“Venom: The Last Dance” is an offshoot of the Marvel Universe.
Director Kelly Marcel, who co-wrote and co-produced the previous two “Venom” entries in 2018 and 2021, is in the director’s chair for the third round.
Peggy Lu, as Mrs. Chen, returns from the two previous superhero actioners. Mrs. Chen bumps into Venom, Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy, who co-wrote the script), in Las Vegas.
Venom is on the run from symbiotes (a fictional alien race) from another planet who don’t like the fact that Venom, a symbiote himself, is running around free on Earth.
The movie is decent, but the Marvel Universe executives have gotten a little too big for their britches.
The dedicated fans don’t seem to agree, however. “Venom: The Last Dance” has ruled at the box office for three weeks at press time and doesn’t seem to be losing steam.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, who plays Strickland, a disgruntled higher-up in the military, also appeared in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” a 2022 Marvel superhero fantasy.
Rhys Ifans, who appeared in “Notting Hill” (1999) and “The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012), plays a family man named Martin. He’s traveling in a van with his family to Area
51, which is about to be decommissioned. Of course, Venom is part of the shenanigans as well.
The movie’s pacing is fine. It held my interest all the way through.
Hardy, who has melted into other bodies three times now as the title character, seems quite comfortable in the role.
I’m old school. I don’t mind superhero movies like some critics do.
I enjoy going along for the ride and the imagination. Stan Lee, the great Marvel comic book writer and editor who is no longer with us, is the father of all the superhero movies.
I liked the second “Venom” sequel, but I did not love it. It was a good time, but not a great time. The special effects were only so-so and lacked imagination.
Grade: C
