Venom: The Last Dance does have its moments, but it ultimately lands as another disappointing entry in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.

Those who have thus far enjoyed Tom Hardy’s take on Eddie Brock and his offbeat bond with Venom will likely continue to find some fun here. The banter and arguments between them remain amusing, even bordering on heartfelt at times. However, for the supposed end of Hardy’s Venom trilogy, it’s fair to expect more – especially on an emotional level.

In my opinion, the film’s main issue lies in its storyline, which feels thin and poorly structured. The narrative leans on a road-trip setup that’s peppered with unlikely coincidences and includes a puzzlingly random family subplot. And the supporting characters – they don’t fare too well. The cast is certainly competent, but they fill predictable, clichéd roles without adding much to the experience.

And villain, the “big bad,” lacks any real impact, often feeling like more of a side note than a genuine threat. When the final confrontation finally arrives, it’s all surprisingly tame, making way instead for a creature battle that is somewhat fun on the action side of things, but doesn’t quite hit the mark in terms of a satisfying finale. When looking back at the film, it feels like Venom: The Last Dance is mostly just set-up and the finale. The film has a plodding middle section; it’s like you could almost remove it without changing much.

There’s a scattershot approach to the goofy comedy. The humour will certainly appeal to some, although it didn’t quite resonate with me. More importantly, this film misses the emotional depth expected in a trilogy closer. For what should be a climactic and powerful ending, The Last Dance instead wraps up in disappointingly low gear, ending the trilogy with more of a murmur than the roar it deserves.