Venom: The Last Dance had a round of early critics' reviews released from its Los Angeles premiere before full reactions to the threequel went live online.
Tom Hardy’s super-powered Sony franchise will officially come to an end with Venom: The Last Dance, which comes in as the longest of the three Venom outings. Along with Hardy, it features an impressive supporting cast, including Doctor Strange’s Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ted Lasso’s Juno Temple.
Sony hopes to get back on the right track with Venom 3 after two critical flops in 2022’s Morbius and 2024’s Madame Web, all before Kraven the Hunter closes out the year. Both of the first two Venom movies performed surprisingly well critically and financially, giving the studio hope that The Last Dance will continue that trend.
First Reviews for Venom: The Last Dance
Following the world premiere event in Los Angeles, California for Sony Pictures' Venom: The Last Dance, critics offered their first reviews and reactions on X (formerly Twitter) upon the movie's review embargo being lifted.
The Wrap Senior Writer Drew Taylor ranked the threequel as "the best of the Venom movies," explaining that it was "not perfect" but that it was "super entertaining:"
"'Venom: The Last Dance' is the best of the 'Venom' movies — the insanity has been ramped up significantly but so has the heart. It’s not perfect but it’s super entertaining and there’s a giant monster that chews people up and sprays blood out of the back of its head. Pretty nuts."
ComicBook's Chris Killian enjoyed the movie as "classic guilty pleasure cinema," seeing it as a "whacky buddy road trip" that pushes the limits of the PG-13 rating:
"'Venom The Last Dance' is a whacky buddy road trip that stretches its PG-13 rating as far as it will possibly go. Simply put - 'Venom 3' is classic guilty pleasure cinema. Turn your brains off and let Venom snack on 'em."
A second post from Killian praised the film's use of the villainous Knull and the way he was "set up...as a future threat," hoping Tom Hardy's run as Venom is not over yet:
"Knull is creepy, I loved the way they use him and set him up as a future threat. Fingers crossed this isn’t Tom Hardy’s last dance with Venom and that we’ll see him face-to-face with Spider-Man when we least expect it."
The praise continued from Digital Spy's Ian Sandwell, who felt this movie was "the most entertaining of the trilogy" and teased that fans may find themselves "getting emotional:"
"'Venom: The Last Dance' is the most entertaining of the trilogy. It's largely a funny and sweet road trip with Eddie and Venom living their 'Thelma & Louise' fugitive dreams, including car karaoke and dog rescuing. You might even find yourself getting emotional."
Screen Rant's Joe Deckelmeier was reminded of "the early 2000’s comic book movies" while also calling Venom 3 "a tribute to action films from the 80’s" from an action standpoint, even with plenty of holes:
"'Venom: The Last Dance' takes you on a wild and exhilarating journey from start to finish! It’s a fun popcorn movie that reminds me of the early 2000’s comic book movies. The action is great & is a tribute to action films from the 80’s. There’s a ton of funny moments. Are there plot holes and some issues with the story? Yes. It’s it fun? Also, yes."
"It's the most cinematic, monumental Venom movie to date," proclaimed Comic Book Movie's Josh Wilding. The highlights for him were Eddie Brock and Venom's dynamics and the final act, which he called "BONKERS:"
"I've seen 'Venom: The Last Dance' and it's the most cinematic, monumental 'Venom' movie to date. Eddie Brock and Venom's dynamic is at its strongest in this one and the stakes are so much higher. I had a LOT of fun with this one...the final act is BONKERS!"
Wilding even compared it quite favorably to 2021's Venom: Let There Be Carnage, calling it "way meatier" from a plot standpoint:
"Is it perfect? Nah, far from it. However, it's leaps and bounds ahead of 'Venom' and has a way meatier plot than 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage.' The 'Spider-Man 4' rumors have been blown out of proportion IMO, but 'Venom The Last Dance' left me wanting more of these two. And Knull (mostly)."
Longtime journalist Simon Thompson sees this film as a fun popcorn outing, telling fans to "grab some popcorn and go with the flow of this raging road movie:"
"'Venom: The Last Dance' sees Tom Hardy go all in for a fun finale befitting the franchise. With stacks of set pieces ranging from kooky to crazy, this doesn't hold back with the Venomenal action. Take it for what it is. Grab some popcorn and go with the flow of this raging road movie.
What To Take From Venom: The Last Dance Reviews
While both Venom movies failed to reach 60% Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, they both earned Audience Scores over 80%. They also combined to gross over $1.3 billion at the box office — particularly impressive since Venom 2 debuted during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Venom 3 will introduce fans to a powerful new villain in Knull, who will be easily the biggest threat to Eddie and Venom's universe to date. Trailers teased Knull's rise to power as he is revealed to be the source of all symbiotes, expectedly putting Venom in more danger than ever.
Following his brief dalliance in the MCU thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home, the natural question is if or when Venom could get a proper meeting with Spider-Man. However, considering that may be a long shot, most viewers are simply hoping for Sony to bring a fun, enjoyable movie first and foremost.
Thankfully, Venom 3 appears to already be setting up the Sony Spider-Man Universe's future after Knull first debuts in this threequel. Where the franchise goes after this movie and Kraven the Hunter is still unknown, but for now, these reviews tease at least a movie that fans should have a fun time watching on the big screen.
Venom: The Last Dance will arrive in theaters on Friday, October 26.
