Venom. Image courtesy: Marvel Entertainment, Sony Pictures Releasing and Columbia Pictures
Once you parody or make fun of Venom’s most iconic lines from Marvel Comics, which he also uses in his movies, you have strayed down the wrong path. I am referring to the “We Are Venom” line that Venom and Eddie Brock simultaneously say before entering their fighting mode. That may be the one line that has stuck with me since I first heard Venom say it in the official trailer and movie.
While watching the official trailer for ‘Venom: The Last Dance,’ I was focused on the unfolding events. Then, as the metamorphosis (Venom taking over his human host body) begins, it suddenly happens. They botched the iconic line, completely throwing me off focus while watching the official trailer at that moment. Seriously, this self-poking, self-awareness, and almost fourth wall-breaking should only be for Deadpool, as that is his gimmick. It was never Venom’s to begin with, which is why it feels out of place and awkward to see him suddenly do it in this movie.
Despite dropping the ball on that opening part of the official trailer, everything else conveyed that this is the last Venom movie with Tom Hardy portraying Venom’s human host Eddie Brock. There have been rumors and reports that there will be a new actor to portray Eddie Brock, but until that is made official, those remain mere rumors and unverified reports and nothing more. I’m not interested in speculation. I only state official things that are backed up and confirmed as real.
In “Venom: The Last Dance,” Venom faces overwhelming odds as non-symbiotic aliens from his home world arrive to hunt him, leaving him vastly outnumbered. Although I did not notice any symbiotes in the official trailer, the part where Venom turned the wild horse into a Venom-ified version was cool to see! It reminded me of when Ghost Rider transformed his motorcycle, with its fiery spikes and skull design, in the Nicolas Cage-starring movie. Although the motorcycle was inanimate, the wild horse is a living creature that demonstrates the remarkable power of symbiosis and what Venom can do when he feels like it. The symbiote’s power extends beyond its host body. It can do unexpected things, and perhaps a range of its true abilities will be explored in “Venom: The Last Dance.”
On another Venom-related note, the Sony-produced Venom movies released thus far have been exceptional. In particular, the initial one garnered a total box office revenue of nearly $900 million. That was the sole justification for approving another sequel, as Venom is arguably the most widely recognized antagonist of Spider-Man. The prospect of Venom starring in his movie, without sharing the spotlight with any other characters, has long been a desire of many fans. I am a fan of the first film, and I believe the movie studio made every effort to showcase the best qualities of the Venom character and why he became a hit with comic book readers and collectors to begin with hoping to bring that same popularity into the movies. However, it is appropriate to conclude the supervillain-turned-anti-hero’s storyline at this pivotal moment as there are no further avenues to explore following the underwhelming introduction of Carnage in the previous sequel. What tasks remain at this point? That is something we will discover in “Venom: The Last Dance.”
Regarding CGI, the visual effects and action sequences in each Venom film have been impeccably executed, seamlessly integrating into each scene. Going back to the first technology, CGI, I believe we have reached the pinnacle of what it can do in the Venom movies in terms of how convincingly realistic it looks on the big screen. The improvement of CGI in Venom movies is likely to have an impact on all other Marvel-Sony movies, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and other superhero films outside of Marvel Entertainment, as other major studios can hire the same individuals responsible for it. Think of what happened to the talents behind the groundbreaking revolutionary CGI done in “Jurassic Park” at that time. They all got hired by different major studios soon after. This could happen with the people behind the CGI in the Venom movies.
So yes, when it comes to how Venom appears on the big screen, it earns a perfect score from me. Venom looked more polished in his color scheme and muscular physique. Although his iconic white tarantula emblem is still missing, who knows what could happen during or after the movie ends?
Upon further analysis, it can be stated with certainty that the Venom film franchise starring Tom Hardy has reached its conclusion. It is widely recognized that there were some errors in the previous installment, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” as Carnage is established as the archenemy of Venom, and consequently, Spider-Man. Some of the subplots did not coincide with the central narrative and could have been excluded. The presence of Carnage in the film’s title should have been sufficient to draw in viewers; however, the overall quality of the movie was satisfactory. I would rate it a 6 or 7 at the highest. Regrettably, it failed to meet expectations in certain aspects.
I hope for the best with “Venom: The Last Dance,” as it is the third and final Venom movie with Tom Hardy. Naturally, there are high expectations for the third Venom movie to be great, and it should be, as Venom is arguably the second-most popular anti-hero in Marvel Comics. In Marvel-related movies, Venom deserves to have a very strong final appearance in its upcoming third film that surpasses its previous sequel because the character is important to many comic book readers and collectors, including myself. Indeed, “The Lethal Protector” deserves this opportunity to keep on shining on the big screen.
One last thing: in the past, I have mentioned several times my love for collecting and reading Marvel Comics. It just occurred to me that I have never recommended anything when it comes to Venom. Here are the top two key issues of Venom, aside from his first appearances, that new collectors and readers can purchase if they are still available: The Amazing Spider-Man #374 and Venom: Lethal Protector #1.
Watch “Venom: The Last Dance” when it is made available in cinemas nationwide.