Venom 3: The Last Dance

Venom: The Last Dance (2024) – A Chaotic Finale to Eddie Brock’s Journey

Venom: The Last Dance, directed and written by Kelly Marcel, is the final installment in Sony’s Venom trilogy. Released in 2024, the film marks the end of Eddie Brock’s journey with the alien symbiote Venom. While the movie delivers plenty of action, banter, and high-stakes tension, it also struggles under the weight of its sprawling plot and tonal imbalance.

The story picks up after the events of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Eddie Brock and Venom are fugitives, hiding in Mexico while being blamed for the murder of detective Patrick Mulligan. As they attempt to flee to New York and clear Eddie’s name, a greater threat emerges: Knull, the god of the symbiotes, has sent a terrifying creature known as a Xenophage to capture them. Knull seeks the “Codex,” a powerful genetic memory embedded within Venom and Eddie’s shared existence.

At the same time, a secretive government agency called the Imperium, operating from Area 55, is hunting symbiotes for scientific experimentation. Led by characters played by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Juno Temple, the Imperium adds another layer of danger and conflict to Eddie’s increasingly desperate situation. The plot stretches across multiple locations, from alien-infested laboratories to an unexpected detour in Las Vegas, where the film briefly dives into absurd comedy before shifting back into intense action.

Tom Hardy once again shines in his dual role as both Eddie and the voice of Venom. His performance is committed and full of quirky energy, maintaining the unique chemistry between man and symbiote that has defined the series. The odd couple dynamic is still funny and touching, even as the story around them becomes increasingly chaotic. However, many critics felt that the film leans too heavily on familiar tropes while trying to juggle too many narrative threads.

Visually, The Last Dance is a mixed bag. While some set pieces—like a mid-air symbiote battle and horseback chases—are well-executed and thrilling, others are buried under overwhelming CGI. The final confrontation with Knull’s forces is explosive but cluttered, and the emotional stakes often get lost in the noise.

Critics have offered mixed reviews. While fans appreciated the humor and Hardy’s energetic presence, many felt the film was overstuffed, lacking the emotional impact or clear direction of a satisfying finale. The pacing is erratic, bouncing between heartfelt moments and jarring tonal shifts, with the plot growing increasingly hard to follow. That said, the film does deliver a sense of closure, and a few surprise cameos and a post-credit scene leave open the possibility for future symbiote-related projects.

In summary, Venom: The Last Dance is a wild, messy, and occasionally entertaining send-off. Though far from perfect, it brings the trilogy to a fitting close for fans who have followed Eddie and Venom’s bizarre but endearing journey. While the film may not win over critics, it gives audiences one last chaotic ride with Marvel’s most eccentric antihero duo.