There are few works of art that have been in my life as long as The Venture Bros. I first bore witness to the genius of Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick in 2006, when I saw the Venture Christmas special during an Inuyasha movie marathon on Adult Swim. I was transfixed and soon purchased the first two seasons on DVD from Newbury Comics. I took each hiatus in stride, knowing more would come when it was ready. The Venture Bros. is part of my DNA, and to be able to see the story reach a fitting conclusion after nearly twenty years is staggering. The Venture Bros.: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart finds room for basically every character and gives them a proper sendoff while still finding time for jokes and comic setpieces which rank among the finest in the series. Though this may be the last we see of Rusty, Hank, Dean, Brock, the Monarch, Henchman 21, Dr. Mrs. the Monarch, Dr. Orpheus, Billy Quizboy, Pete White, Sergeant Hatred, and everyone else wrapped up in this world of superscience, at least we can revisit the story in its completed form. Finally!
Picking up immediately after the dramatic conclusion of season seven, Baboon Heart has a lot on its plate. Dean (Michael Sinterniklaas) is searching for his missing brother Hank (Christopher McCulloch, aka Jackson Publick), who has fled New York after Dean’s betrayal. Rusty (James Urbaniak) is preparing for a product launch that could bankrupt his company, especially after some technical errors. The Monarch (McCulloch) is reeling from the knowledge that he could be related to his nemesis, while his wife Dr. Mrs. the Monarch (Doc Hammer) is dealing with a new threat to the Guild of Calamitous Intent. A mysterious villain called Mantilla (Nina Arianda) tempts the Monarch with high-tech gadgets, but her motivations are suspect. All the while, Hank stumbles towards his destiny somewhere in the wilderness of Colorado.
That’s a lot to fit into 84 minutes, though luckily Doc and Jackson wrapped up most of the remaining mysteries in one fell swoop at the end of season seven. You can see the bones of what would have been season eight, but it never feels slapdash or rushed. All that’s left are the relationships we’ve seen grow and change, from Hank and Dean’s schism to the Monarch and Dr. Mrs. the Monarch’s strained but loving marriage. We also meet a key player in the Venture mythos, voiced by Jane Lynch in a beautifully understated performance (I’m serious!). The only real issue is there’s not enough Brock (Patrick Warburton), but he still gets his moments. I just really can’t believe they pulled this off, but after twenty years of defying expectations, why wouldn’t they?
Obviously you can’t really watch this as a standalone film, but no one is just picking this up off the shelf. This film is for everyone that stuck with Doc and Jackson as they built out a world of characters with names like Dr. Henry Killinger and Brick Frog. Most importantly, and without spoilers, this film establishes once and for all that the Monarch is the true protagonist of the show. Gigantic questions are answered, and payoff is disarmingly sweet in a way that feels earned.
There is nothing like The Venture Bros. and there will likely be nothing like it ever again. I cannot express enough gratitude to Doc Hammer and Jackson Publick for what they’ve created. Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart is as grandiose as its title. All I can say is thank you. Go Team Venture!
The Venture Bros.: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart
2023
dir. Christopher McCulloch
84 min
Available on Blu-Ray and digital now
