Venom: The Last Dance Movie Review: A chaotic conclusion to the Venom trilogy

Story: In the final chapter of the Venom franchise, investigative journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiote buddy, Venom, are on the run, evading the military, scientists, and the mighty alien overlord, Knull (Andy Serkis). As the duo must make a drastic decision, will Eddie save himself and the parasitic symbiote?

Review: Eddie and Venom are caught in a multi-web in the follow-up to 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The God of Symbiotes, Knull, seeks a mysterious artefact called Codex (which Venom holds) to destroy the universe. Eddie, framed for the murder of Detective Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham), is on the run from the police. General Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is after them to destroy Venom before Knull can lay his hands on Codex. Scientists are pursuing the two for their own agenda. Meanwhile, Eddie grapples with his personal struggles as he endeavours to prevent Codex from falling into the wrong hands. Amid all this, the duo hitchhikes in a hippie family’s van while making a trip to New York to clear Eddie’s name in the murder charge.

Written by Kelly Marcel (who also directs it) and Tom Hardy, the film’s plot is chaotic and has too many elements. The narrative spikes the thrill and pace, only to drop it abruptly. The film then drags for most of the 109 minutes of its runtime, with campy humour and sequences that barely add to the overall story. The narrative is stuffed with a road trip with a hippie (Ifans Rhys), stopover at Las Vegas where they meet and dance with their previous neighbour, Mrs Chen (Peggy Lu), or Dr Payne (Juno Temple) collecting and studying symbiotes at Area 51 before it’s destroyed by the government.

The superhero outing has its emotional and funny moments, like the opening scene at a Mexican bar when Eddie whines about the multiverse or Eddie and Venom proving to a young boy aliens are nothing to be scared of. The action and VFX is on-point, as the viewer marvels at the greatly-detailed and monstrous Xenophages, and their ultimate face-off with Venom.

While the climactic showdown is the film’s most thrilling action sequence, elevating its tempo and excitement, the overall narrative feels somewhat lacking. Tom Hardy delivers a strong performance as Eddie and Venom, adding depth to their dynamic. However, Andy Serkis’s portrayal of Knull feels underutilized, with his intentions remaining somewhat unclear. Additionally, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Juno Temple’s characters have limited arcs.

The film leans heavily into fan service, and the bromance between Eddie and Venom is enjoyable. However, in terms of overall engagement and thrill, it’s likely a one-time watch.