Space Oddity

A very ‘meh’ conclusion

Eddie Brock and Venom (both played by Tom Hardy) have now become fugitives, but that’s the least of these problems. They’re also being hunted by a Xenophage, an alien being who can detect them when they’re in full symbiote mode. The Xenophages are the servants of Knull (Andy Serkis), the creator of the symbiotes. To escape from his prison, Knull requires the Codex, a MacGuffin that Eddie and Venom possess.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the duo is also being hunted by Imperium, a mysterious government agency located under Area 51. The organization’s lead scientist is Dr. Teddy Paine, played by a miscast Juno Temple. I’m a fan and have seen her be good in other things, but Temple was not hitting the same note as Leonard Nimoy as Spock, who’ll see this totally horrific alien being and just go “Fascinating.”

Outside of Ted Lasso, Temple is mostly a dramatic actor. However, I think Paine would have been better if they allowed Temple to be a more perky mad scientist, like the one in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (spoilers). Instead, it’s a mostly serious role where Paine has this whole subplot where she became a xenobiologist to honor  her brother, who was killed in a freak accident that also crippled her arm. 

Other members of Imperium include General Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who hates aliens and cares about his men, wanting to get revenge on Eddie for killing one of them. Sadie (Clark Backo) proudly wears a Christmas pin her mom made year round, is more wary of the symbiotes, and might have a crush on Paine. That’s it as far as character development for either of them goes.

Imperium is also being led by a shadowy figure whose face we never see, but you can tell it’s Reid Scott because of his voice and distinctive head. Scott previously played Dr. Dan Lewis in the first two Venom movies. And before you go thinking that this is simply an actor playing more than one character (NSFW) in the same franchise, Scott is still credited as “Dr. Dan Lewis.” So, was the kindly doctor from the first two movies the leader of the Illuminati all along?

Other Thoughts

Thinking about Scott’s character too much is not worth the effort. Venom: The Last Dance is a movie where plot and character is secondary to the wacky antics of our two lead characters. For instance, Venom’s concern over the Xenophage depends entirely on what’s funnier. He drops Eddie from an airplane in flight to avoid being detected but then partakes in a completely unnecessary dance number with convenience store owner Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) later on.

That said, Last Dance takes itself a bit more seriously than the second film, probably because this is supposed to be the grand finale and all. While hitchhiking, Eddie/Venom gets picked up by the Moons. While traveling, the patriarch Martin (Rhys Ifans) leads the hippie family in a sweet moment where they all sing “Space Oddity” by David Bowie.

That’s actually my favorite part of the movie. Sure, it’s random as hell, but it’s the only stretch of the film that feels authentic and not factory assembled. What with Venom/Eddie reflecting on how a family life wouldn’t be so bad, or the subsent scene where Eddie bonds with Leaf Moon (Dash McCloud) and talks with Martin about the Nierika.

Except, after the Moon family drops Eddie and Venom off, they don’t disappear for the rest of the movie like I thought they would. They decide to visit Area 51 that very night and get caught in the crossfires of a symbiote and Xenophage battle. That’s the point where the Moons really started to feel unnecessary, like that Russian family in the theatrical cut of Justice League.

I was previously complementary of Venom: Let There Be Carnage for at least being fun, but Last Dance had me back to going ‘meh.’ There are a few moments that had me laughing, but mostly I think I’ve grown tired of the MCU’s whole brand of humor and the people who are trying to replicate it. That said, Venom: The Last Dance is far from unwatchable. So, if this is your cup of tea, go enjoy it.