The “Venom” trilogy has not had the best ratings for a Marvel-affiliated series, with the original earning a whopping 30% on the Tomatometer. Fans keep it alive as they enjoy the satirical partnership of Tom Hardy’s characters, journalist Eddie Brock, and Venom, an alien symbiote who found himself seeking refuge on Earth.
The pair brought the audience rating up to 80%, prompting a second film titled “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” which was released three years after the first in 2021. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 57%, nearly doubling the original, and fans rated it slightly higher than the first.
So obviously it must go up from here, right? A steady incline in scripts and plots from the first to the second would lead fans to expect the same exponential growth to the third, an epic ending to the trilogy named “Venom: The Last Dance.”
After seeing the movie premiere on its opening night, I believe I can speak on behalf of all the fans in the packed IMAX theater when I say I am not completely sure what I watched.
Did I hate it? Definitely not. But would I watch it again? Definitely not.
So sitting in the seats of the AMC, questioning whether my A-List membership is still worth it, I found myself asking what I did not like about it, and I honestly could not tell you.
The movie had so many funny moments from when Venom saw a horse for the first time and scenes later where the alien displayed the early stages of a gambling addiction in a Las Vegas casino.
The film genuinely had the theater laughing out loud, but there was also just something so anticlimactic about it. The entire movie’s basis was on this idea Venom and Brock could not stay together because they were the key to unlocking an end to the universe, yet the threat never felt that serious or detrimental.
The ending of the film was foreshadowed heavily in the trailer, with the inevitable ending of the duo, but the build-up was very lackluster and what I thought was going to be an emotional parting of great friends was a sad yet underwhelming goodbye.
Brock and Venom’s banter truly carried the story as the plot jumped from the fugitive journalist running from the law and a scientist who dedicated her life to fulfilling her twin brother’s dream of studying aliens after his passing when they were children. Though I appreciated the side narrative, her character lacked depth except for the obvious guilt she still carried for her brother’s death, but it seems like the franchise shall see more of her after the ending concluded with her having a symbiote friend of her own.
Other than Tom Hardy’s characters, another scientist nicknamed “Christmas” kept the movie entertaining. Beyond just being a member of the scientific team in the underground research facility called Area 55, under Area 51, she also seemed to be an alien sympathizer and is really the only reason Eddie Brock is still alive.
She had her own moment with a symbiote partner who stole the show for the last major fight scene and really tied the diversity of the other Venom-like creatures into the story.
The movie did a lot of things right. It had incredible special effects and CGI as well as a comical script and great actors like Hardy himself, but where the movie lacked was suspense.
By the time the authorities or military presence at the alien research base realized the severity of the threat it was the end of the film so there was never a “hold on to the edge of your seat” moment.
Also, do not wait for the end credit unless you enjoy wasting your time. Find it on YouTube in a week or two.
After a satirical opening to the series of Venom and a much improved second, this third fell short and it seemed Rotten Tomatoes agrees with their 36% rating. Though the fans still gave an audience rating of 79%, I fear the detailed graphics and jokes couldn’t save the film for me, so instead of a series rewatch I may just skip to “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” and call it a night.
