake again, Eddie and Venom must make the ultimate sacrifice to stop Knull.
Review
If you’ve seen the first two movies and loved them, Venom: The Last Dance will undoubtedly entertain you. It has the same look and feel as the odd comic book movies made in the mid-2000s. Granted, thanks to Deadpool & Wolverine, this era of superhero movies is somewhat nostalgic, but not so here. This movie reminds us why that era was problematic, though it has issues similar to recent ones. There’s a weird mix of goofy antics and serious military/conspiracy drama, and neither element gels well together. It feels like co-writer/director Kelly Marcel and co-writer/actor Tom Hardy had plenty of ideas but no clear direction. Like the first two movies, this is a confused mess of ideas and plot points that only exist for convenience. Things happen that only make sense in that they advance the story, no matter how ridiculous.
One of this trilogy’s few strengths is Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Eddie Brock and his relationship with Venom. This film expands that relationship further and makes it essentially a road movie, ala Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Seeing the two bicker and argue is where most of the movie’s humor comes from, and it works great. Adding to that is Rhys Ifans as a hippie dad who’s obsessed with visiting Area 51 with his family. However, as entertaining as they were initially, the movie keeps bringing them back when they’re not needed. Speaking of Ifans, there are a lot of actors who feel underutilized here, including Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Ejiofor’s character, in particular, feels like anyone could’ve played him, and it wouldn’t have changed anything. Say what you will about the second movie, but at least Woody Harrelson was a welcome addition.
Like many modern superhero movies, the last act is just one big battle with CGI overload. While seeing all these symbiotes fighting giant aliens is somewhat fun, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before. The third act feels reminiscent of the 2023 Spider-Man 2 video game but without a riveting story and interesting characters. That said, Kelly Marcel’s direction isn’t terrible, and I hope she gets better projects to work on. Plus, the movie is only an hour and 49 minutes long, a bit long but not too long. As I mentioned at the start of this review, you already know whether you will see this. If you adore the first two, you’ll love this, but if not, this won’t convert you. Overall, Venom: The Last Dance is a mediocre finale to a trilogy that had potential but squandered it. But, at least it’s better than Morbius.
Venom: The Last Dance is currently in theaters.
