Venom: The Last Dance Review

Let’s get something out of the way before we dive in to discussing Venom: The Last Dance — I am a Venom fan. When I reviewed the first Venom movie in 2018, I gave it three out of five stars, which was on the generous side compared to other reviews. I’ve continued to stand by my rating six years later. The first movie was refreshing even if it felt like it was made in the early 2000s, and it had tons of unexpected charm that was only made more delightful by Tom Hardy’s all-in performance as Eddie Brock and Venom.

Now, I can say that Venom: The Last Dance is everything that made the first movie entertaining and more. There’s more of the offbeat and oddly sentimental dynamic between Eddie and Venom, as well as more exciting symbiote action scenes, including one particularly fun sequence with Venom Horse. There are also more of the clunkier aspects from the first Venom movie. There are exposition-heavy Marvel lore dumps, especially when it comes to Knull, and scenes where the schmaltz is laid on thick. Still, despite its imperfections, Venom: The Last Dance is a wildly fun ride.

Tom Hardy Shines In Venom: The Last Dance

The Marvel Trilogy Has Always Rested On Hardy’s Shoulders

Ever since Tom Hardy climbed into a tank full of lobsters to deliver one of the most bonkers and fun scenes from Venom, it’s been clear the actor is instrumental to the success of these films. Hardy’s willingness to dive headfirst into the weird and strange world of Marvel’s Venom is what has always helped make the relationship between Eddie and his symbiote as compelling and entertaining as it is. In Venom: The Last Dance, Hardy holds nothing back, giving his all to his performance as both Eddie and Venom.

Smartly, Venom: The Last Dance leans entirely into the dynamic of Eddie and Venom, giving the duo something of a buddy-comedy road trip storyline in what Hardy has said will be his last outing as Venom. It’s vaguely reminiscent of the two-hander Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman pulled off in this summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine, but with Hardy playing both the grumpy straight man in Eddie, and the manic, deranged, but ultimately good-hearted symbiote he hosts. It’s a stroke of genius to simply let Hardy run wild as both characters, even as it’s clear it serves the film’s larger story.

The rest of the Venom: The Last Dance cast is perfectly fine. The actors seem to take the movie as seriously as Hardy (but not too seriously). Juno Temple is a standout as Dr. Payne, a scientist dedicated to researching the symbiotes captured by soldier Rex Strickland, played by an appropriately gruff Chiwetel Ejiofor. Rhys Ifans also has a delightful turn as Martin, a UFO enthusiast who’s dragging his family along on a trip to Area 51. Peggy Lu’s Mrs. Chen is the only franchise return, and though her role is somewhat ham-fisted into the movie, it’s no less fun.

Venom: The Last Dance Is For Fans Of The Venom Movies

Director Kelly Marcel Delivers A Proper Trilogy Ender

Despite Venom’s connection to other Marvel characters in the comics, Venom: The Last Dance is first and foremost meant to be a capstone for this specific trilogy. It’s clear from every moment that Tom Hardy and writer-director Kelly Marcel adore this version of the character that’s been created across Sony’s three Venom movies, and they endeavor to give him a proper sendoff. In that, they’re undoubtedly successful. There may be moments when the cheesiness and sentimentality become a little goofy, but the filmmakers’ hearts are in the right place, and the movie plucks at our heartstrings.

However, you may be disappointed if you go into Venom: The Last Dance hoping for this franchise to deliver something it never has before, like multiverse cameos or a showdown with a particular wall-crawler. As Venom himself says early on in the movie, “I’m so done with this multiverse sh-t.” From there, it’s clear that Marcel and Hardy set out to focus on Eddie and Venom and the universe they’ve built in this franchise, and they do so in such a way that if you enjoy these characters, you won’t even miss what could’ve been.

Venom: The Last Dance shows what happens when you let a perfectly cast actor and a director with a lot of affection for the character run wild in a world of Marvel superheroes. You get a movie that’s a little weird, a lot silly, and full of fun. Venom: The Last Dance isn’t a perfect movie, and it may not be for everyone, but it is for everyone who’s loved Eddie and Venom from the start. If you’re like me, you’ll be elated by the exceptionally delightful last dance with Venom, even if you’re sad to see them go.

Venom: The Last Dance is in theaters on Friday, October 25. The film is 109 minutes long and rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, bloody images and strong language.

7/10

Venom 3 is the third and final installment in Sony’s symbiote trilogy starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock. It follows the events of Let There Be Carnage, where the anti-hero fought serial killer Cletus Kasady, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Brock was briefly transported to the MCU through the multiverse.

Pros

• Tom Hardy goes full-tilt and delivers an exceptionally fun performance.
• Writer/director Kelly Marcel’s love for the characters is evident.
• The cast are clearly having a blast.

Cons

• Some clunky exposition and overly cheesy scenes.