Content warning: spoilers ahead.
Who knew a slimy-goo could be so charismatic? “Venom: The Last Dance” was dumb fun and that’s okay.
A culmination of Sony’s, in all honesty, only successful Marvel project outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this film turns the page on the series and does so in an emotional and entertaining manner.
“Venom: The Last Dance,” released on Oct. 24, has its flaws in pacing. At times it feels slow, especially when it shifts the focus to the side characters of Rex (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Dr. Payne (Juno Temple), who aren’t given a lot of material to work with and just try their best with the dry and two-dimensional dialogue. In the case of Dr. Payne, the film presents a brief backstory that, while interesting, is short and doesn’t make up for the lack of complexity. In other words, these roles could have been portrayed by anyone and fall trap to common archetypes seen in other films.
Even the antagonist of the film, Knull, voiced by Andy Serkis, feels unfamiliar and has very little screen presence, with most of the work being done by the Xenophages, which are symbiote-killing creatures. Their sole mission is to get the Codex, which is the key to Knull’s prison — the key that Eddy and Venom hold. The film establishes that the only way to destroy this key is if one of them dies.
What the film does really well is showcasing how far Eddy Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom’s relationship has come from the first film. From the jokes to the fights, this last entry in the series clearly shows how they coexist and how much they care for each other. Their bond is the heart of the film and Hardy does an amazing job at both voicing Venom and portraying Eddy Brock.
I will also say that the film has two really awesome needle drops, the best of which being a cover of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.” The film’s CGI has also gotten better especially with so many different symbiotes present.
“Venom: The Last Dance” felt lazy at times with the amount of conveniences: for example, the fact that Eddy and Venom hitch a ride with a family heading to Nevada because the parents, portrayed by Alanna Ubach and Rhys Ifans, are obsessed with aliens. This same family is able to easily sneak into Area 51, which is where the film’s climax takes place.
The truth is that this film is only enjoyable if you turn off your critical thinking skills, which is fine for some viewers. But if that’s not really your thing, then the film’s antics and transitions from one event to another will quickly get tiring.
Despite this, “Venom: The Last Dance” is a rocky joyride that I think sticks its landing. The film manages to itch that action-packed antiheroic desire and, while by no means perfect, still manages to make you smile and feel short-term sadness as the viewers bid goodbye to this trilogy.
Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.