They finally figured it out. Looking back at my reviews for the various Spider-Man Universe movies that haven’t featured Spider-Man, it’s been pretty much a disaster for Sony in terms of quality. More specifically, while I’ve certainly admired the gusto and earnestness put in by Tom Hardy to pull off his dual performances as Eddie Brock and Venom, the films had left me feeling like there’s a lot to be desired. That is until now. Whether I’ve been worn down or I just felt more connected to what Venom: The Last Dance had to offer, this is easily the strongest entry of the symbiote-focused trilogy. While the script is all over the place, there’s solid direction, with humor and drama rooted in sincerity. Whether or not it actually is the final curtain call for Hardy’s take on this character, he’s at least going out on a strong note with what may actually be 2024’s best comic book movie.
This time around, we pick up with Eddie/Venom in Mexico, where they have retreated following the events of the previous film, Let There Be Carnage. The two are technically fugitives, though the police officer they are said to have killed, Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham), is actually being held by the government due to his connection to an alien symbiote, not unlike Eddie. As all this is happening, a deity imprisoned somewhere in the cosmos known as Knull is aching to do some evil and needs an object held within Venom. Knull sends monstrous symbiote hunters after the gooey dynamic duo, meaning Eddie must stay ahead of all the parties trying to hunt him down.
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This film is written and directed by Kelly Marcel, who scripted the previous two movies and has once again developed this story with Hardy. The screenplay is a mess for various reasons, not limited to extraneous characters, poorly developed logic, and forced exposition to provide some clarity. However, this also feels like a story that genuinely understands what’s interesting about Eddie and Venom’s dynamic. The Last Dance may have the widest scope yet for a Venom film, but it has also slimmed things down. There’s no room for romantic melodrama this time, as we watch Eddie and Venom as a complete unit who have their differences but ultimately get along. However one labels their relationship, it takes priority in a sincere way, which is much appreciated.
Sure, there’s the b-plot, which amounts to government soldiers and scientists working to track Eddie/Venom down, but it’s largely an excuse to have pieces put in place for some action and a big climax. In the meantime, Juno Temple and Clark Backo are given decent arcs as to why they want to research aliens, while Chiwetel Ejiofor invades another Marvel Universe but is pretty much slumming. More successful, but just as confusing, is Rhys Ifans returning to the Spider-Verse not as Dr. Connors but as an old hippie who wants to see an alien and has brought his family on a road trip to accomplish just that. They end up giving Eddie/Venom a ride in a time of need, which highlights another key to this film’s success.
Venom: The Last Dance is a very heartfelt feature. While the blandness (and cheapness) of the first film and the bombast of the overbearing second only featured Hardy-related highlights, a more lived-in attitude taking place this time made it feel more worthwhile. The Last Dance is confident enough to let us hang out more with Hardy playing against himself or sitting with others as we hear Venom’s humorous asides. By the time the film arrives at moments designed to make us see what kind of heroic actions this anti-hero could take, I was pleased to know the work was done to make these (admittedly ridiculous) moments feel like proper payoffs.
No doubt, there’s still plenty of clunkiness in how some aspects are presented. I could argue that this also feels like the most comic book-y of the three films, given the obvious dialogue and limited focus on scenes not involving Hardy. It’s stuff like this where I try to picture what the comic book panels would look like if they were presented in that manner. Regardless, yes, it’s silly stuff when considering convenient plot moments, a villain that amounts to a personality-less CG creation, and an emotional core that only takes off if you’re truly willing to go along with it. That said, I did find myself invested.
Hardy’s commitment continues to be the key to all of this. He has made this character fun, including both his accent choices, the decision to often look scared, and the general shagginess of the character (including a running joke about his shoes). Whether or not any moment ever comes close to repeating the surprise fun of the lobster tank scene in the first film, Hardy is so comfortable inhabiting this persona that this third go-round had me feeling the most relaxed, taking it all in. Plus, the general looniness from some of the choices in this film spoke to a level of quality in Marcel’s direction and vision, which is not nothing.
Being slightly more expensive than the previous two films also seems to have led to Venom: The Last Dance being the best-looking entry yet. The expanded scope, as mentioned, is a part of that, as we get more than just sets and some shots of San Francisco. On top of that, though, the Venom effect is about as good as it gets, and the whole host of monsters we see emerge in this film allowed for some enjoyable variety and surprisingly violent action sequences. Plus, the fun of how a symbiote works extends to animals this time, including a much-advertised horse scene, which is only the start of things.
Part of the willingness to accept this film, flaws and all, comes down to the clear effort put in. No question, putting together films, big or small, is not easy. Still, when we see these $100+ million tentpoles arrive, I hope I get the chance to see a team of filmmakers putting that budget to good use. Not only does Venom: The Last Dance look that way, but it doesn’t feel like it’s taking it for granted. There’s no sense of irony or self-awareness on display here. The film wants to tell a story that has a level of finality to it, which not only means offering Hardy a few extra layers to play but also giving the movie its chance to have fun without talking down to itself as if the audience needs permission to enjoy how ludicrous this all is. Make no mistake, Venom is still putting on a wacky show, but I was pleased to see The Last Dance allow this series to finally find its footing.
Venom: The Last Dance opens in theaters and IMAX on October 25, 2024.
