Let’s be honest, nobody is walking into Venom: The Last Dance expecting the next great, genre-defining comic book movie adaptation. Fans are walking in expecting a final go with Eddie Brock and his goofball symbiote antics. Compared to Sony’s other half-baked, live-action efforts at utilizing the Spider-Man IP, like Morbius and Madame Web, the Venom franchise has always had one advantage: Tom Hardy. The actor’s go-for-broke commitment to the films’ ridiculous humor has created a cult-like fandom that has thrived despite negative critical reception. People, for some reason, cannot get enough of Eddie and Venom’s love-hate relationship, as proven by the box office. So, if you’re looking for more of that, Venom: The Last Dance just might be enough.
However, even if Venom: The Last Dance does have barely enough of Tom Hardy’s comedic charm to justify the watch, you still have to trudge through plenty of slop to get there. The directorial debut of actress-turned-filmmaker Kelly Marcel, Venom: The Last Dance once again has a story co-conceived by Hardy himself, just like 2021’s Let There Be Carnage. It’s clear that Marcel and Hardy have a strong affinity for the titular Marvel anti-hero, as some of the jokes and action scenes flaunt genuine creativity and, yes, even heart. But it’s all packaged in a movie that feels surprisingly stale. While this is typical for Sony’s Marvel films, Hardy’s gonzo Eddie Brock schtick is unfortunately buried here.
Eddie Brock has been Venom’s host for exactly a year now, and their shared life couldn’t be more in the dumps. We pick up with the two in a small dive bar in Mexico, which is where fans saw them get teleported in and out of the Disney-owned MCU in the Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home post-credit scenes. Lost and confused, the dynamic duo decides to leave for New York City while carrying out their “Lethal Protector” act in the shadows. However, Eddie and Venom are wanted fugitives now, not just by the U.S. government and General Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) but also by the symbiote god Knull (voiced by Andy Serkis).
Venom: The Last Dance establishes that when Venom originally revived Eddie in the climax of the first movie, they activated an internal codex that just happens to be the key that Knull needs to break free from his prison in the far reaches of space. Imprisoned by the symbiotes long ago due to his quest for universal power, Knull sends out his army of Xenophages — monstrous creatures that eat symbiotes for breakfast — across the galaxy in search of the codex. Our Lethal Protectors can’t be traced by the Xenophages as long as they don’t go into their true Venom form, which makes for an entertaining setup as they embark on a Thelma & Louise-like road trip to New York.
Tom Hardy in ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ courtesy of Sony
The most frustrating thing about Venom: The Last Dance is how it tries to give Eddie and Venom one more hilarious adventure while also setting up the future of Sony’s Marvel franchise. The A-plot of Eddie and Venom being chased by a Xenophage across the American Southwest on their zany “bro trip” is supplemented by a B-plot of General Strickland and Dr. Teddy Payne (Ted Lasso‘s Juno Temple) making sense of what’s going on from their secret underground lab at Area 51. It’s in this side plot that the film introduces other symbiotes from the comics, one of which bonds with returning character Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham cashing in the easiest paycheck) in a wasted, glorified cameo.
As the two plots of Kelly Marcel’s script further intertwine, the movie becomes more boring. Oh, and don’t expect much from Knull here, as Venom: the Last Dance only shows brief glimpses of the popular Marvel villain. Sony is clearly saving the character for a future project, one that probably doesn’t even exist conceptually yet. Teasing your next big bad in a mid or post-credit scene, like Thanos in 2012’s The Avengers, is one thing. But featuring Knull in the marketing as if he actually has more than a few minutes of screen time is full-on deceptive. How much longer will comic book fans continue to eat this up and convince themselves that they don’t deserve better?
Sony has more than likely once again tampered with one of its Marvel movies for the sake of keeping its live-action Spider-Man IP franchise relevant. Regardless, Venom: The Last Dance does have one saving grace: finality. Credit where it’s due, writer-director Kelly Marcel and Tom Hardy commit to crafting a final goodbye to Eddie and Venom’s bromance where they can. Obviously, in the grander schemes of Marvel, where anyone can eventually come back and even appear in the MCU thanks to the multiverse, “final chapters” often mean nothing. But Marcel and Hardy, thankfully, find a way around this caveat, where this version of Venom still comes to an end in spite of whatever future plans Sony has.
‘Venom: The Last Dance’ courtesy of Sony
The few moments of bliss in Venom: The Last Dance come from the aforementioned heart and creativity that manages to rise above the slop. Scenes that show Eddie hitchhiking and bonding with a family of hippie alien enthusiasts, wherein their father Martin (Rhys Ifans) becomes the movie’s comedic standout, are quite wholesome. If you’ve ever wanted to hear Venom sing along to David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity,’ then oh boy, is it your lucky day. Convenience store owner Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) makes a brief comeback, too, crossing paths with Eddie in Las Vegas and engaging in her own amusing Venom dance number set to ABBA!
Chaotic humor is why the Venom movies have succeeded thus far, but Sony seemed to have missed that message for this third and final film. If you can sit through a list of accomplished yet uninterested actors spewing exposition, most of which is clearly ADR, and knull down your expectations, then Venom: The Last Dance could be worth your time. It’s hard to say if this is the best of the Venom films since the bar is low, though the previous two had a stronger emphasis on their absurd comedy. There simply aren’t enough wacky scenarios that feature a Venom horse or a Venom frog that can really call this wholly memorable, even as a comedic bit amongst your friends.
You can definitely admire what filmmaker Kelly Marcel and star Tom Hardy try to achieve here, especially in the last 30 minutes where the emotions of Eddie and Venom’s sendoff kick in. But it’s too little too late by then. Moreover, this is indicative of the fate that lies ahead for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. No matter how many times Knull is teased here, that isn’t going to guarantee a future. And the studio’s next Marvel project, Kraven the Hunter, is certainly not going to be pulling any miracles either.
Venom: The Last Dance hits theaters on October 25!
Release Date: October 25, 2024.
Directed by Kelly Marcel.
Screenplay by Kelly Marcel.
Story by Tom Hardy & Kelly Marcel.
Based on Marvel Comics.
Produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy, & Hutch Parke.
Main Cast: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham, Clark Backo, Cristo Fernández, & Andy Serkis.
Cinematographer: Fabian Wagner
Composer: Dan Deacon.
Production Companies: Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Arad Productions, Matt Tolmach Productions, Pascal Pictures, Hutch Parker Entertainment, & Hardy Son & Baker.
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Runtime: 110 minutes.
Rated PG-13.
FAQs:
Q: What can viewers expect from Venom: The Last Dance?
A: Viewers can expect a mix of humor, action, and adventure as Eddie Brock and Venom navigate a dangerous journey while facing formidable foes.
Q: Is there a sense of finality in Venom: The Last Dance?
A: Yes, the film offers a sense of closure to Eddie and Venom’s story, providing a fitting end to their adventures.
Q: Will there be surprises in store for fans of the Venom franchise?
A: While the film introduces new elements and characters, fans can expect some unexpected twists and turns along the way.
Credit: discussingfilm.net
