Venom: The Last Dance

“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

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