Eddie Brock has always been a man on the edge, a reporter willing to risk it all for a story. But he never expected to risk his sanity, all thanks to Venom — a chaotic, venomous alien symbiote who crashed into Eddie’s life. Their relationship started as an uneasy truce, each driven by their own desires, but over time, something shifted. Venom became more than just a parasite, he became a companion, a partner in crime and against all odds a friend. But no matter how much they have grown together, the reality of their bond is impossible to ignore: messy, dangerous and the world still does not know what to make of them. As “Venom: The Last Dance” kicks off, Eddie and Venom’s relationship faces one of its most intense tests yet — even to a point of no return.
Continuing the adventures of Eddie Brock and Venom, “Venom: The Last Dance” begins with a reunion after the two’s previous clashes in the first two films. Eddie and Venom are once again thrown into a world of mayhem crawling with new symbiotes, each more deadly and unpredictable than the next. As Eddie struggles to juggle his life as a reporter and his demanding relationship with Venom, the dark god of the symbiotes, Knull, brings in a new threat. Knull, with his monstrous physical presence and power, pushes Eddie and Venom to their limits. His plans to conquer Earth amplify the stakes, making the already strained duo face an even higher level of destruction than before.
“[Knull], the god of the venom people is such a major, major character, especially because this is the person that started the whole Venom thing,” Madelyn Golden (12) said. “And this is also the reason why Venom and his [siblings] basically came to Earth. So I think that right there it shows a lot of what starts a new story inside of the story, and then it also shows like it brings a lot of more twists to the movie as well, like the plot.”
Many scenes, from high-speed chases through the streets of San Francisco to a fiery battle between Venom and Knull’s army, can be seen packed with action and heavy visuals. One standout moment to many fans comes during the climactic battle, where Venom, knowing the risks, sacrifices himself to destroy a group of evil symbiote offspring. This moment has been described as being as emotionally triggering as it is explosive, showing the emotional evolution of Eddie and Venom’s relationship. The CGI effects are meant to elevate the action to a different level of intensity that fans of the franchise have come to expect, but others have had differing opinions about the ones displayed in this movie.
“Eddie and Venom went into that place where they fought the dog [breeders] and … not even five minutes in, there was already something [going] on,” Golden said. “So I think they did really good at the pace of the movie and keeping the audience engaged. I think as well, there was never a dull moment in the movie where I was like, ‘Oh, let me get on my phone or something.’ There was just always something going on.”
However, not all scenes landed as smoothly with viewers, specifically, the depiction of the symbiote “babies” that Venom and Eddie are forced to deal with. Some viewers were thrown off by the initial portrayal of the immortality of these creatures, which turned out could only be defeated by acid. Critics and fans expressed frustrations over this choice and have called it weak.
“The acid essentially looks like lemon juice,” Joshua Salazar (10) said. “The [symbiotes] showed to regenerate insanely quickly and the acid wasn’t melting away quickly at first, that’s why Venom had to hold it together.”
“Venom: The Last Dance” also introduces a new group of “good” symbiotes released from an underground lab. These symbiotes, each with their unique abilities and personalities, continue the lore of the symbiote world. Their chaos in the release adds another layer of complexity to the plot, forcing Eddie and Venom to team up with other allies to survive. This new batch of symbiotes reminds viewers that in a world of super beings, control is often just an illusion and chaos is only just a beginning.
“I don’t feel like [the symbiotes] added too much, [but] they also weren’t insignificant,” Salazar said. “They played supporting roles in the final fights between the beast thing and Venom. They were helping him but it also showed how they lacked connection with their host; you could see how they weren’t able to react as quickly as Eddie and Venom.”
In terms of tone and atmosphere, the movie shifts away from the more lighthearted, comedic approach seen in previous movies. The film carries a more dark and serious tone, as Eddie and Venom face consequences that seem impossible to overcome. This is reflected in Tom Hardy’s performance, which has gotten mixed reviews. While his portrayal of Eddie is intense and unpredictable, some have felt that the humor and charm that once surrounded the character is being overshadowed by a more self-serious approach. Many describe the dynamic between Eddie and Venom as struggling and needing to find the balance between humor and high-stakes action.
“Eddie was kind of already like this … I want to say the homeless perspective type of man, but he was already kind of very depressed,” Golden said. “But as soon as Venom came, it was shown a lot more of how different he made [Eddie’s] life. Like there were so many layers in Eddie’s character … but I think Tom Hardy did a very, very good job. The movie seemed very real, and Eddie just seems like a very real person. He’s very depressed, but at the same time happy.”
Some fans are calling “Venom: The Last Dance” a satisfying end to the trilogy, while others are labeling it as “trash.” The mixed reviews have had an impact on its media presence, with some even questioning the financial viability of it. Despite its strong action scenes and visual effects, the film’s overall plot and controversial moments have left some fans disappointed.
“The ending was atrocious; it was the worst part of the movie and the worst part of the trilogy,” Salazar said. “Either Venom shouldn’t have died or I feel like the only reason they’re only getting rid of Venom is because it’ll be a different actor. They should’ve killed Eddie. Eddie is the most popular, which is why they focus on him, but if you’re gonna get a different actor, get a different story.”
Whether viewers loved or hated the movie, it’s hard to deny the emotional and visual depth it brings to the franchise. In the end, the bond between Eddie and Venom proves to be one of the few things that remains constant, no matter how chaotic the world around them becomes.
“[Eddie and Venom are] a lot more meaningful to each other since they’ve been with each other for so long,” Golden said. “They’ve developed this relationship where they basically only have each other. And I think that’s … so significant for another movie that they might have because it’s gonna have to show Eddie without Venom.”
