With Tom Hardy donning the role of disgraced reporter Eddie Brock and his symbiote companion Venom for the third time, expectations were sky high for Venom: The Last Dance. And for a fan like myself, it was a fun tango!
This time, we are introduced to a dark force sending an army of evil alien hunters to track down symbiotes such as Venom, foreshadowing a big baddie for the extended Marvel universe.
From start to the first half, the movie moves from an on-the-run flick to one about soulful family connections with the introduction of the travelling “hippie” Moon family with Alanna Ubach as Nova Moon and Rhys Ifans as Martin Moon, along with two children. Most of the script here might be lost on a younger crowd, which form most of the audience that the marketing of such films in India pull.
However, if you are a comicbook aficionado from the ‘90s and the early 2000s, or if you loved the first two films, this is for you. I can confidently say that this is the best of the trilogy. And the dialogues, the banter—especially Venom’s part—are downright hilarious that it adds to the flow.
Director Kelly Marcel keeps it tight despite a rushed second half filled with action, sometimes at the cost of context. I feel they may have done a bit too much in the edit room closer to the plot resolution.
Juno Temple, who I adore from Ted Lasso (on Apple TV) shines as Dr Payne, despite very limited screen time. I wish Marcel used her more in the story, with the symbiotic Agony just making a short appearance.
Of course, the standout star in the second part was Clark Backo. Watch out for her as she cements her role as a mainstay in many movies to come. And yes, Peggy Lu was adorable as always in her role as Venom’s BFF Mrs Chen.
Given how graphic and crazy the source material is, Venom: The Last Dance is quite toned down and general audience-friendly. But then again, this is not a general audience film. It is niche, and it is an excellent film for fans. With all the reviews rampant on the internet today, my sincere hope is that you watch it, if you are a fan of the lore.
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Overall, I give Venom: The Last Dance a decent 3.5 out of 5 stars! It could have been better. The script is lazy in the second half, and there is a bit too much happening without setting enough context. But, I laughed, I had a great time! Sony’s anti-hero film released in India on October 24, and you can catch it in theatres now.
Who plays Knull in Sony’s Venom-verse?
[Spoilers ahead!]
Before you read any further, let me warn you that there are spoilers from hereon!
Certain scenes of Venom: The Last Dance introduce the big baddie of the symbiote universe. Often heralded as the “God of the Symbiotes” and the “King in Black”, Knull is a legend among villains for avid comicbook readers like myself. Knull’s first full appearance was in Venom #3 in 2018. But we did get a glimpse of him in the comics before, back in the 2012 issue of Thor: God of Thunder #6 featured the first glimpse of Knull, where he battled golden-armored god.
And yes, “motion-capture god” and legend among pop-culture movie enthusiasts Andy Serkis is reportedly playing Knull. For the uninitiated, Serkis is Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He also played the villain Ulysses Klaue in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Black Panther, making him canon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). He is also one of the few actors who have also taken up a role in the rival superhero universe of DC Comics as Alfred in Matt Reeves' The Batman. Let’s not forget that Serkis also directed the second part of the Venom movies at Sony, Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
I sure hope that Knull gets a bigger part to play in future MCU movies as the lines blue between Marvel and Sony universes.
Movie: 'Venom: The Last Dance'
Director: Kelly Marcel
Cast: Tom Hardy, Juno Temple, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham
Rating: 3.5/5
