‘Venom: The Last Dance’ Review: One Last Dance From Ground Control To Eddie Brock

I have to confess, going into my screening of Venom: The Last Dance, I had very low expectations for the movie. To be honest, the previous other films in this trilogy did not leave much of an impression on me, other than some gentle disappointment. I have found the Sony Spider-Man Universe’s Venom to be inconsistent in tone, all over the place, and sometimes, downright silly. But, against all odds, I have to admit I enjoyed all of the films in this franchise. The mind-bogglingly action-packed, very silly, yet utterly absurd latest antics of Eddie Brock and Venom’s misadventures, somehow proved that Venom: The Last Dance would be a breezy trip before the capes come flying back to the big screen. Read our review below.

The film opens with Venom and Eddie (both played by Tom Hardy) being pursued by the authorities led by Gen. Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor), following the events of the previous film and his disappearance from his universe during Spider-Man: No Way Home. What follows is a series of chaotic and often ridiculous scenarios such as Venom morphing into other animals, which, while making no sense, was honestly just fun to watch. Be it Venom morphing into a horse, a fish, or a frog (yes, you read that right) or becoming addicted to a casino’s slot machines (another random-yet-hilarious plot point), the film leans heavily into absurdity, and for better or worse, it works.

One of the most delightful scenes I have found myself downright idiotically smiling was Venom dancing with Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) to the disco classic of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” in his full symbiote form. That said, this moment is purely fanservice, completely irrelevant and does not, therefore, push the story forward, but it shows the weird, off-centering charm of the movie. It doesn’t hesitate to embrace its silliness, and it’s moments like this that make me appreciate what this film is: a goofy, at times ridiculous, and nonsensical action movie entirely unafraid to not take itself too seriously. 

The film’s climax features an epic showdown between Venom alongside his symbiote brothers and sisters against Knull’s (Andy Serkis) Xenophages. The designs of the new symbiotes were quite striking and surely one of the visual highlights of the movie. We may have seen such steely, CGI-heavy climactic fights in the earlier films, or in other comic-book films before, but it strangely felt suitably grand for what was pitched as the last chapter in Eddie and Venom’s saga. That being said, I wouldn’t call the action sequences particularly inventive; neither were they particularly remarkable; rather, they were done well enough and, in the end, delivered the kind of spectacle one expects of a comic-book film. 

I did not really expect anyone to deliver their career-best when it comes to performances considering the film offers the talents of Tom Hardy, Juno Temple, and Chiwetel Ejiofor as the film is not such a dense case of drama. Rarely do big-budget, action-heavy comic-book films rely on their performances’ emotional weights, but I have to admit I was pleasantly taken aback by the dynamic between Eddie and Venom this time around. Eddie and Venom’s relationship has always been the beating heart of these films, and one can easily say that Tom Hardy‘s portrayal of the symbiotic duo has improved with every single installment. In Venom: The Last Dance, the banter is more organic and the interactions between Eddie’s brow-beaten everyman persona and Venom’s loud and unbridled personality had some genuinely entertaining moments. Across the trilogy, their relationship has undergone unmistakable growth, culminating in surprisingly touching moments in this film. 

As a fan of ’70s and ’80s rock, I must concede that the soundtrack was one of the best things about the film as it brims with classic songs from the enthralling and infectious energy of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” to Cat Stevens’s mellow and reflective lullaby, “Wild World”. I’ll admit that not all these selections are entirely in sync with the narrative of the film. Sometimes it does feel as though they were just going for kicks more than trying to enhance the story. One track that stood out was David Bowie’s “Space Oddity”. I particularly love that scene for the specific moment it fills with Eddie and Venom. The parallel is rather fitting; Eddie is ‘Major Tom’ while Venom is ‘Ground Control’. Much like Major Tom’s journey into the unknown when he finally gets control, Eddie’s life is thrown upside down now that Venom’s bizzare weirdness has become his grounding; at least now, to the rest of his sanity. It’s a surprisingly poignant choice for a Marvel movie, and the film captures, for a short while, this deeper emotional resonance under all the absurdity. 

But then there’s the Maroon 5’s “Memories” montage which showed Eddie and Venom’s moments throughout the trilogy. the montage was a shameless attempt to tug at your heartstrings; although incredibly cringe, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me feel something. For all its goofiness, this trilogy has created a bond between Eddie and Venom that has been oddly touching in its own weird way.

As an individual who hasn’t read any of the Venom comics or the King in Black storyline, I am unable to comment on how faithfully this film adheres to its comic book origins. However, from what I’ve seen of Knull, the god of symbiotes who occupies the role of the secondary antagonist in this movie, appears to be a promising, compelling villain. I am absolutely thankful that Sony avoided relegating Knull to a one-and-done villain, especially in light of their history with characters like Carnage, who was quickly discarded in the previous film. Knull’s involvement introduces a level of menace that previous adversaries failed to provide and I am sincerely intrigued by how his character will evolve in the future. Although Venom: The Last Dance is promoted as the final installment of this trilogy, it is difficult not to anticipate the return of Eddie and Venom in some form, whether that manifests as a new trilogy, a crossover into the MCU for the upcoming ultimate crossover film Secret Wars, or some other venture. Whatever the case may be, I’m cautiously optimistic about the future of the King in Black storyline and the direction they might take it in.

All things considered, I cannot help but feel that although Venom: The Last Dance is an entertaining and enjoyable movie, much like its predecessors, it ultimately aspires to do very little beyond that. The film is distinctly engaging, with the type of humor and action that enthusiasts of the character have come to anticipate. However, it fails to elevate itself beyond the realm of a mere popcorn flick. There is nothing especially profound or significant about the narrative; at times, it seems that the film is more focused on inserting random, eccentric moments rather than on cultivating a coherent storyline.

In conclusion, Venom: The Last Dance aligns closely with the overall tone of the Venom trilogy – entertaining, enjoyable and full of absurd humor and exaggerated action. Although it does not attain the lofty standards set by some of the finest comic book films and certainly possesses its share of flaws, I admit that I found it significantly more enjoyable than I had anticipated. It is not a masterpiece by any means; however, it is undeniably entertaining. Fans of the earlier Venom installments will likely discover much to appreciate within this film. For those who, like myself, approached it with minimal expectations, there exists a strong likelihood that you will exit the theater with a smile on your face even if you occasionally find yourself rolling your eyes at some of the film’s more ludicrous moments. Regardless of whether we see Eddie and Venom again, Venom: The Last Dance acts as a somewhat fitting, albeit slightly underwhelming, conclusion to their narrative arc.

Venom: The Last Dance is written and directed by Kelly Marcel. The film stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock / Venom, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Rex Strickland, Juno Temple as Teddy Paine, Peggy Lu as Mrs. Chen, Rhys Ifans as Martin, Andy Serkis as Knull, and more. Venom: The Last Dance is now playing in theaters near you.

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