Venom: The Last Dance arrives as the final chapter in Tom Hardy’s solo Venom trilogy. The film closes out the story of Cletus Kasady, better known as Carnage, who has spent two movies trying to kill everyone in his path. This time, he gets his wish. The movie runs nearly three hours and leans heavily on spectacle over character, with a script that struggles to balance Hardy’s two performances. It is a loud, messy finale that lands some hits but leaves you wishing for a tighter edit.
Trailer, via Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Opening With Carnage
The film opens with Cletus Kasady, now fully merged with the alien symbiote, rampaging through New York City. The action is fast and brutal, with Carnage slicing through crowds and demolishing buildings. The practical effects hold up well, and the creature design remains distinct enough to stand apart from the MCU’s trend toward digital monsters. Hardy plays both sides of Kasady, switching between his human rage and the symbiote’s cold logic with a physicality that makes the performance feel lived-in.
“I’m not a monster. I’m a man.”
That line, delivered early in the film, sums up the central tension. Kasady believes he is justified in his actions, while the world sees him as pure evil. The film spends a good chunk of runtime exploring why he turned, digging into his childhood trauma and the failures of the system that put him in prison. It is a rare moment where the movie slows down to let the audience understand its villain.
The Symbiote’s Return
Venom returns late in the film, after a lengthy stretch focused on Carnage’s reign of terror. His arrival sets off a chain reaction that forces the two symbiotes to confront each other directly. The climax is a massive showdown that tests both hosts’ limits. Hardy carries the weight of playing two roles simultaneously, and the film leans on his physicality to sell the fights. The choreography is solid, but the pacing suffers in the back half.
The film also introduces a new character who becomes a bridge between the two symbiotes. This person is caught between the two forces, and their journey adds a layer of humanity to the otherwise cosmic conflict. Their arc is thin, but it gives the film a human anchor amid the chaos.
What Works
The film has a few moments that justify the runtime. The opening sequence is a strong example of how to build tension without dialogue. The chase scenes through New York are well staged, with the city serving as a living obstacle course. The action sequences are energetic, even when they drag in the middle.
Hardy’s dual performance remains the film’s strongest asset. He finds small details to differentiate Venom from Carnage, from the way they move to the way they speak. The film also benefits from a supporting cast that includes returning characters from previous entries. These actors ground the story in familiar territory, making the larger stakes feel personal rather than abstract.
What Doesn’t Work
The film’s biggest problem is its pacing. The middle section drags, with too much time spent on setup and not enough payoff. Some scenes feel like filler, existing only to pad the runtime. The editing could have tightened the narrative significantly, cutting away the slow stretches that bog down the film’s momentum.
The script also struggles with tone. The film tries to be both a serious drama about a man’s descent into evil and a popcorn blockbuster about giant creatures fighting. These two tones clash, and the result is a film that feels scattered. The humor, when it comes, often falls flat, landing as jokes that undercut the tension rather than adding levity.
The Carnage Problem
Carnage is the film’s main antagonist, and he is a mixed bag. The character is a classic Spider-Man villain, but the film treats him as a standalone threat rather than a foil for Spider-Man himself. That decision removes a key element of the source material, and the film suffers for it. Kasady’s motivations are understandable, but the film never quite commits to making him a tragic figure. Instead, he becomes a cartoonish villain, which undercuts the emotional weight of his arc.
The film also fails to properly connect Kasady’s past to his present actions. The trauma of his childhood is mentioned, but the film does not explore how those experiences shaped his worldview. This omission leaves the audience questioning why he turned, which weakens the stakes of the final confrontation.
The Symbiote’s Legacy
The film ends with a cliffhanger that sets up a potential future for Venom and his symbiote. The ending is open-ended, leaving room for a sequel. Whether that sequel will arrive depends on box office numbers, which the film will need to meet to justify further investment.
The film also leaves some questions unanswered. The fate of the new character introduced earlier is left hanging, and the audience is left wondering what happens to them. These loose threads give the film a sense of incompleteness, which is disappointing given how much time was spent building them up.
A Messy Finale
Venom: The Last Dance is a messy but occasionally thrilling finale to a trilogy. The film is ambitious in scope, attempting to tie together years of storytelling while introducing new threats and characters. It succeeds in moments, particularly when Hardy is on screen, but it stumbles when it loses focus.
The film’s strengths are its performances and its action. The weaknesses are its pacing and its tonal confusion. It is a film that tries to do too much in a limited runtime, and that ambition shows in its unevenness.
If you are a fan of the franchise, there is plenty to enjoy here. The action is exciting, the performances are strong, and the story has a satisfying conclusion. If you are looking for a polished blockbuster, this film may fall short. It is a film that rewards attention but punishes patience.
The film is not a masterpiece, but it is not a failure either. It is a middling entry in a trilogy that has always been defined by its ambition. The trilogy ends with a whimper rather than a bang, which is a shame given how much promise the series had at its outset.
Here is how the film’s elements rank:
- Performances — Hardy’s dual roles are the standout.
- Action — The fights are energetic and well staged.
- Story — The plot is convoluted but mostly coherent.
- Tone — The film struggles to find its footing.
- Pacing — The middle section drags severely.
Venom: The Last Dance is a flawed but entertaining finale. It is a film that will satisfy fans of the series while frustrating general audiences. The trilogy ends on a note that is both satisfying and anticlimactic. The film earns a 6.7 out of 10.
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