“Venom: The Last Dance” is a Rather Heartbreaking End to an Unusual Trilogy

When a film franchise concludes, it’s often met with a mix of emotions—nostalgia, disappointment, and sometimes, a sense of finality that lingers long after the film ends.

Since the release of the first “Venom” film in 2018, Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiote partner (who happens to be a literal part of him), Venom, have wreaked havoc and formed an unlikely yet beloved bond. Their chaotic friendship captivated audiences and built a loyal fanbase, eventually turning Sony’s once experimental project into a trilogy.

But all good things must come to an end. Directed by Kelly Marcel, “Venom: The Last Dance” explores the dark evolution of Eddie’s journey as he battles new, formidable forces. After being branded a murderer following his clash with Carnage, Eddie and Venom flee to Mexico, hoping to escape the authorities. However, their respite is short-lived when they encounter another alien symbiote, Xenophage, from Venom’s home planet. Xenophage sees Eddie as a threat—he’s the key to unlocking a deeper, more terrifying level of darkness.

Meanwhile, military operative Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is hot on Eddie’s trail because he hopes to extract Venom from Eddie for research purposes. Eddie and Venom flee to states in the USA to avoid capture, but their reputation precedes them due to the chaos (and bodies) they leave in each state. To prevent the Xenophage from unleashing untold darkness into the world, Venom teams up with his fellow resurrected symbiotes to save a planet that isn’t theirs. This decision comes at a great cost because Venom and the other symbiotes die from a deliberate acid attack.

It’s hard to talk about this film without appreciating its visual effects. They are without a doubt (not expecting anything less from the Marvel Cinematic Universe) impressive, offering a breathtaking display of Venom’s powers. This is due to an upgrade in the CGI department as Venom is given new abilities like flying, swimming, skydiving, and horse riding (he turns into a symbiotic horse).

From intense battles to haunting sequences, “Venom: The Last Dance” pushes creative boundaries, immersing viewers in a symbiotic dark world. The fight sequences in Area 51, as Venom and the other symbiotes fight off the Xenophage, will go down in history as one of the best choreographed Sony-Marvel CGI sequences of all time. It’s brutal yet inventive and shows just how powerful Eddie and Venom can be when locked in enemy territory.

Another film highlight is Tom Hardy’s gripping performance as Eddie, who has grown into a more conflicted, layered character. He’s now at the stage where he has accepted Venom as a part of him. He might still be figuring out how to control his symbiote’s thirst for mayhem, but the two form a friendship that’s both beautiful and hilarious. Their twisted partnership shines the brightest in scenes where they confront hard truths about their coexistence. The film’s script, wonderfully written by Marcel, gives Hardy plenty of material to showcase Eddie’s vulnerability and Venom’s darker instincts.

“Venom: The Last Dance” is not without its faults. The narrative pacing is uneven, with moments of slow introspection sometimes stretching too long, breaking up the otherwise fast-paced storyline. Exploring Eddie’s internal struggles is valid, but it should not be sacrificed on the altar of making a good film. And really, the first two installments in the “Venom” franchise are fantastic, but this one feels off. The narrative couldn’t decide whether to be an action-packed anti-hero film or a dark psychological drama. It took away from the thrill of the film.

Additionally, the film suffers from slow-pacing syndrome. Without the well-choreographed action scenes and camaraderie between Eddie and Venom it would’ve been a snooze fest. The last forty minutes of the film is better than the first hour of it because really, why does Eddie look and act like a shadow of himself? And since when did he start allowing Venom to control every single one of his actions?

Also, Juno Temple’s character, Dr. Teddy Payne could’ve benefited from a little more expatiation of her back story. Yes, she’s a scientist who is inspired to pursue that line of work due to the death of her brother, but how did she become bonded to a symbiote? This answer might be comic book lore, but for those who aren’t Marvelheads, a simple scene containing the answer would’ve been nice.

“Venom: The Last Dance” is a flawed yet fitting end to a franchise that has gathered quite the cult following. As the world bids a final goodbye to the symbiote Venom, it’s important to remember, like Eddie did in the ending scene, the legacy he left behind. He may have been chaos personified but he saved Eddie from troubles that ranged from loneliness to a raging, dark world symbiote.

The film is a fitting final chapter that lets the antihero and his (late) symbiote friend dance with the darkness one last time.

Release Date: October 25, 2024

Runtime: 1 hour and 49 minutes

Streaming Service: None. Cinematic Release

Director: Kelly Marcel

Cast: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, Clark Backo, Alanna Ubach, and Andy Serkis