Venom : The Last Dance

Venom: The Last Dance takes audiences on an unpredictable and often zany journey, capturing the essence of the Eddie-Venom dynamic while bringing a sense of finality to the trilogy. Directed by Kelly Marcel, who also wrote the first two films, this installment demonstrates her keen understanding of Eddie and Venom's unique bond of twisted friendship, reluctant partnership and absurd romance. With Tom Hardy in the dual role of Eddie Brock and Venom, The Last Dance celebrates and pokes fun at its own chaotic tone, blending slapstick humor, action and a hint of sci-fi horror. This new film ambitiously (but not always successfully) tackles more important themes, in particular loneliness, loyalty and self-acceptance.

The story picks up with Eddie and Venom as wanted fugitives after the events of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Hidden away in Mexico, they are pursued by a variety of antagonists, including General Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofore) and cosmic villain Knull (Andy Serkis). A divine being with immense powers, Knull is an ancient creator figure trapped in a distant dimension, and has become obsessed with recovering a vital Codex that resides in Eddie and Venom. This artifact is essential to freeing Knull from his prison, triggering a relentless chase between Eddie and Venom as they flee across the American Southwest, pursued by a monstrous alien xenophagous sbirs and government forces. Knull sends his terrifying creatures through cosmic portals.

One of director Kelly Marcel's main concerns in Venom: The Last Dance is the buddy-buddy relationship between Eddie and Venom, which is often as funny as it is dysfunctional. Tom Hardy has long relied on Eddie's edgy, unglamorous image, playing him with a perpetually exhausted and confused look as he navigates the literal and metaphorical tug-of-war with his alien counterpart. The result is a comic duo in which Tom Hardy plays both straw man and unruly sidekick, frequently bickering with himself in scenes that showcase his remarkable range of talents. Venom's unfiltered, almost childlike personality shines in scenes where he's allowed to let loose, whether singing Tequila! with the enthusiasm of a frat boy or dragging Eddie into a whirlwind of impulsive decisions. The character's voice - a gravelly baritone filled with both menace and absurdity - serves as a humorous counterpoint to Eddie's increasingly desperate attempts to regain normalcy.

The film's humor is particularly present in scenes featuring Venom's impulsive antics, notably in his interactions with the various eccentric characters Eddie encounters on his journey. Peggy Lu reprises her role as Mrs. Chen, a lucky Las Vegas gambler with whom Venom shares a perfectly choreographed dance number to ABBA's Dancing Queen, providing a moment of levity that fits in with the franchise's tendency towards the absurd. Rhys Ifans also makes an appearance as Martin, a UFO-obsessed hippie who travels with his family in a flower-painted Volkswagen van, completely oblivious to the alien threats pursuing Eddie and Venom. These supporting characters serve to flesh out Eddie's world, grounding the film's supernatural elements in comic realism. However, they also contribute to a sense of inconsistency, as the film shifts from comedy to horror to sci-fi action, sometimes leaving audiences scrambling to catch up.

In addition to character-driven humor, Kelly Marcel injects the film with numerous high-octane action sequences. One of the highlights is a frantic chase through the Nevada desert, where Venom's shapeshifting abilities are on full display, as he shifts from one animal to another - at one point transforming into a horse, then a fish and even a frog - while he and Eddie try to escape their xenophagous pursuers. The film's action choreography, though somewhat repetitive, benefits from Kelly Marcel's decision to use longer takes, allowing viewers to grasp the full extent of the symbiote's transformations. This approach also preserves some of the visceral appeal that is often lost in over-the-top superhero movies.

Despite these creative action sequences, the film occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own plot. Knull's quest for the Codex, while conceptually intriguing, falls into the trap of typical superhero movie clichés, miring the story in a convoluted backstory that detracts from the Eddie-Venom dynamic. Knull, though visually imposing with his dark, otherworldly design, is ultimately reduced to a standard villain figure. His motivations remain largely abstract, expressed mainly through monologues and CGI sequences that seem disconnected from the film's more down-to-earth, character-driven humor. Andy Serkis imbues Knull with a menacing gravitas, but he's hampered by a script that doesn't give his character a chance to evolve, leaving him more as a plot device than a fully-realized antagonist.

The actors' performances are uniformly strong, even if the characters themselves are underwritten in some respects. Juno Temple plays Dr. Payne, a scientist whose compassionate fascination with symbiotes brings a touch of humanity to the film. However, her character, like that of General Strickland played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, is defined more by archetype than depth. Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor both excel at bringing a certain gravitas to their roles, with General Strickland acting as a cynical counterweight to Temple's optimistic scientist. The government facility at Area 51, where Payne and Strickland conduct their alien research, serves as the setting for much of the film's sci-fi exposition, though it frequently detracts from the film's momentum. The back-and-forth between Payne's scientific curiosity and Strickland's militaristic pragmatism offers some thematic complexity, but ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to deepen the characters' exploration.

At the heart of The Last Dance is the evolving relationship between Eddie and Venom. Over the course of the three films, Tom Hardy has created a dynamic that is both comic and heartfelt, with Eddie reluctantly accepting Venom as both a burden and a friend. In this new installment, that bond is tested by the very real possibility that one of them may have to die to destroy the Codex and prevent Knull's release. This potential sacrifice lends the film a bittersweet note that underpins even the most ridiculous moments, allowing Hardy to explore the emotional nuances of a relationship that is, at its core, a strange but profound bond. The interactions between Eddie and Venom throughout the film aptly reflect the tension of their symbiotic existence, with Eddie struggling to assert control while Venom's impulses often lead to chaos. The result is a complex performance that showcases Hardy's talent for physical comedy, as well as his ability to convey vulnerability in the midst of absurdity.

Although presented as the conclusion of a trilogy, Venom: The Last Dance leaves room for possible future installments, as indicated by the scenes in the middle and end credits that hint at new threats. This choice may give some viewers the impression that the film lacks any real finality, not least because of the ambiguous nature of Eddie and Venom's journey. However, the open-ended nature of the film is entirely appropriate for a series that has always embraced its own idiosyncrasies and resisted a straightforward narrative arc. In many ways, Venom: The Last Dance is a celebration of the Venom character in all his messy, unfiltered glory, offering fans one last wild adventure with the alien antihero.

Venom: The Last Dance may not satisfy everyone's expectations of a superhero movie ending, especially for those who prefer a more traditional approach. But for fans who appreciate the series' offbeat humor, Tom Hardy's fearless performance and the truly bizarre scenarios created by the films, this installment offers a satisfying, if chaotic, conclusion. Kellyt Marcel's directorial debut shows a clear love for the character and the universe she helped build, and although the film's tonal inconsistencies and convoluted plot may detract from its impact, Venom: The Last Dance succeeds in establishing itself as a unique and spirited entry in the superhero genre. It may be messy, absurd and even a little over the top, but that's exactly what makes it quintessentially Venom.

For all its flaws, the film finally testifies to Tom Hardy's commitment to making the relationship between Eddie and Venom as dynamic and entertaining as possible, capturing both the comic and tragic elements of their strange symbiosis. Whether this really is the last dance remains to be seen, but if it is, Tom Hardy and Kelly Marcel have delivered a fitting farewell to one of the most unconventional characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Venom: The Last Dance
Written and directed by Kelly Marcel
Story by Tom Hardy, Kelly Marcel
Based on Marvel Comics
Produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal, Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy, Hutch Parker
Starring Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, Clark Backo, Alanna Ubach, Andy Serkis
Cinematography : Fabian Wagner
Edited by Mark Sanger
Music by Dan Deacon
Production companies: Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Arad Productions, Matt Tolmach Productions, Pascal Pictures, TSG Entertainment, Hutch Parker Entertainment, Hardy Son & Baker
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release dates : October 21, 2024 (New York City), October 21, 2024 (France), October 23, 2024 (United States)
Running time : 109 minutes

Seen on October 25, 2024 at Gaumont Disney Village, IMAX Room IMAX, seat E19

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