Venom: The Last Dance

Venom: The Last Dance
Starring Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans
Directed by Kelly Marcel

The Sony Spider-Man Universe is, to say the least, not doing well. For a cinematic universe that has the title of the main character who hasn't appeared in any films thus far, it only adds to the lack of excitement these films carry. Essentially it's a Spider-Man Adjacent Cinematic Universe that features Spider-Man villains (or antiheroes) as opposed to the Web Slinger himself. The results haven't been generous, with the likes of "Morbius" and "Madam Web" getting eviscerated by critics and general movie-going audiences alike.  The only films that have somewhat escaped this dour fate is Tom Hardy's "Venom" series, but even they have things lacking (most notably "Venom: Let There be Carnage," which wastes one of Marvel's biggest, scariest villains in a PG-13 humdrum of a movie who's short runtime lacks any deep character development). Still, there's a charm to the "Venom" films that lie strictly with Tom Hardy's duel performance, one as the literal physical embodiment of Eddie Brock and the other voicing the lovable symbiote Venom. The two work well off one another and give a light-hearted bromance that is endearing. Knowing "The Last Dance" is (more likely than not) the final film featuring these mismatched friends, there was a lot of faith that they'll stick the landing. Fortunately, they do.

Still on the run from the events of the previous film, Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiote Venom are being hunted by Red Stickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who leads a secret government organization bent on collecting symbiote specimens, as well as the general police force. Yet there's something else hunting them, and that something is Knull (Andy Serkis), the creator of the symbiotes who has been trapped in a prison created by the symbiotes. He's searching for the codex that would free him from the prison and allow his darkness to take over the universe, and that codex rests in Venom and Eddie. As the fate of the universe hangs in the balance, the two friends may have to give up their symbiotic relationship for good.

There's nothing really spectacular in the storytelling of "Venom: The Last Dance" because it follows the traditional tropes of movies like this. There's a McGuffin that these movies entail that's essentially the driving force for the story, something everyone is looking for. In this case, the McGuffin is Venom himself, as Knull is after the codex that rests within. So the film is a cat-and-mouse game as Venom avoids being caught by Knull's creatures, which can only be accomplished by not completely pairing with Eddie, as the two travel the desert southwest to find a way to stop it. Basically the plot of the film is this simple premise, inter-spliced with fun side characters and other characters that drive the plot forward but offer little more than what the story demands.

Whether Venom is riding on a jet plane, transferring himself to a horse, or traversing the desert, there's a fun connection between him and Eddie that's been the glue that's held this trilogy together. Tom Hardy does excellent comedic work here as well as showcasing his physical prowess and even offers some tender, heartwarming moments as well. Considering this is, as he puts it, the final time he'll play both Eddie and Venom, there's an extra emotional weight that the film delivers, and it's a fond sendoff for the lovable duo.

The characters around Venom don't really fare as well, apart from a hippie family consisting of Rhys Ifans' Martin, his wife and two children and dog, as they pick Eddie up as he's combing the desert. This family is fun and nuanced, and you feel for them from the moment they appear. They're aloof and goofy and serve as perfect fodder for Eddie/Venom. On the other hand, Chiwetel Ejiofor plays your generic commander who wants symbiotes destroyed and will do the generic American thing by shooting at everything multiple times even though it's obvious guns don't work, and Juno Temple plays Dr. Teddy Payne who wants to study symbiotes and feels a connection with them, but that's basically it to her character arc save for some pointless flashbacks to her younger self and her brother.

The CGI in the film is mostly impressive, with even the final epic battle showcasing some decent effects that make for a pulse-pounding conclusion. The film maintains its pace from start to finish that keeps you invested in the story, and there wasn't a moment where I was bored. The action and comedy go hand-in-hand, and again Hardy does both perfectly. There was cheers and gasps in the audience, and for a Sony-Marvel adjacent film that in itself is a small miracle.

Giving Tom Hardy the fitting sendoff, "Venom: The Last Dance" is filled with action, humor, and emotional moments that highlight the fledgling Sony Spider-Man Universe and gives a small glimmer of hope that this universe isn't entirely screwed.

The Score: A