The Stream: No real storyline for something ending a series.

The Big Screen: Buddy banter, chuckles, and action sequences.

The Final Bill: A pointless movie with a couple laughs and decent fights.

– S2S: Movie Review
Director: Kelly Marcel
Writers: Kelly Marcel, Tom Hardy
Stars: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Superhero, Thriller
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, bloody images and strong language.
Runtime: 1 hour 32 minutes (mid credit and end credit scene)
Production Companies: Columbia Pictures, Arad Productions, Hutch Parker Entertainment
Platform: Released in theaters October 26, 2024
Notable Trailers: Gladiator 2, Thunderbolts, Love hurts, Nosferatu, F1, Kraven the hunter, One of Them Days

Welcome back, Streamers! This week instead of catching Terrifier 3, like we should have, I trekked to the theater to see the “end” of another trilogy, Venom: The Last Dance.  This movie continues following Eddie Brock and your favorite parasitic symbiote, Venom, as they are tracked by a big bad trying to get rid of them.  Buddy road trip comedy ensues.

I’ll say this,  you do not need to see the other two movies to get enjoyment out of this film.   This installment recaptures a little bit of the odd couple bantering relationship from the other movies.  James Hardy and symbiote Hardy are entertaining but not to the same degree as the first two.   What the relationship and movie lack is the stark difference between the two characters.   Brock was investigative journalist and Venom a wild, head eating, smart mouth.  The dichotomy between the characters and friction over control in the partnership made the story worth watching.   In this movie, we more have Eddie being taken along for a ride and some bickering.   The characters always feel like they are on the run versus the previous movies where they were trying to figure out a mystery and reluctantly protect everyone from the bad guys of Venom’s past.  Either way, this movie feels like there’s no plot going on in order for this to be the last dance.  On top of that, the movie introduces new characters as if this isn’t supposed to be last movie.  It’s confusing that they don’t do much with it and honestly the viewer doesn’t gain much from it.

With that said, the Venom is still Venom and that’s entertaining.   The action sequences are pretty good and fluid. There’s definitely a step up in CGI from the previous installments. Who doesn’t enjoy watching a Venom horse run? Nevertheless, the “villain” of this movie is lifeless.   This is a stark drawback from Let There Be Carnage and the vicious and insane portrayal by Harrelson as Carnage.

Needless to say, Venom: The Last Dance while a quick watch feels like a waste of time due to the lack of storyline for the end of a trilogy.   Viewers will enjoy some laughs with Venom and action sequences but ultimately will feel left wanting.  Wait for Venom: The Last Dance to hit a streaming service and enjoy a handful of popcorn.