All journeys come to an end. That’s even true for our cinematic journeys. While Spider-Man gets most of the headlines, the journey of Venom on the big screen has been a successful one for Sony. With The Last Dance, the third film in the franchise, we bring an end to the story of Venom and his human host, Eddie Brock.

But how would it end? And would it be a ride worth taking? Those were some of the questions leading into the final film. It turns out, the answer is yes.

We pick up with the scene included at the end of Endgame, with Eddie (Tom Hardy) trying to make sense of Thanos. Quickly he’s brought back to his own reality, and it doesn’t take long to discover he’s a fugitive. So, Eddie and his alien alter-ego Venom decide to pay New York City a visit. The only problem is a new threat has emerged.

Turns out Venom and his buddies helped prevent galaxy-wide annihilation by imprisoning their creator. But the key to said creator breaking free is recapturing Venom, who holds the codex to his freedom thanks to his unbreakable bond with Eddie. As long as they’re both alive, the galaxy is in trouble.

There’s more character introductions and things that happen in this film, but we don’t really take on the Venom ride for the plot. Suffice to say the trailer does a nice job of setting expectations here. This is more about the execution.

We know there will be comedy, some violent adventures, and impending choice will have to be made. Will Eddie sacrifice himself to save the world, or will it be the friend he never sought out who has become a part of him? Those questions are answered in a surprisingly emotional way. This film moves at a good pace and doesn’t waste time. There are nice action set pieces, plenty of fun jokes, and a lot of time with this odd couple at the center who have grown on me over the course of three films.

I was never a huge fan of the Venom franchise, but I’ve been consistently impressed with Hardy’s work in the films. He’s great here, too. This film surpassed my expectations and has quickly become my favorite in the franchise and the best of the non-Spider-Man films produced by Sony.

It’s a fun and at times emotional ride. It’s a great spectacle for the big screen and a fitting cap for this franchise. If you’re a fan, or just casually interested in comic book films, this is a ride worth taking.

Venom: The Last Dance opens nationwide on Friday.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.