Venom was Sony's first spin-off film in the Spider-Man universe, and marked the beginning of a somewhat lackluster legacy for the company's Spider-Man Universe franchise. Despite its initial struggles, the Venom saga managed to connect with audiences, largely thanks to Tom Hardy's performance as Eddie Brock and Venom. The second installment, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, was affected by the pandemic, but maintained the fun and unbridled spirit of the dynamic between the symbiotes, adding Carnage, played by Woody Harrelson. Now comes Venom: The Last Dance to close out the trilogy, though it ultimately positions itself as an underachieved production that seeks to be a superhero hit, but is fairly standard, even compared to the comic book movies of the 2000s.
The plot of Venom: The Last Dance follows Eddie Brock and Venom (Tom Hardy) after their return to their original reality, after a brief and inconsequential crossover with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Back in his world, Eddie discovers that the battle against Carnage in San Francisco has left him a fugitive. Deciding that New York might be the reboot he needs, Eddie heads to that city. However, he is unaware that Knull, the God of Symbiotes (played by Andy Serkis), has awakened and is in search of the codex, an artifact of great power that is created when a symbiote and its host merge their life forces.
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Kelly Marcel deserves credit for directing arguably the most visually coherent and action-packed film in the Venom series, which is especially notable given that it's her directorial debut. Marcel was the screenwriter for the first Venom film and also wrote Let There Be Carnage and The Last Dance, which shows her creative connection and affection for this version of the character. However, it's interesting to see how The Last Dance falls into the trap of feeling like another Spider-Man spinoff that feels halfway to belonging to a larger universe. The plot involving the symbiote-hunting organization and characters like Payne and Strickland is underdeveloped, though it's hinted that they'll be more prominent in future installments of the franchise. The inclusion of Andy Serkis as Knull feels more like a nod to comic book fans, as the "King in Black" has a minor role and barely appears onscreen, with some scenes not even showing his face. If Sony was looking to replicate The Avengers' "Thanos moment" with the Spider-Man spin-offs, they haven't quite managed it.
Eddie and Venom's screen time is greatly reduced, understandably given that Tom Hardy looks visibly tired in his performance, a point that is comically underlined in a montage that runs through all three Venom films, making it clear that both actor and audience are starting to feel the wear and tear. In the few moments where Hardy does regain the chaotic, playful energy that characterizes the relationship between Eddie and Venom, we're reminded of what made this series special. It almost feels like Hardy and crew should have embraced the jokes circulating online suggesting that Venom 3 just needed to be one last showcase of Hardy's one-man talents. Instead, we get a stuffy, overly serious comic book movie that ends up wasting some of its best actors.
Chiwetel Ejiofor (Doctor Strange) seems trapped in a military drama that he's the only one showing interest in; Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man, House of the Dragon) seems to be on autopilot playing a hippie dad named Martin; Stephen Graham (Boardwalk Empire) has the oddest role, a twice-wasted villain playing Patrick Mulligan/Toxin; only Juno Temple (Ted Lasso, Fargo) manages to find a balance between comedic tone and seriousness, having her character, a scientist, guide the audience through the necessary exposition about symbiotes and CGI effects in the third act.
It's hard to go into detail without spoilers, but the final act, climax, and denouement of Venom: The Last Dance border on the absurd. Once again, it seems Sony is unclear where this universe is headed or its relationship to Spider-Man. To top it off, viewers won't get a clear conclusion as to whether the Venom saga has come to an end, making even the film's title feel like a mistake.
Venom: The Last Dance is another disappointing release from Sony-Marvel, just like Madame Web. And the chances of Kraven the Hunter joining this trilogy of failed Spider-Man spin-offs in a single year seem ever-increasing.
Venom: The Last Dance opens in theaters on October 25.
In “The Last Dance,” Kelly Marcel, co-writer of the first two “Venom” films, takes over as director, following Andy Serkis (2021’s “Venom: Let There Be Carnage”) and Ruben Fleischer (2018’s “Venom”). We meet Venom (the fusion of Eddie and his soulmate, an alien entity) in Mexico, where they’re on the run from the law. But a new threat is also emerging.
The film opens with Knull (Serkis), the creator of symbiotes who, from some dark and distant corner of space, sends aliens to retrieve a “codex” found inside Venom’s spine that, if obtained, will lead to the annihilation of humans and symbiotes.
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