Kraven the Hunter (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Russian immigrant Sergei Kravinoff is on a mission to prove that he is the greatest hunter in the world.

My Take – I doubt anyone would disagree that Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) was doomed even before it began. The basic idea itself: a cinematic universe centered around Spider-adjacent characters, but without the beloved web-head in sight, was too preposterous to actually work.

Indeed, the Venom trilogy found unlikely success, albeit with diminishing returns, but the symbiote buddy action comedies mostly worked because of Tom Hardy‘s insane charm and ability to sell a bromance with himself.

Say what you will about the flagging quality of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as of late, but Sony’s exercise in keeping its Spider-Man film license alive simply just devolved into ludicrous experiments, like the infamous critical and box office bombs, Morbuis (2022) and Madame Web (2024), which seemed more like throwing options at the audience to see what sticks. Hence, no one was exactly holding their breath for their sixth, and probably last, installment centering on one of Spider-Man’s more famous villains.

Positioned instead as an antihero film, director J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year, Margin Call), who is working from a screenplay by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, clearly sought to make his film stand apart from the standard superhero formula by presenting a darker, more introspective origin story.

But, unsurprisingly, marred by an unnecessarily convoluted script, missing character depth, and missteps in storytelling focus, the experience ends up being underwhelming.

Sure, in comparison to the other SSU waste that came before, it manages to be a fun enough romp that it’s easy to sit through and is actually earnest in its attempt to deliver straight forward brutality. Yet, keeping in mind how far the titular character strays away from its comic roots, the film drives home the fact Sony genuinely doesn’t know what to do with this eclectic roster of Spider-Man villains.

And that there is always going to be fundamental misunderstanding behind what made these characters so popular in the first place. What could’ve been a fascinating, exciting exploration of one of the web crawler’s most beloved foes has unfortunately resulted in a cinematic universe that has done nothing but waste talent in front of and in behind the camera.

The story follows Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor Johnson), who uses his special skills and abilities in order to track down the world’s most infamous, sadistic criminals and eliminate them one by one, leading him down a dark, violent path that has numerous consequences as he becomes one of the most feared hunters known to man.

Fifteen years ago, on a hunting trip with his mobster dad Nikolai (Russell Crowe), Sergei (Levi Miller) ended up gaining heightened senses and physical prowess after being attacked by a ferocious lion and supplemented by a life-saving mystic potion, the latter of which is supplied by a young Calypso (Diaana Babnicova). Since then, instead of hunting animals, Sergei — who prefers to be called Kraven — has been hunting bad people, cementing himself a fearsome reputation.

And when Kraven’s younger brother Dmitri (Fred Hechinger) is kidnapped, the hunter will once again seek the help of Calypso (Ariana DeBose) and use his unique talents to rescue him. Along the way, Kraven must confront Aleksei Sytsevich (Alessandro Nivola), an ambitious rival of his father’s known as the Rhino.

While the premise of a hunter who turns into a protector of nature had potential, the film struggles to develop this transition in a meaningful way. The incorporation of animal-based powers feels rushed and poorly explained, leaving us disconnected from Kraven’s true character. His motivations, particularly his protective instincts toward his younger brother are intended to ground him as a sympathetic antihero.

Yet, the film glosses over their bond, except for the fact that he visited his brother on his birthday every year, failing to explore the complexities of their relationship. The same can be said about his relationship with Calypso, a mystic figure in the Marvel comics with ties to Kraven’s animal abilities.

Their dynamic could have deepened the mystical elements of the story. Though the MCU has successfully integrated mystic elements in its films, where the rules of the supernatural are meticulously crafted, here, it does not go much past her grandmother’s tarot cards.

Without a doubt, the inclusion of Russell Crowe as Sergei’s father was clearly intended to lend gravitas to the film, but even his presence couldn’t elevate the material as the father-son conflict, which should have served as a compelling base of the story, feels formulaic and lacks the necessary emotional weight.

The film actually starts off strong, with a gripping set piece inside a prison that introduces the audience to Kraven’s abilities. It also marks the SSU’s first dealing with an R rating, allowing it to deal with graphic violence. However, the climactic battle, get bogged down in CGI. The fact that Sony is apparently ending this cinematic universe following the film makes matters worse and the attempts at teasing a future all the more pointless.

Performance wise, Aaron Taylor-Johnson makes for a captivating presence onscreen. He certainly physically embodies the role, but also never feels or looks like his comic book counterpart. Ariana DeBose struggles throughout with her one-dimensional character.

Alessandro Nivola is laughably poor, trying to straddle the line between goofy comic book villain and sinister foe, failing miserably in the process. Though Christopher Abbott adds a frightening presence as the Foreigner, a mysterious being with hypnotic powers, he ends up getting the short end of the stick. The same can be said about

Fred Hechinger who does earns sympathy as the meek younger brother, but doesn’t get to shine until the final few minutes. Russell Crowe’s best efforts and palpable screen presence provides glimpses at what the film could have been with a far better script. On the whole, ‘Kraven the Hunter‘ is a middling superhero romp that struggles under the weight of its own lofty ambitions.