Three years ago, I’ve covered “Venom: Let there be Carnage” which while I like the inclusion of Carnage and some good moments, but it felt like its been recycled from the first movie, but going down during Eddie Brock’s second journey with his symbiote Venom. At first, I though its good, but looking back now, I wish this movie what would’ve been without trying to embarrassing itself. But as time goes on, since we’ve heard of couple of news when Sony is going downhill from flops, bad movie like Madame Web that I covered a months ago, to even their business are going to crack when some films were delayed like Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse to, worst of all, potentially using AI Generate for future projects, but I don’t wanna drag this out. Since Sony gives us three movie in their own Marvel Universe, im starting to feel doubtful for upcoming Kraven The Hunter and today’s review.
“Venom: The Last Dance” is a 2024 Marvel Superhero film that was written/produced/directed by Kelly Marcel (in her directorial Debut), co-produced/co-written by Tom Hardy (yes, he also worked as both writer and producer) and co-produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, Amy Pascal and Hutch Parker.
I like to mention that this movie was first started back in 2018 when Tom Hardy accepted to be playing as Venom, which they’ve been told that they’re gonna do a trilogy with everyone’s favorite Lethal Protector. Though despite the first movie was good, it managed to making money at the box-office, which its no stranger that they’re developing sequels, after been delayed from you know what in 2020. There’s the aforementioned “Let there be Carnage”, which like I said, its good, but could’ve gone better, but then again, they made a success at the box-office, but not as much as the first one. Though speaking of the latter, the movie had a cliffhanger to having Venom sees MCU Spider-Man at the end of “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, which you think that this will be a potential crossover between two British actors as their Spider-Man characters, right? Nope, instead (SPOILER ALERT), in the mid-credit of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the potential of Venom in MCU was thrown out of window to pretty much back to square one what we have here. Jeez, its like the same BS tease at the end of Morbius (even though I never seen it), or any DCEU’s cliffhangers that we’ll never get (but didn’t matter how DCEU was a complete Fuster Cluck, but again, long story).
So, with all that said, will Venom gives us an emotional farewell at the end of the trilogy, or is this another stupid film from Sony since what we’ve been like Madame Web?
Well, lets find out.
The Story
Like I said before, we were expecting to have a crossover of SonyVerse and MCU since we saw the mid-credit of “Let there be Carnage”. But alas, in the mid-credit of “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, it was pretty much flushed into a toilet after Dr. Strange restored the ripped multiverse, but I won’t drag this out long. But what about the story in this movie?
The movie begins a brief introduction of a new villain (as we assuming) name Knull, the ruler on his own dark void when he’s the creator of Klyntar (who’re happened to be Symbiotes) when he heard about the Codex. Which it turned out the Codex happened to be belong to none other than our main hero, Eddie Brock with Venom. Speaking of which, after being sent back to his home universe, he’s still a fugitive. But instead of punished of resisting arrest for not able to coop with Patrick Mulligan, Eddie is accused for murdering Mulligan (What??). So its up to Eddie for clearing his name over the death of Mulligan, but also hiding with Venom when Knull’s alien army called “Xenophage” due to Codex that Venom has when he revived Eddie when they first met.
Yeah, this whole false fugitive part is not only pretty cliché, but its also pretty dumb that, if you’ve seen “Let there be Carnage”, we all know Eddie/Venom didn’t even kill Patrick during the climatic battle with Cletus Kasady, what kind of sense does that make when he’s falsely accused of killing Mulligan, even though it was teased that he’s still alive that he has a Symbiote in his life while being “dead”, even if there’s a plotline that Eddie has to going into New York as a purpose to clearing his name, im not a lawyer expert, but maybe he could’ve going to the supreme court at Virginia, which is pretty close instead of going into the one in New York, im just saying, but its just a demonstration of easy direction. Aside that, there’s also build up in Area 55 (a secret base bellow the Area 51. Oh great, another cliché of a movie taking place in the most infamous forbidden location in US), they have more Symbiotes that they’ve been found from a long ago, which is pretty fascinating that its meant to have a build up battle between army of Symbiotes vs Knull’s Xenophage for saving Venom’s Codex, but as far as im concerned, the other Symbiotes are pretty much an afterthought that we focused too much on a potential ending relation between Eddie and Brock, which I will admit, while the writing is a broken down mess, at least il give an appreciation for small emotional relation between of two for the final time. But of course, I mentioned the writing is pretty weak, they still have some humors, but once again, it felt forced, which kinda did chuckle at some moments, but I felt both bored and annoyed that I just want to hearing some character/story developments and the action scenes.
While it may have an interesting inclusion of the Symbiotes, dealing with Xenophage and a final chemistry between Eddie and Venom, but the rest are just too cliché about false fugitive and some dumb writing.
The Presentation
The movie’s budget costs $120M, which is slightly more expensive compare to two previous films. But il give a fair credit that it looks good, for the most part.
For starter the filming locations are pretty nice, when we start in the middle of nowhere, in particular at Mexico before going to the South of US are filmed in Spain at Cartagena and even Calbanque Tegional Park. The filming background and set building are pretty nice for what they’ve done. Of course, for my best of knowledge, some scenes were either done on sets like the Area 51/55 (which is the most cliché pic for story setting) and the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, though im pretty sure the latter is they spend to filming and replicating sets in Vegas, since filming Las Vegas are pretty expensive like New York and LA.
As for the effects, while the effects of the alien monsters like Xenophage and even Symbiotes like Venom are pretty cool (which is thanks to of course, Industrial Lights and Magic, along with couple other effect companies like DNEG, Digital Domain and some others), especially the latter that I like seeing those Symbiotes, as a fan of our Lethal Protector. But as far as im concerned while the Symbiotes are there that we like to see, but alas, they’re only showing up in a brief moments, even if they’ll get bonded, they’re still in brief moments. I guess its not hard to see why the focus are Xenophage, these shapeshifting beasts are pretty much the predators towards Symbiotes, they looks cool, but terrifying.
As for the action scenes, they’re pretty good too from Eddie/Venom first fight in Mexico that unlike the previous films, they’re cooperating, which is pretty nice what they’re going. But it was only the beginning, the rest is more of a chasing away from Xenophage and the military and researchers at Operation Imperium, which is rather lame that we wanna see a fight compare the first film when Venom attacking the police force one by one. But the action scenes are sadly minimal that we only got three, which makes it rather anti-climatic, sure, the movie focuses on a final journey with Eddie and Venom, but without more than three actions, it’ll be lackluster, especially with the aforementioned broken down writing and cheap humors. Not to mention, despite we may like the action scenes, but they tried hard to add the extra violence, even if the film is PG-13, but good lord, the way they put some violence is so dumb that its cartoony like no blood bursting from the neck when Venom bites the heads off and when Xenophage eats the humans, the blood coming out from the back is soo bad, like I know its easy to make fun of fake blood that its done by CG, but Jesus, I’ve seen better blood effects from 1990s video games… Aside the cheap violence and poorly fake blood, the other effects are not bad.
The presentation of this movie aren’t as perfect with some bad effects and brief moments of Symbiotes, but the filming and the location are pretty nice, aside the use of Area 51 felt like its been done before other movies back then.
The Characters
For the last ride, you think we’re gonna have some of our familiar characters back to hopefully gets better? Well, its more like 25% of yes, and 75% of No.
Lets start off with Eddie Brock and his trusty symbiote Venom (reprised by Tom Hardy), from before, he’s meant to make a comeback of his investigation journalist career in “Let there be Carnage”, but here, he’s unfortunately going to hiding himself with his symbiote due to now being a fugitive form what happened in a climatic battle at the church. But like I said before, rather being facing charge of resisting arrest and breaking out for uncooperating with Patrick Mulligan, but here, he’s falsely accused for murdering Mulligan, which not only its super cliché, but its also pretty dumb development in order to clearing his name. Despite all that, even if he’s nervous for being with Venom, but got used to be with him, until noticing about the Codex from Venom when he was revived. Broken writing aside, their chemistry are… Actually interesting, since this the final adventure, they give a respectful relation, even if they gotta hiding themselves from both Xenophage and the military of Imperium, seeing together in their final run is actually and slightly emotional. While they’re not perfect, but il give a credit for that, especially Tom Hardy is always did a good work of his role, despite the stupid writing.
Then there’s Patrick Mulligan (reprised by Stephen Graham), from before, he was a police detective that he was demanding at Eddie for finding evidence about the victims from Cletus, even if he takes his demand way too seriously before he’s taking too personal, even if he could be an A-Hole. Here, even though he’s meant to be killed off, but it was teased that he’s revived by a Carnage’s sample with his eyes opened with glowing blue. So about his appearance, he’s unfortunately having a minimal appearance, but he only showing up for plot development about the whole evidence about Venom’s secret with Codex and Eddie’s whereabouts. Its a damn shame that he had a small appearance, especially at one moment that we do get to see him in symbiote form, but alas, we’ll never see him in action, but they never named that symbiote…! In the comic version (according to my research), his symbiote is named “Toxin”, and yes, like in the movie, Toxin is created from Carnage’s sample, which is like the third generation since from Carnage to Venom. While Stephen did a fairly descent role, but he deserves better to have an action, instead of doing nothing than giving us a plot details.
And lastly, we have Mrs. Chen (reprised by Peggy Lu) who’s Eddie’s best pal and convenience store owner, but alas, even though its surprise to see her again, but like Mulligan, she’s just making a cameo appearance. Well then, this is worthless…
As for the new characters? Well, I find some new ones are okay at the best.
First is Rex Strickland (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, aka Scar in a so-called “Remake” of The Lion King, ugh…), he’s the commander of Imperium project when based on heard about Eddie being fugitive, he’s tracking him with his symbiote for the purpose of researching about symbiotes. I find him okay at best, even though he’s not as over-the-top as Carlton Drake, but even though he oversees Imperium, he’s just there, though he’s not really a villain, but more like neutral. Though il give a credit for a nice performance to Chiwetel.
Next up, we have Dr. Teddy Payne (played by Juno Temple) she’s the scientist of Imperium that aside wants to learning about symbiotes too, but also had a personal trauma from the past when she was young, she got struck by lightning, not only having a scar on her arm, but also losing her beloved brother. I find her to be another okay character, she’s just showing up to sharing her tragic past that she wants to get over to working on Imperium, even though at some moment that it was hinted when she secretly stole a purple symbiote (probably one that its called “Agony”), though I won’t give a SPOILER if she letting her symbiote bonding or not. Aside her origin is just… There, but il also give a credit to Juno’s performance.
After that, we have Sadie Christmas (played by Clark Backo), another researcher of Imperium, but unlike Teddy, she’s much curious about the history and the life of symbiotes, especially if she wants to pick one of the symbiotes to bonding herself. This may sounds… Risky at best, when compare to Life Foundation for their testing, the symbiotes are possibly hostile to kill test subjects, unless if the symbiotes will considering which one will be the main host. Although she does got bonded, but again, no SPOILERS. I find her interesting, she’s almost relatable that she wants to know about the symbiotes, chocks up to Clark’s role.
Lastly, we we have Knull (played by Andy Serkis, aka the man with dozens of motion capture performance, and of course, the director of “Let there be Carnage”), the main villain of the movie for not only ruling his home planet, but also the creator of Symbiotes. However, he heard about the main symbiote, Venom, has a Codex that he wants to kill it for freeing himself by sending Xenophage to hunting it down, as long as he doesn’t wanting some defending Venom for… Reasonable of hostile against Venom’s Codex. This sounds like a potential plan to having the confrontation between Venom vs Knull, but it feels like he’s pretty much worthless and wasted potential, he’s just sit on his home world’s throne, looking to hunting down Venom over the Codex. Despite Andy did a nice work of his performance, but jeez, how weak he is for his development. I feel like I miss Carnage already…!
As for the rest, there aren’t much to tell, there’s the hippies family with Martin Moon (played by Rhys Ifans, aka Dr. Curt Connors or Lizard from The Amazing Spider-Man), who’s the father of Moon family who’s interested about aliens, despite living with nature, Nova Moon (played by Alanna Ubach, aka Mama Imelda from Coco) who’s Martin’s wife, Echo and Leaf Moon (played by Hala Finley and Dash McCloud) who’re the kids of the family, one of them who’s just nothing, but the other one is surprisingly have a sympathy to Eddie to cheer him up, let along with Venom.
Although, there was one character who’s the “Head of Imperium”, who’s surprisingly played by Reid Scott, the same guy who played Dr. Dan Lewis, who’s the wife of Anne Weying’s fiance. But in this movie, while he’s almost the villain in this movie, but alas, much like Knull, he’s nothing but a tease and downright questionable when they brought back the same actor from two previous movies under different role, kinda like when Robert Downey Jr. is coming back in MCU as Dr. Doom after playing as Iron Man.
While Eddie and Venom are like the main chemistry for the final run, but the characters are just mediocre for underdeveloped (minus Sadie, which I like), minimal appearance and plain overhype.
And now for my final opinion of this film.
Overall, “Venom: The Last Dance” is pretty mediocre one to end the trilogy, I would say its a mixed bag at best, but its just bellow mixed.
While I enjoy to see Eddie and Venom for the last time, the inclusion of symbiotes are promising, the actions are okay, but everything else is just poor from lame and cliché story, dumb writing, cheap violence (for being a PG-13 film), no special characters, and bellow average action.
While the first one is good for the most part, the second one is fine, but not great, though at least I enjoy Carnage, but the third and final one is probably the lamest way to end the trilogy, absolutely wasted opportunity to giving us the last ride with Venom. I don’t recommend the movie, but as far as I know, its only for die-hard fans of Venom to see it, im sure they’ll like it, but for me, its just weak to end the trilogy. Complete disappointment…
For my rating, im gonna give this one a 4/10.
So this ends of my movie review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.
Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.
