“Venom: The Last Dance”
How do you know when the party’s over? In Hollywood, it’s exceedingly difficult to tell because studios always seem to feel there’s money being left on the table, even when audiences are telling them the well has run dry. In the case of the Venom Cinematic Universe (a term I hope will catch on), the fact that the original Hail Mary project spawned a trilogy that’s coming to a close with Venom: The Last Dance is somewhat remarkable. Aside from Tom Holland’s take on Spider-Man, the Venom flicks have been Sony’s best answer to what Disney has done with Marvel. The Last Dance should have been a triumphant send-off to these bizarre, Odd Couple buddies. Instead, it’s bogged down by a generic, hyper-serious superhero storyline.
courtesy of Sony
It’s been a year since Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) was possessed by the symbiote known as Venom (also voiced by Hardy). He’s on the run after being framed for a series of murders that took place at the end of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. However, after being stalked by an insect-like alien (Xenophages), it becomes clear that Eddie and Venom have bigger problems on their hands than just the U.S. government. The Xenophages were sent to Earth in search of the Codex by a villain named Knull (Andy Serkis). He created the symbiotes, and they, in turn, trapped him in a prison that can only be unlocked by the Codex. Knull and the Xenophages will stop at nothing to get the Codex, and Venom reveals that the only way to destroy the Codex for either him or Eddie to die.
The downfall of The Last Dance is the fact that it’s bound by certain superhero genre expectations. The heart of the movie, and the heart of the trilogy as a whole, is the relationship between Eddie and Venom. They’re two weirdos stuck in the same body, struggling to find a place in the world. Their banter is undeniably charming, and you cannot help but root for the two of them to find their happily ever after – whatever that may look like for a human and a symbiote. When The Last Dance revels in Eddie and Venom’s complicated, but ultimately sweet relationship, it becomes the breath of fresh air that this genre so desperately needs. Sadly, this dynamic only makes up about 30% of the film. The rest is a super-serious story about a scientist trying to honor the dreams of her deceased twin (Juno Temple) and a military commander (Chiwetel Ejiofor) determined to track Eddie down. It’s nothing against the performers, but when the film pivots away from Eddie and Venom, the air is sucked out of the room. Audiences have seen a million-and-one stories of unlikely heroes who must stop a world-ending threat, but they haven’t seen a gigantic symbiote dance with a woman (Peggy Lu) to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.”
courtesy of Sony
Venom: The Last Dance isn’t a perfect ending to the reluctant, uncivil union between Eddie and Venom. A perfect ending would see the two of them not fighting crime at all, and instead simply become a buddy comedy of two dudes trying to figure out their relationship. The emotional heart of the trilogy is still beating as the film makes its final tug on the audience’s heartstrings. Venom: The Last Dance isn’t as weird as it should have been, but it’s still sad that this gonzo friendship will no longer be seen on the big screen.
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