Rating 5/10
Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiotic partner Venom (voiced by Hardy) are on the run after the apparent death of Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham). With an arrest warrant hanging over Eddie’s head, they set out for New York to clear his name. However, they soon discover that they are being pursued by a terrifying new threat—a creature called a Xenophage acting under orders from the ancient symbiote creator on Venom’s home planet of Klyntar. Knull (Andy Serkis) wants to find some lazily defined thing named the “Codex” to regain his full power. Meanwhile, Eddie and Venom’s journey draws the attention of Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a shadowy government operative at Area 51. Strickland has his own plans for the symbiotes.
Venom: The Last Dance offers enough comic book lore and plot for a picture twice its length. Luckily, the screenplay from writer and director Kelly Marcel is content to keep everything superficial and under two hours despite all the superhero mythology being bandied about. Make no mistake; this is a movie solely designed for people who saw and enjoyed the first two Venom films but thought the storytelling suffered for being too grounded and cohesive.
The saga is a silly, haphazard mess. Various random characters are sprinkled throughout the narrative, like an excess of salt on a giant pretzel already dripping with spicy brown mustard. These individuals serve little purpose other than to give speaking roles to more actors in character parts. Dr. Teddy Payne (Juno Temple) is one of Rex Strickland’s lead researchers who uncovers the truth about how Knull could use the Codex to assert his total force and wreak havoc. Along the way, Eddie and Venom encounter hippie Martin Moon (Rhys Ifans) and his carefree family, who live with an open heart and an unwavering belief in the goodness of humanity. He also reconnects with Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) in Las Vegas so they can perform a routine to “Dancing Queen” — not the classic version by Abba, mind you — but the inferior remake by the A*teens.
There is little to recommend this tale besides the action-packed narrative and an overabundance of choppy computer effects. Look at the Symbiotes as they morph and reshape! Enjoy the attacks of the Xenophage, giant, six-legged reptilian creatures with razor-sharp teeth! They’re scary but reminiscent of the Arachnids in Starship Troopers nearly three decades ago. At least the stakes are incredibly high. If the Xenophage captures Eddie and Venom, it’s only a matter of time before Knull achieves ultimate strength and purges all life from planet Earth. Eddie’s plight is compelling in the hands of actor Tom Hardy. His existential dread is believable. Although it’s hard to tell whether it’s fueled by the relentless pursuit of the Xenophage or the sheer anxiety of having to star in a third (and allegedly final) Venom film.
10-24-24