‘Kraven the Hunter’ Review: Critics Unimpressed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Violent Rampage in Spider-Man Spinoff

Kraven the Hunter, the much-anticipated superhero film, hit theatres on December 13, 2024. Directed by JC Chandor, the film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven alongside a talented cast including Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott and Russell Crowe. The film delves into Kraven’s tumultuous relationship with his ruthless father, which sparks a path of vengeance and brutality. Kraven's quest to become the world's greatest hunter soon transforms him into one of its most feared figures. But is it worth watching? Critics seem to think otherwise, calling it a misfire. Check out the review roundup below. Kraven the Hunter: Aaron Taylor-Johnson To Play the Lead Role in Sony's Latest Marvel Film.

Indiewire: "Kraven the Hunter ping-pongs between biblical father-son conflict and Z-grade absurdity with reckless abandon (if one scene watches Nikolai try to abuse the weakness out of kids, the next might find Kraven mind-melding with a herd of Playstation 3-worthy buffalo), it’s to Chandor’s credit that all of his actors feel like they’re on the same page."

Variety: "Kraven the Hunter is kind of an origin story, with an extended boyhood flashback to Africa (where Calypso saved Sergei’s life after he’d been mauled by a lion). Except that the Kraven we meet in the present day is already a “hunter.” He’s got a list. Full of names of bad guys. That he will hunt and kill. But who are they? Where did he get the list? It’s all sort of vague. Why does the climactic duel take place amid a stampede of water buffalo? For no good reason. I’ve seen much worse comic-book movies than Kraven the Hunter, but maybe the best way to sum up my feelings about the film is to confess that I didn’t stay to see if there’s a post-credits teaser. "‘Red One’ Movie Review: Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans’ Bickering Makes for Quite a Christmas Misfire! (LatestLY Exclusive).

Watch 'Kraven The Hunter' Trailer:

Hindustan Times: "Two good actors — Fred Hechinger as Kraven's younger brother and Ariana DeBose as his lawyer-ally — are left marooned in a movie that tumbles and slips to a unsatisfactory end. Is Kraven a hero or a villain? Who cares? Without Spider-Man, what's really the point, right?"

Screen Rant: "The result is a poorly executed superhero movie with very little personality beyond Taylor-Johnson's charm. Sure, Nivola is a surprisingly delightful character as Rhino, and Abbott brings some quiet menace to the Foreigner, but even they and Taylor-Johnson can't distract from the shallowness of the story and characters, which seems to be the consequence of the filmmakers wanting to have their superhero action scene cake and eat it too."

So, after reading the above reviews for Kraven the Hunter, will you watch the film in a theatre near you?

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 13, 2024 03:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).