Eddie and Venom are on the run as fugitives after their battle with Carnage. They are chased by military force and aliens that want to capture them for their codex to unleash a greater evil in their world. Eddie and Venom venture out for a while avoiding authorities and the alien species.
I am a fan of the first Venom movie. It is not a well-made movie, but it is so entertaining because of Tom Hardy's crazy performance in both roles and the wacky humor throughout the film. The second movie is much better made mainly because of Woody Harrelson and Naomie Harris, but I actually enjoyed the first one more on a fun level. I was pretty excited for the third film and the trailers had me hooked. Does this trilogy end on a memorable last dance?
I have mixed thoughts on Venom: The Last Dance. Let's start with the good. I love Eddie and Venom's dynamic and they are at their best in this movie. They have fun chemistry and banter and it feels like they are finally starting to get along with each other a bit better. They also have a few emotional moments that can come off as cheesy, but they have charm especially one scene where Eddie reassures Martin's son that his alien friend is there to help and Venom thanks the kid for a piece of chocolate. In a movie filled with silly moments and action-packed battles, it is a really sweet moment that shows how heroic Eddie and Venom have become.
It helps that Tom Hardy is an absolute joy to watch. Hardy relishes in both of his roles and he never lets up. There are several moments of him doing stuff like going crazy at the slot machine and creating a drink at the bar by himself in a quick way. He also handles the more dramatic scenes very well making the more emotional moments work better than they should have.
Also, Venom is a very cool character here. He is funny, his powers are awesome and he does anything to protect Eddie even knowing that if they are both alive the aliens will track them down because they have a codex. Venom's antics are very endearing and it seems like he just wants to join the fun and even tries to get Eddie to join in. I love watching him take control of other animals such as a horse, a fish and a frog. Venom is so much fun to watch and he is a good reason why I enjoy these movies despite their faults.
The humor is for the most part pretty good. There is one gag that I cringed at but other than that, I got several laughs out of this movie. The banter between Eddie and Venom never gets old for me.
The action scenes are pretty entertaining. The chase scene in the river is a standout because it looks cool, it has Eddie Brock defend himself without Venom and Venom turning into other creatures. It is also frenetic and fun to see play out. The climax is also big full of cool moments, but it is a little CGI heavy. However, it features Venom on a motorcycle again and it looks great. Overall, I enjoyed the action.
The cinematography by Fabian Wagner is solid and colorful. The lighting is also on point with all of the scenes being lit well enough to see while having some flare in the shots. This is by far the best looking Venom movie filmmaking wise. The special effects are more polished and the alien creatures chasing Venom and Eddie look very menacing. Honestly, they kind of remind me of the Kaijus from Pacific Rim and I like that. There also other symbiotes in the film and they look very cool with their designs, but some of their colors blend in. The visuals are not perfect, but they are an upgrade from the last two movies.
All that said, there are a few problems I have with this movie. The biggest problem is that the script is overstuffed. I know that there needs to other plot lines to have the story come together, but some of them do not work at all. The scientists subplot is one of the most boring parts of the movie with how slowly paced it is and how the tone shifts from fun to dreary and not the good kind of dreary. The subplot with Martin and his family is okay and has some great moments, but it can drag a little too long.
The supporting cast does not hold a candle to Tom Hardy. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Rex Strickland is the best supporting performance, but his character is too unlikable to root for. Dr. Payne is kind of there until the climax. Clark Backo as Sadie Christmas is alright and she does a lot in the climax, but her character does not stand out until then. Rhys Ifans is having a lot of fun in his role as a family man who believes in aliens. While his family may have gotten a little more focus than they should have, Ifans is pretty fun to watch at times. Andy Serkis as Knull is absolutely wasted. He seems like a menacing villain, but he gets little to do aside from getting expository dialogue. By far, the weakest link in the film and wastes Andy Serkis on a limited role.
The tone is all over the place. There are moments where this movie acts like a cheesy road trip comedy with Eddie and Venom and then the next scene could be overly serious research about the symbiotes. The movie progressively darker as it goes along and it has some moments that should come off as emotional and while they kind of work because of Tom Hardy's performance and the duo's likability, they feel a bit unearned because of how comedic this series is by now. When Eddie and Venom ponder the life they could have had when in the car with Martin's family, it is hard to feel anything because they have been two goofballs most of the time. Without spoiling anything, ending is a mixed bag for me because it is sad, but not a tearjerker like the movie wants it to be.
The musical score by Dan Deacon makes no impression on me. It just sounds like generic music from any other movie. The needle drops are okay, but I wish they could find another song than Don't Stop Me Now by Queen. However, the credits song One Last Dance by Tom and Roman Morello and Grandson is really catchy and a great song to end the movie. Also, Maroon 5's Memories has a great needle drop here.
Venom: The Last Dance is an entertaining movie. It is not well-made and not even as fun as the first film, but I overall had a pretty good time with the movie despite the many issues it has. I guess I cannot help but find Eddie and Venom a lot of fun to watch. Director Kelly Marcel did a great job with the scenes with those two and with the action scenes, but I think she bit off more than she could chew with the other subplots. If you like the Venom movies, you will probably enjoy this movie but if you never them then this movie will not change your mind.
Stay through all of the credits.
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