by Charles Kirkland Jr.
Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the Lethal Protector is forced into a devastating decision in Venom: The Last Dance.
After the end of the last chapter, Eddie Brock and Venom find themselves accused of murder and on the run from all authorities. After some discussion, they figure they can not return to San Francisco, and Mexico is too remote so they decide to make their way to New York City where Eddie has some friends who may be able to help. Meanwhile, a dark force in a place far away is in search of Venom and Eddie who have a special ability to release him from the prison where the symbiotes have locked him away. He has sent some seemingly unstoppable force with the purpose of bringing them back to his world.
Venom: The Last Dance is written by Kelly Marcel and Tom Hardy. It stars Tom Hardy in his recurring role as Eddie Brock, Juno Temple, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Stephen Graham, Rhys Ifans, Cristo Fernandez, and Peggy Lu. This third installment of the Venom franchise is directed by Kelly Marcel who steps up from her role as a writer in the previous two movies.
Like the last edition of Venom, Tom Hardy inserts his two cents in the movie by sharing writing credits. Accordingly, the tone of this version of the series is much more untraditional than the first movie. Hardy seems to have an affinity for the random ridiculous comments and conversations that occur between Eddie and his symbiote partner because we get more of it in this movie. The hilarious and sometimes insipid banter between the two is comedy gold.
Another addition that works well in the film is the remarkable inclusion of certain songs in the movie soundtrack. There are some great songs included in the music profile including a raucous remix of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” to which Venom engages in a disturbingly cute tango-like dance with their friend Mrs. Chen.
What doesn’t work is the script. The inclusion of the self-described “God of the Void” Knull, a classic villain from the comic books played by Andy Serkis who was supposed to direct the film, is a mistake, even though it gives the movie a higher, redemptive purpose. The seemingly undefeatable foes, the Xenophages, which Knull dispatches to find and bring back Venom and his “Codex” are ridiculously formidable. True comic book fans will also be very upset at the presence of the “Symbiote Six” in the movie and what their fate becomes by the end of the movie. The inclusion of Ted Lasso stars Juno Temple and Cristo Fernandez also seems a little ludicrous and self-serving.
Speaking of the end of the movie, it is very frustrating to see this film come to an end. Being entitled “The Last Dance” leads one to a certain idea of where the franchise is going. This idea is shattered by the conclusion of the movie, particularly the two end credit scenes (yes there are two, stay for them) which refute the idea.
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, bloody images, and strong language, Venom: The Last Dance is a reasonably entertaining movie. It’s not Spider-Man good but it certainly is not Madame Web bad. The Last Dance is full of nonsense and silliness and inconsistencies, but you strangely will find yourself entertained if you go in without any expectations.
Venom: The Last Dance can be seen in theaters on October 26, 2024.
Grade: C