Venom: The Last Dance concludes Tom Hardy’s symbiote saga with a chaotic, action-packed, and surprisingly emotional final chapter. While it doesn’t even come close to reaching the same level as other good superhero flicks, it delivers enough thrills, humor, and heart to satisfy fans.
Venom: The Last Dance follows Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his alien partner Venom as they find themselves hunted by enemies from both their worlds. With the noose tightening around them, Eddie and Venom face increasingly dire choices, pushing their strained partnership to its limits. The stakes have never been higher, and the movie leans into the emotional fallout of their symbiotic bond in a way that feels natural and, at times, unexpectedly touching.
Tom Hardy continues to shine in his dual role. Hardy continues to fully embrace the chaotic interplay between Eddie’s sarcasm and Venom’s over-the-top bravado. Their banter remains a highlight, providing much-needed lightness amidst the more intense plot points. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Juno Temple also make memorable impressions, though some of the supporting cast feels underutilized.
Director Kelly Marcel, who co-wrote the screenplay with Hardy, balances the franchise’s signature absurd humor with moments of genuine emotion. The result is a film that’s tonally uneven but undeniably entertaining. The action sequences are bigger and flashier than ever. Yet, the heavy reliance on CGI in some scenes makes the action feel overwhelming rather than exhilarating.
Overall, while Venom: The Last Dance doesn’t fix all the flaws of its predecessors, it sticks the landing by focusing on what has always worked: the dysfunctional yet endearing relationship between Eddie and Venom. For fans of the franchise, this is a must-watch conclusion. For everyone else, it’s a solid, if slightly messy, popcorn flick with enough personality to stand out from the muck of Sony’s own Spiderverse. The movie might not be perfect, but it’s an entertaining and heartfelt farewell to Eddie and Venom’s bizarre journey.
Movie Review: 3.5/5 atoms
Video
Venom: The Last Dance is available on Ultra HD Blu-ray in a native 4K, HEVC / H.265, Dolby Vision/HDR10 presentation with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Venom: The Last Dance delivers exceptional video quality. The pristine contrast is immediately striking, with bright highlights and inky blacks that add depth to the picture. Colors are equally impressive, bursting off the screen, with Dolby Vision enhancements providing an extra layer of vibrancy. Symbiote primaries receive a noticeable boost, while elements like Mrs. Chen’s shimmering red Vegas gown and the lush reds, oranges, and greens are rendered stunningly. Detail clarity is another standout feature, as the symbiotes’ razor-sharp tendrils and refined textures are captured with remarkable precision.
Video Review: 5/5 atoms
Audio
Venom: The Last Dance is available on Ultra HD Blu-ray with a Dolby Atmos or a 7.1 Dolby TrueHD audio presentation if Atmos is not supported. This review will cover the Blu-ray’s Dolby Atmos mix. The Atmos mix for Venom: The Last Dance is equally impressive, providing an immersive and dynamic sound experience. Smooth and precise panning transitions envelop viewers in the action and create a rich and engaging soundstage. The dome-like mix remains consistently active, while overhead effects are not overly prominent. Atmospheric effects are key in enhancing the experience, with ambient sounds frequently filling the soundscape to maintain an active and engaging auditory environment. Dialogue is clean and clear, allowing conversations to come through crisply even amidst the chaos. The subwoofer also gets its fair share of attention. Venom’s deep, resonant voice adds weight and intensity to every line, accompanied by impactful bass punctuating the film’s most intense moments.
Audio Review: 5/5 atoms
Special Features
Venom: The Last Dance has no bonus features on the Ultra HD disc. However, the following bonus features can be found on the HD Blu-ray disc:
- Venomous Laughs: Outtakes & Bloopers
- Author of Mayhem: From Writer to Director
- Venom Unleashed: The Action and Stunts
- Bonded in Chaos: Tom Hardy
- Venom’s Inner Circle
- Brock Bottom: Mrs. Chen Interview
- Savor the Last Bite: The Venom Legacy
- Deleted & Extended Scenes
- From Bar to the Abyss
- Dog Fight
- Strickland’s Pursuit
- Venom’s Guilty Pleasure
- Toxin’s Warning
- Penthouse
- Xenophage Landing
- Select Scene Previs
- Airplane
- Desert
- Lab Attack
- One Last Dance – Tom Morello x Grandson
Features Assessment
Despite a long list of features, the bonus features are a bit underwhelming. They’re mostly EPK-type featurettes and promotional items. Interesting, but nothing insightful. There are a few focused segments, like “Venom Unleashed” or “Venom’s Inner Circle,” but none are long or in-depth.
Finally, to celebrate the Ultra HD home release of Venom: The Last Dance, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has also released a special steelbook edition. This glossy finish steelbook features Venom in the front (see above) and an extension of the tendrils in the back. Inside, you’ll find the symbiote horse with Eddie riding it.
Special Features Review: 2.5/5 atoms
Overall, Venom: The Last Dance is not the best comic book movie, but the film is still mindlessly entertaining. I say that in the nicest ways because sometimes we need that escapism with mindless entertainment. The video and audio presentations are dazzling, but the bonus features are underwhelming content-wise.
Overall Review: 4/5 atoms
Venom: The Last Dance hits stores on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on January 21st.
This Blu-ray was provided by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for review purposes.
