Kraven The Hunter Movie Review: The thing about Kraven the Hunter is that, while it shares the name and a few traits of Spider-Man's famous foe, JC Chandor's (All Is Lost, A Most Violent Year) latest movie feels like a generic, uninspired action flick starring a protagonist with unexplained powers. It might work as an easy watch, but if you're expecting a film built on the legacy of Marvel's most infamous hunter, prepare for disappointment. Not even a visibly bored Aaron Taylor-Johnson can save this one. ‘Kraven the Hunter’ Review: Critics Unimpressed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Violent Rampage in Spider-Man Spinoff.
Kraven (Taylor-Johnson), unlike his comic-book counterpart, isn't about collecting exotic trophies. Instead, he's a nature conservationist-slash-assassin targeting poachers. He actually gets a decent intro when he infiltrates a Russian prison, kills a mob boss, and escapes with ease, showing off his powers along the way. His identity is meant to be mysterious, but by the end of the movie, I was still trying to figure out who his mysterious pilot friend was who helped him escape from Russia. Does Kraven have his own Alfred?
Anyway, we’re soon whisked into an extended flashback of Kraven’s teenage years when he was Sergei Kravinoff. His abusive father, Nikolai (Russell Crowe), a dangerous crime lord and hunter, drags Sergei and his younger brother Dmitri on a hunting trip to Ghana to kill a famous lion. Naturally, this lion ends up giving Sergei his powers after mauling him and conveniently dripping blood into his wounds.
Watch the Trailer of 'Kraven The Hunter':
I assume this is where Kraven gets his superpowers, though I didn’t know lions could jump walls like spider monkeys or zoom in on objects like hawks. Or how he can protect himself from being killed when heavy objects fall upon him. Maybe Kraven experimented with other animals’ blood off-screen, and the movie spared us the details, already having bored us with its lengthy flashback.
Or maybe it was the mysterious healing potion from a young Calypso, conveniently present at the scene, courtesy of her mystical grandmother. Either way, Sergei leaves home to hone his powers and become a killer of poachers and criminals. Curiously, despite his animal conservationist leanings, Kraven doesn’t turn vegan - he’s shown chomping on raw fish he just hunted.
'Kraven The Hunter' Movie Review - A Weak Heart
The supposed heart of the film is Kraven’s bond with his brother, Dmitri (Fred Hechinger). Their differing versions of masculinity clash under their alpha male father’s oppressive gaze. Dmitri eventually becomes a Spider-Man villain, but I won’t spoil which one - it’s not hard to guess, as the film isn’t exactly subtle with its dropped hints. This relationship might have added emotional depth if not for the glaring fact that Sergei basically abandons Dmitri to endure their father’s abuse while he goes off to be a 'hunter,' only visiting for birthdays. Dmitri’s eventual emotional turn in the finale feels unearned, much like his attempts to push Sergei into becoming, well, Kraven. Madame Web Movie Review: Dakota Johnson's Spider-Man Spinoff Gets Tangled In Its Own Inescapable Web of Mundanity.
In fact, no plot arc in this film really works. Adult Calypso (Ariana DeBose, apparently here to fulfil the post-Oscar bad-movie curse) is now a lawyer who helps Kraven because the script says so. And, despite the lessons learned from other overstuffed superhero films (Spider-Man 3, anyone?), Kraven the Hunter inexplicably crams in three villains, none of whom leave a lasting impression.
'Kraven The Hunter' Movie Review - Crammed Villains
Ideally, Nikolai should have been the central villain, notwithstanding Crowe’s garish attempt to pull off a Russian accent. Then there’s Aleksei Sytsevich (Alessandro Nivola), better known as The Rhino, whose motivations are paper-thin. His transformation as Rhino is laughably bad (there is some atrocious CGI in the movie), and his backstory feels like a lazy retread of Syndrome (The Incredibles) or Aldrich Killian (Iron Man 3), except less convincing. Finally, we have The Foreigner (Christopher Abbott), an international assassin with the ability to hypnotise people into freezing on the spot - a cool power wasted on a forgettable character.
The movie trudges through these obstacles in what is essentially a dysfunctional family drama with action sprinkled in. Everything feels one-note, from JC Chandor’s surprisingly lifeless direction to the cast phoning it in (only Hechinger manages to stand out). Even though the movie doesn't flinch about showing blood and bones, it doesn't do much about that violent freedom. A couple of action scenes are decent - the Russian prison breakout and a chase through land and water - but that’s about it. Even the movie itself seems detached, skipping a post-credit scene altogether. I mean, even Venom 3 had one, and we know Knull isn’t gracing our screens anytime soon.
'Kraven The Hunter' Movie Review - Final Thoughts
The Sony Spider-Man (less) Universe is an odd franchise that never justifies its existence six movies in, with its only notable high points being the Venom movies (and that's saying something). Unfortunately, its low points - Morbius, Madame Web, and now Kraven the Hunter - sink to depths that drag down the entire superhero genre. If you're looking for a more compelling portrayal of Kraven, you'd be better off playing the Spider-Man 2 game, which not only delivers a well-defined version of the character but also a good take on Venom. Here, you get a Kraven who feels like he’s trying to channel Liam Neeson in the worst of Taken movies. Ultimately, Kraven the Hunter is a movie that fails to honour its comic book roots while lacking the style or substance needed to stand on its own.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 02, 2025 02:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).