Rated: PG
My Rating: 4.5/10
he Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has taken over the
superhero genre, setting a high standard for character development, interwoven
narratives, and well-planned crossover events. However, some of Marvel’s
characters have found themselves outside the MCU under the banner of Sony
Pictures, who has been trying their hand at creating their own extended
universe of Marvel characters. Venom (2018), and its sequel Venom: Let There Be
Carnage (2021), became successful hits despite being a part of this fragmented
approach. The franchise’s final instalment, Venom: The Last Dance, was billed
as a potentially exciting conclusion to the symbiote saga, but unfortunately,
it fails to live up to its potential.
As the third and final film in the Venom trilogy, The Last
Dance follows Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his alien symbiote as they once again
try to balance their relationship, while being pursued by various powerful
forces. However, the movie falls short in multiple ways, from awkward humour to
confusing plot twists and a lack of direction in the overarching narrative.
Picking up immediately after the post-credit scene from
Spider-Man: No Way Home, Venom: The Last Dance starts with Eddie Brock being
transported to the MCU’s dimension, only to be quickly sent back to his own
reality, without any explanation or resolution. Fans had expected this event to
lead to an intriguing crossover between Venom and Spider-Man, but instead, Sony
squanders the potential of this scene by dropping it entirely. Instead of
connecting the dots with the MCU in any meaningful way, the film ignores the
multiverse plot threads from No Way Home, rendering them meaningless.
The plot then dives into Eddie’s struggle against the
government and Knull, the god-like being behind the symbiotes, who is
attempting to regain control of the Venom symbiote. This sets up an interesting
premise, yet the film falters due to its scattered narrative. The pace is all
over the place, jumping between action sequences and random character moments,
which doesn’t allow the audience to become invested in the stakes. At the same
time, the story fails to develop the characters in any meaningful way, making
it hard to care about their struggles.
Instead of using the multiverse as a potential game-changer
in Eddie's journey, Sony opts for a narrative that feels both disconnected and
aimless. The multiverse concept, which had so much potential after the end of
Spider-Man: No Way Home, is rendered largely irrelevant and largely ignored by
the plot. The movie fails to provide any real consequences or explain what the
implications of Venom’s brief visit to the MCU are. This missed opportunity
becomes one of the film’s most glaring issues—what could have been a pivotal
moment in the overall narrative of the multiverse is reduced to a forgotten
subplot.
In addition, the film introduces various new characters that
feel underdeveloped. Juno Temple plays Dr. Teddy Paine, a scientist determined
to study the symbiotes, while Chiwetel Ejiofor portrays General Rex Strickland,
an Area 51 operative who is bent on capturing the symbiotes. While both actors
are talented, their roles feel like they were written without much thought or
depth. Dr. Paine, despite her noble intentions, feels like a one-dimensional
plot device, and Strickland’s motivations as a military leader on a symbiote
hunt are cliché and underwhelming. As a result, the movie doesn’t succeed in
making these new characters feel like an important part of the story.
One of the most prevalent issues in Venom: The Last Dance is
the excessive use of humour. While humour has always been part of Venom’s
personality, this time around, the jokes feel cheap, forced, and detract from
the overall tone of the film. There’s an overwhelming need for every scene to
have a quick quip or a one-liner, no matter the context. This results in scenes
that should have been emotionally intense or action-packed feeling like comedy
sketches instead. For a character as complex and dark as Venom, constantly
cracking jokes undermines the emotional stakes and the opportunity for any real
character growth.
Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Eddie Brock is undeniably
charismatic, but even he can’t carry the weight of the film’s misguided humour.
His chemistry with Venom, which worked well in the previous instalments, falls
flat this time around. The decision to have Venom frequently interrupt Eddie
with banter and wisecracks only serves to make the movie feel more immature.
What was once a playful and entertaining dynamic now feels more like a crutch
to fill time, forcing jokes into every scene, whether they make sense or not.
This lack of balance between humour and serious storytelling
ultimately leaves the audience feeling disconnected. Instead of providing a
fitting, emotional sendoff to the character, the humour detracts from what
could have been an impactful conclusion.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Venom: The Last Dance
is how it highlights Sony’s ongoing inability to craft a cohesive and
satisfying superhero film. While Sony has had some success with Spider-Man:
Into the Spider-Verse and even with the Spider-Man movies when collaborating
with Marvel Studios, their own attempts at creating a superhero universe have
often felt disjointed, underwhelming, and uninspired.
Sony’s handling of Venom has always been a mixed bag, but
Venom: The Last Dance takes things to a new level. Instead of building on the
momentum of the previous films and incorporating the Spider-Man: No Way Home
post-credit scene into a satisfying larger narrative, Sony instead makes the
baffling choice to ignore all the exciting possibilities that were teased. The
multiverse, which was such a major theme in Spider-Man: No Way Home, is treated
with utter disregard, as if it was never meant to be explored further. What
should have been an opportunity to strengthen the connection between Venom and
Spider-Man feels like a one-off mistake that leaves fans scratching their
heads.
Moreover, the film’s tonal inconsistencies, lack of
character depth, and overall chaotic narrative demonstrate a clear gap in
expertise compared to Marvel Studios’ finely tuned approach to comic book
adaptations. Sony is clearly out of their depth when it comes to managing these
beloved characters, and it’s clear they should leave it to Marvel Studios if
they ever intend to create something truly meaningful within the larger Marvel
Universe.
Venom: The Last Dance ultimately feels like a missed
opportunity. What could have been an exciting, fitting conclusion to Eddie
Brock and Venom’s journey instead becomes an incoherent mess of poorly executed
humour, unresolved plot threads, and underdeveloped characters. The film
re-writes the established rules of the multiverse without explanation, leaving
fans feeling disappointed and confused. Even Tom Hardy, who brings a certain
charm to the character, can’t elevate the material or save the film from its lacklustre
script and direction.
In the end, Venom: The Last Dance fails to satisfyingly
conclude the trilogy or provide any meaningful payoff to the character’s arc.
Instead, it serves as a reminder that, despite the occasional hit, Sony
Pictures has yet to prove they can truly compete with Marvel Studios when it
comes to delivering a compelling comic book movie experience. And that is why I
rate this film a 4.5/10
All images and Videos are owned by Sony Pictures.