Venom: The Last Dance spoiler review: a disappointing yet entertaining conclusion

At this point, we all know exactly what we're getting from the Venom franchise. It consists of unapologetically silly movies that prioritize fun and laughs over deep narrative or any sort of meaningful character development. With that in mind, there are two options before going into the theater: turn your brain off, go with the flow, and have a good time, or roll your eyes at the countless nonsensical moments that happen within the two-hour runtime.

Venom: The Last Dance follows the same pattern to perfection. On the bright side, it offers greater heights than its predecessors and more explosive symbiotic action. On the other, it still has the same problems we've seen twice before. So the question has to be asked: is it a worthwhile watch? Or is it yet another forgettable "superhero" movie? Well, the answer is... a little bit of both.

Before we continue, be warned: There will be spoilers for Venom: The Last Dance from this point onward.

A movie carried by its third act

Let's quick things off with the positives, shall we? The third act of Venom: The Last Dance is all types of crazy in the best ways possible. The stakes are higher than ever, the villains are much more menacing and powerful than previous ones, and the emotional payoff is worth it. Getting to see multiple symbiotes team up in an effort to prevent Knull's escape was nothing short of exhilarating. Multiple theories suggested Patrick Mulligan would turn into Toxin and act as the main antagonist. However, few could've guessed he (along with other hosts) would buy time for Eddie.

Speaking of which, the villains were also a highlight of Venom: The Last Dance. Can they be compared to the likes of Thanos, Heath Ledger's Joker, or Willem Dafoe's Greem Goblin? Not in the slightest. But it's important to remember Riot and Carnage were some of the weaker aspects of the first two installments. So Knull - for as little screentime as he had - was a significant step up. Similarly, the Xenophages were truly merciless creatures that felt dangerous and unstoppable. Did any of these beings have any sort of development or emotional arc? Absolutely not. But these are the Venom movies were talking about, so "being menacing" will do.

The emotional part comes when Eddie and the Venom symbiote bid their farewells. It's a well-executed sequence that makes the most out of previous moments in the franchise to pack a bit of a punch. Will it be the last time we see The Lethal Protector on the big screen? It seems unlikely, especially since some of the symbiote's offspring are still roaming the streets. But, for now, it was a great "goodbye".

The missing potential of a finale and its source material

As entertaining as the third act of Venom: The Last Dance is, it doesn't excuse what happens throughout the rest of the movie. Poor visual effects, characters that added nothing to the story (I'm looking at you, Martin), and an excruciating amount of incoherent moments are just some of the problems that plague the movie.

Even if you try to shut your brain down and enjoy the ride, it becomes difficult when a whole family of four just casually walks into Area 51. And yes, I know the main facilities are underground now. However, many dangerous items such as acid and explosives were still above ground, so why wasn't any security around? Or what about how Eddie Brock and Mrs. Chen just casually bump into each other in Las Vegas? And let's not get into how Mulligan escaped his symbiotic cell by just breaking the glass without any major inconvenience.

The worst part is knowing just how powerful the source material is. If Sony simply traced some of the best moments in Donny Cates' Venom (2018) the result could've been much better. On that same page; it was such a missed opportunity for The Last Dance not to introduce important characters such as Carl Brock, and explore the repercussions of his abusive treatment towards his son, Eddie. That way, there could've been some semblance of character development. On the other hand, we could've seen Dylan Brock make his debut as well - setting him to take the Venom mantle from his father.

Instead, we had Rhys Ifans' character, Martin. His role was to allow the main character to see what life could've been had they formed a family, just like the Munsons did in Logan (2017). Except Wolverine did have a daughter, and his arc revolved around growing fond of her. Eddie, however, did not have a son, meaning Martin and his family didn't have a real purpose other than giving the main character a ride and a brief rest.

Many secondary characters were there just to participate in the final fight and nothing more, such as Juno Temple's Dr. Payne. Chiwetel Ejiofor's Rex Strickland did have a bit more participation throughout the movie, but his character shared nothing with his comic book counterpart other than the name. Overall; there was a lot of missed potential with the final chapter in the franchise.

Veredict: a messy, entertaining, and fitting end for the franchise

Venom: The Last Dance hits its stride during the third act thanks to flashy action sequences, unlikely team-ups, and an emotional goodbye between Eddie and the Venom symbiote. If you go with the flow, you'll realize the movie is the best in the franchise and an entertaining adventure on the surface. However, if you dig deeper, you'll find it's also filled with two-dimensional characters that serve no real purpose, many plot convenient moments, and poor VFX.

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