Review: Kraven the Hunter

Sony is desperately trying to make its “Spider-Man Universe” appealing. The problem is that the scripts for these films are terrible, which is unfortunate because most of the characters getting their own films are interesting. Kraven The Hunter may not be on the top of many people’s comic book stacks. Still, the anti-hero has become a fan favorite, and casting Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular character was a smart move on Sony’s part. So, is Kraven the Hunter another miss? Or will it have fans cravin’ more?

“Kraven the Hunter” is possibly one of the most uninspired origin stories ever to hit the big screen. Despite some fun action sequences, the film is ultimately quite boring. It feels like a knockoff Marvel movie, and it sometimes becomes laughable. Before its release, Sony shared the film’s first eight minutes to build excitement. Unfortunately, the reactions have largely been what one would expect. Many viewers quickly pointed out the ridiculous movements and choppy CGI work. If you were hoping the movie would improve after the initial scenes, it doesn’t.

In the film’s first half, we see Kraven as a teenager who is mauled by a lion but saved by a young woman named Calypso. The film emphasizes her name, mentioning it six times in just two minutes, making it clear that she is indeed Calypso. Although this segment serves as his origin story, we don’t gain a complete understanding of Kraven’s powers, motivations, or how he has established a feared reputation. When the story returns to an older Kraven, he is already well-established and jumping off buildings.

The highlight of this film is Dmitri, played by Fred Hechinger. He truly stands out as the best character, especially considering some of the horrendous performances throughout the movie. Ariana DeBose would have been fantastic as Calypso, but unfortunately, her role was severely cut, reducing her to static noise in the background. It’s becoming increasingly disrespectful how recent films have handled her appearances. She was heavily promoted for both “Kraven” and her previous film, “Argylle,” yet in both cases, her role ended up being about five minutes (slightly more in Kraven). It seems they love to highlight the fact that they have an Oscar winner involved in these bland movies.

Alessandro Nivola attempted to add depth to his role as the villain, The Rhino, in this film but ultimately fell short. In his CGI form, the character looked quite ridiculous. Additionally, Russell Crowe seemed to treat this project as just another paycheck gig, as he failed to bring any excitement or depth to his character.


I try to give all films the benefit of the doubt. While “Kraven the Hunter” may not become the next great comic book movie, it is certainly not unwatchable. The main issue is its blandness. The most noteworthy aspect of the film is Fred Hechinger’s performance. “Kraven the Hunter” had potential, but it feels as though everyone involved gave up at some point. Sony seemed to be heavily betting on the idea of making it R-rated, but that approach fell flat. A few f-bombs and some gore aren’t enough to save a flawed movie. A film doesn’t need to be rated R to be good; it just requires a decent script and a clear vision. Unfortunately, this movie lacked both, resulting in a dull experience with performances that felt lackluster.

Review: Kraven the Hunter

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Review Nation Score

While "Kraven the Hunter" may not become the next great comic book movie, it is certainly not unwatchable. The main issue is its blandness. The most noteworthy aspect of the film is Fred Hechinger's performance. "Kraven the Hunter" had potential, but it feels as though everyone involved gave up at some point. Sony seemed to be heavily betting on the idea of making it R-rated, but that approach fell flat. A few f-bombs and some gore aren't enough to save a flawed movie. A film doesn't need to be rated R to be good; it just requires a decent script and a clear vision. Unfortunately, this movie lacked both, resulting in a dull experience with performances that felt lackluster.

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Collette Garber

Incredibly awkward. Fantastically sarcastic, and very, very small. Lover of movies, musicals, & TV.

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