Venom: The Last Dance (2024)

Knull is played by Andy Serkis, the director of the previous Venom movie. I like that. My problem with Knull is that I wish he had been introduced as a character in the earlier Venom movies. He just sort of appears out nowhere, as does the plot point for the third movie. We always kind of knew a lot more of Venom and his kind were out there, ready to invade Earth. But you think that over the year Venom and Eddie (Tom Hardy) have been partners, Venom would have told Eddie what was out there.

The second problem with Knull is: All he needs is the Codex, and the Codex -- the key -- is too simple -- it's just the full-bond of man and symbiote. When Knull has that, he can send a tracker to retrieve the Codex, which then ends the universe. Big threat, too simple.

Even if you can overlook the simplicity of the plot, the writing is pretty lazy in parts -- just telling us what we need to know rather than taking the time to let it develop more naturally. This movie treats its viewers like they have brain damage.

Overall, just like Let There Be Carnage, the concept probably has potential, but it needed more. Maybe it just needed Guillermo del Toro, or a real master storyteller. Otherwise, it will end up being a good-looking but rather simplistic movie. And life's too short for that. Don't waste my time. Give me something amazing, please, or don't bother.

Knull does make an appearance in the short clip after the credits, but from what I've read, there is not plans for a 4th installment. So what's up with that? As disappointed as I've been in the two sequels, yeah, I probably still would go ahead and waste my time watching another Venom movie. Or at least a Venom crossover into Spider-man, maybe with Spider-man and Venom/Eddie working together to stop Knull.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

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