Written by Anthony O’Connor
Value: $9.50
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cast:
Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Peggy Lou, Stephen Graham
Intro:
…an overstuffed but somehow surprisingly simple movie that feels like an excuse to do some stupid but cool idea…
When you think about it, the Venom movies were a weird series of movies. The series, which began with 2018’s Venom, starring Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, and Riz Ahmed, looks set to be as stinky as Spider-Man, with critical acclaim. It was rough. However, the film managed to raise an eye-watering amount of money, and a sequel was guaranteed. The film eventually became 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which benefited from the deft direction of Woody Harrelson and Andy Serkis…but still not good. It was like I was more aware of my innate shittyness and huddled in camp. Now in 2024, there’s a series finale (allegedly) in the form of Venom: The Last Dance, where we finally realize how dangerous it is and proudly wear our pants. The movie wearing the .
Whether you really enjoy it or not is entirely up to you.
Venom: The Last Dance sees the return of Eddie Brock/Venom (Tom Hardy), an increasingly sleazy-looking investigative reporter on the run from the authorities after the events of the previous film. This time, Eddie takes on the maniacal soldier Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Knull (Andy Serkis), a sleazy CGI creep who sends a horde of monsters seeking the toothy symbiote. must deal with a threat that could destroy the world. Our hero and his favorite ink-colored symbiote. It also features Juno Temple as a scientist who wants to befriend a symbiote, Rhys Ifans as a traveling alien-loving hippie, and a return from the wasted Stephen Graham.
The result is an overstuffed yet somehow surprisingly simple movie, with silly but cool features like Venom’s horse, a monster fight on the outside of a plane, and a battle with six different colored symbiotes. It feels like an excuse to execute on an idea. To be honest, some of them are pretty fun. The Poisonous Horse is actually very well executed and some of the action in the third act is effectively realized.
The problem is that everything around these moments is so flat and lifeless. Juno Temple is criminally underutilized, and the entire Rhys Ifans subplot feels like it belongs in a completely different movie. Chiwetel Ejiofor does the best he can in a very monotonous role, and of course Tom Hardy’s committed performance as both man and monster is perhaps the movie’s saving grace. Probably.
Will one actor’s bewilderingly full-throated performance be enough to bring this film to the City of Enjoyment? It’s hard to say. Do you giggle with delight at Venom’s extended dance numbers set to ABBA? If so, Venom: The Last Dance has you covered. Plus, I have more fun at the theater than watching Joker: Folie à Deux! If you like clearing low bars, perhaps this last frolic is for you.
