Venom: The Last Dance Movie Review – The Symbiote Saga’s Final Installment Washes Away the Sour Taste of Joker 2

Apart from Deadpool & Wolverine, comic book movies aren’t having a great 2024. The knives have also been sharpened in the lead-up to Venom: The Last Dance, especially since Sony’s Spider-Man Universe is seen with the same disdain as a moldy rat in a sandwich. Is it a necessary sequel? No. Is it inevitably leading to some other spinoff or goofball idea from Sony Pictures? Yes. But is it a lot of brainless fun that cleanses away the dreadful stench of Joker: Folie à Deux? Oh, hell yes!

Written and directed by Kelly Marcel, Venom: The Last Dance takes the insanity to the max as Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and his symbiote, Venom, hit the road on the way to New York, where he hopes to blackmail an old acquaintance into letting him stay in the city and start a new life away from the fallout of the events of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Unfortunately, Knull (Andy Serkis), the menacing god of symbiotes, wants to free himself from the shackles of the prison he’s trapped in, so he sends his faithful alien goons to find the Codex that holds the key to unlock him from his private hell. And guess who holds the Codex? At the same time, the military chases after Eddie and Venom for their own specific reasons.

The story makes no sense, but who’s keeping track here?

But why does the Codex work this way? Well, search me and it’s unlikely the filmmakers gave it too much thought either as it operates like any old amulet in a fantasy movie – it’s a plot device. Look, watching Venom: The Last Dance for the story is sort of like watching an adult movie for the acting. This isn’t Aaron Sorkin or Charlie Kaufman, nor does it hold any subliminal theme about the meaning of life. It’s a buddy comedy through and through where it shows how far the bond between Eddie and Venom extends. At its heart, it’s a tale about friendship and learning to trust others, so keep the expectations at the appropriate level and don’t complain when it isn’t The Godfather. 

Kelly Marcel also achieves the right balance in tone that the previous Venom films struggled to find. The first Venom took itself a little too seriously in places, while Venom: Let There Be Carnage committed to the campiness too much. However, Venom: The Last Dance knows when to hit the goofy accelerator or tap the brakes to let the audience understand the gravity of the situation.

Tom Hardy summons the sensational symbiosis of two roles here

Much of the tonal success comes down to Tom Hardy who carries the movie as both Eddie and Venom. After three movies, he knows how to flip the switch and carry a whacky conversation between the two characters – and it never gets boring to see their exchanges and banter. Another surprising standout is Rhys Ifans who plays the hippie Martin Moon. Martin and his family are mostly nothing burgers in this film as they search for aliens, but Ifans oozes charm and affability in every scene he appears in. It’s a welcome reminder of how he’s such a talented comedic actor in his own right.

On the negative side, Andy Serkis’ Knull barely features, while Juno Temple’s Dr. Teddy Payne feels lost in the film. Her motivations seem murky and like there are a few scenes that might have ended up on the cutting room floor to make space for other parts of the story. In almost every scene, Clark Backo’s Sadie Christmas outshines Dr. Payne purely because there seems to be more emotion and drive behind her actions. Look, her character arc also seems to fall into the “just go with it” category, but she establishes herself as an altogether more memorable character.

Come for Venom Horse, stay for the song and dance

Venom: The Last Dance expands the entertainment beyond Venom simply chomping on heads and using his tentacles. Yes, he still does it a lot here and the symbiote action scenes provide all the chaos and carnage expected, but there’s way more to Venom: The Last Dance that should delight those who want more madcap mayhem. Like the trailer showed, the majesty of Venom Horse delivers in gallops, and there are more animals that the symbiote bonds with – albeit briefly. 

Venom also sings and dances in this movie, but before you lose your mind about this addition and question what is happening to comic book movies in 2024, listen up – it’s done in the most imaginative and hilarious way possible. Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix must be fuming to see how Venom kills it here. Don’t be surprised to shake your head, laugh, and think, “I can’t believe I just saw that,” several times throughout this film.

Is Venom: The Last Dance good?

Venom: The Last Dance caters to people with a sense of humor and who don’t take themselves too seriously. Of course, it’s a stupid movie and entirely outrageous, but this series always valued fun over substance – in the same vein as Gremlins, Tremors, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. None of this is meant to be taken seriously at all. Sony’s Spider-Man Universe suffers from a severe crisis of identity, but the Venom films have always run with the shenanigans and embraced blurring the lines between sci-fi, superhero, and comedy. So, sit back, relax, and offer your brain up to the symbiote for one last time. 

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