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Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Venom: The Last Dance

also known as “Venom 3,” “Venom 3: Ostatni taniec,” “Venom: A Última Dança,” “Venom: A Última Rodada,” “Venom: Az utolsó menet,” “Venom: El Último Baile,” See all »
MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating for intense sequences of violence and action, bloody images and strong language.

Reviewed by: Eric Tiansay
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Young-Adults Adults
Genre: Sci-Fi Action Horror 3D Sequel
Length: 1 hr. 49 min.
Year of Release: 2024
USA Release: October 25, 2024 (wide release—4,131 theaters)
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Relevant Issues

Learn about spiritual darkness versus light

Anti-heros in films

Similarities between the villain Knull and Satan and his demons

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Extraterrestrial symbiotes / alien creature transformation

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Being possessed as a host to a symbiote (demon-like evil parasite) / 2 entities sharing 1 body

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Extraterrestrial intelligent life

What does the Bible say about intelligent life on other planets?

Are we alone in the universe?

Does Scripture refer to life in space?

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Featuring Tom HardyEddie Brock / Venom
Juno TempleDr. Payne / Agony
Alanna UbachNova Moon
Rhys Ifans
Stephen GrahamDetective Mulligan
Chiwetel EjioforRex Strickland
Andy SerkisKnull, creator of the symbiotes who seeks Eddie and Venom’s codex to free himself
Hala Finley … Echo
See all »
Director Kelly Marcel
Producer Marvel Entertainment
Columbia Pictures
See all »
Distributor

“Venom: The Last Dance” has finally sashayed into movies theaters, but Christian families may reconsider whether they should waltz over to watch the final film in this anti-superhero trilogy.

“The Last Dance” and its tagline, “Til death do they part,” both reference the bond between former investigative TV reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and the symbiote alien Venom (also voiced by Hardy).

Picking up in the aftermath of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” “The Last Dance” sees Eddie and Venom on the run from both Earthly authorities for the murder of Detective Mulligan (Stephen Graham) and military-led scientific task force, including scientist Penny Payne (Juno Temple)—who is capturing and studying alien symbiotes on Earth. On the military side, General Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor) seeks to weaponize American soldiers with the symbiotes.

On top of that, Eddie and Venom are being tracked by a giant reptilian alien monster called a xenophage sent by Knull (an unrecognizable Andy Serkis, who directed 2021’s “Venom: Let There Be Carnage”). Describing himself as the “God of the Void.” Knull is the creator of both the symbiotes and the xenophage, as well as being older than the universe.

The evil villain was imprisoned on a distant planet by the symbiotes. But Venom holds the genetic key or Codex that can set him free to travel to Earth, kill all the people and rule the planet.

Does that sound like a convoluted and hard-to-follow plot? It sure is, but the buddy road film, which actually references “Thelma and Louise,” actually offers a semi-fun ride, with plenty of humor, lots of CGI action, and unexpected dramatic and emotional moments.

The movie also have some strong redemptive components, including advocating protecting the weak and helpless, tender-heartedness, doing what’s right, bravery and acts of heroism, and self-sacrifice.

However, buyer beware regarding “The Last Dance.” Although it’s rated PG-13, it’s not a family-friendly film. In fact, “The Last Dance”—arguably—should have been rated R for its excessive profanity and brutal violence, but for some reason it is not.

The film features more than 25 obscenities, including the blatant use of the “f” word on more than one occasion. It was especially jarring hearing the strong expletives along with my two youngest boys, aged 13 and 15.

The Bible is crystal clear about cursing.

“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.” —Ephesians 5:3-4

“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” —Colossians 3:8

VIOLENCE: “The Last Dance” has several bloody images, including people—albeit bad guys—having their heads decapitated and eaten for a snack as well as the xenophage chomping on humans with its multiple wood chipper-like teeth.

Perhaps the best part of the movie is when the fugitives on the run encounter and hitch a ride with Martin’s (Rhys Ifans) family to Las Vegas. Both Eddie and Venom experience a bond to the alien-obsessed parents (Martin and his wife, Nova, played by Alanna Ubach) and their two children, Leaf (Dash McCloud) and Echo (Hala Finley) during the trip.

The third act in the infamous Area 51 of the Nevada desert featuring the family has some surprising and touching as well as redemptive moments.

With a $120 million budget before marketing, “The Last Dance” is expected to top the box office domestically and globally, with the threequel from Sony opening a lower-than expected $52 million from 4,131 theaters, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In comparison, the first “Venom” opened in North America to $80.2 million in 2018, then a record for October. “Venom: Let There Be Carnage”—the second installment—debuted in October 2021 to $90 million, which boosted theaters still recovering from the pandemic and gave a huge win for Sony, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Directed by Kelly Marcel, “The Last Dance” has Hardy co-writing the script with Marcel—-his longtime creative partner, who makes her directorial debut with the film.

Although the series has never been a hit with critics, the latest installment only has a 37 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and the latest movie earned a franchise-worse B—CinemaScore from audiences, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The bottomline for “The Last Dance”: Christian families should be wary to take their children to tango with Eddie Brock and his buddy, even if it’s their last go around.

CONTENT WATCH: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, bloody images and strong language, “The Last Dance” features the f-word being used once and is paired with “mother” at least twice. Besides the S-word is used 13 times. Vulgarities, including “d*ck,” “p*ss,” “a**,” and “b**ch,” are also used. God’s name is used in vain 9 times, including two instances that are paired with “d**n,” while Jesus’ name is used in vain 4 times. Also heard are “h*ll” and “d*mn.”

Knull is creepy and will be very scary, especially for small children. The intense violence includes numerous gun use, killings, explosions, monsters going after and devouring people and other creatures, four heads of people are bitten off by a symbiote, a monster’s tendrils stabs and impales people and other creatures, aliens are splattered with acid, incurring bloody wounds.

A character complains about feeling “drunk and hungover” simultaneously. “We are drunk!” Venom exclaims. There are other liquor scenes, and Eddie encounters an intoxicated individual in Las Vegas who urinates on him.

  • Profane language: Very Heavy
  • Vulgar/Crude language: Very Heavy
  • Violence: Heavy
  • Drugs/Alcohol: Moderately Heavy
  • Occult: Minor
  • Nudity: None
  • Sex: None
  • Wokeism: None

Build your DISCERNMENT—wisdom in making personal entertainment decisions

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Secular Movie Critics
…The lack of coherent stakes matters less than the general feeling that the movie is bad on purpose, in addition to being bad accidentally… “The Last Dance” isn’t a lark but a smirk to let you know that while everyone may be aware of what it’s up to, you’re the sucker who bought the ticket.
Alison Willmore, Vulture (New York Magazine)
Moronic alien trilogy finally ends — good riddance… The ending means to stir our emotions, and it does inspire one: relief that it’s over. …[1/4]
Johnny Oleksinski, New York Post
…Much of the shtick involves Eddie playing straight man to the symbiote cutup… or enduring a family singalong to “Space Oddity”…
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
…the potential inherent in the creature has been wasted and squandered over the course of three movies and this final installment is the worst offender of all. …
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
…Tom Hardy can’t save plot-heavy sequel… If this is what Sony thinks the “Venom” movies should be like, they can keep it. What a lousy way to say goodbye. No greatest hits. Just a strikeout.
William Bibbiani, The Wrap
“Venom: The Last Dance,” and thank God for that… None of its the least bit interesting, with only an occasional laugh landing amidst the mayhem and PG-13 profanity. The pacing is slow, the Spanish scenery (meant to be Mexico, Area 51, et al) generic. …[1/4]
Roger Moore, Movie Nation
…silly Marvel franchise wraps things up in a patchy final adventure that needed a tighter, and funnier, script… [2/5]
Benjamin Lee, The Guardian [UK]