Kraven: The Hunter

I decided to ignore the bad ratings of the movie because I have loved Aaron Taylor's Johnson acting ability in every movie I've seen him in. I just came back home from the cinema and I have to say I'm very disappointed in the movie's script! The script had so many clichés, it was predictable, it lacked depth, it didn't give the actors a chance to act. It left me feeling like it was written to be easily consumed by the viewer.. I love action movies, I love super hero movies and this was arguably worse than Thor love and thunder. Other than that, I'd love to see this character in a new film (with different writers).

The latest entry in the Spider-Man adjacent movies, Kraven delivers on super-hero based action, broad predictable characters and a by-the-numbers plot.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson delivers a solid performance, with an impressive amount of physicality. Russell Crowe is better than in Thor: Love and Thunder. The other cast members provide adequate performances.

Alas, the same cannot be said for Ariane DeBose (Calypso), whose delivery is so wooden that it caused open laughter in the theatre. The same is true for the woman playing her grandmother, though she at least had the excuse of having a massive exposition dump in 3 minutes of screen time.

Credit to Sony for persevering with this cinematic universe despite its lacklustre performance.

It's far from a disaster. While the dialogue occasionally veers into awkward territory, and not the greatest CGI, the film delivers well-executed action sequences that keep the momentum going. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is particularly impressive, showcasing both physical prowess and screen presence, further cementing his status as a compelling action star.

The second half does feel a bit rushed, but at just 120 minutes, the filmmakers seems to just want to quickly wrap things up. That said, this story might have worked even better as a mini-series, giving more time to flesh out characters like Dimitri and Calypso. A longer look at Sergei's transformation into Kraven during his isolation in Far Eastern Russia could've added more depth and made his journey feel even more impactful.

It's a very decent movie for a Saturday night with your brain in park. Just don't take it so seriously. Definitely worth a watch just because of Aaron Taylor-Johnson's wild action sequences. No pun intended.

Tom Rothman, the current snake suit and his henchman at Sony, in 2017/2018, they started a cinematic universe called SPUMC, I kid you not, it was an acronym for Sony Pictures Universe of Spider-Man Characters. In reality, this is Tom Rothman's cynical Spider-Man-Less, spider man movie universe. It was a cynical and lazy way for Rothman and his repugnant army of suits to capitalize on Marvel cache without actually making a real movie. (Tom Rothman was the overlord at Fox when the were churning out regrettable outings like X-men 3 and X-men Origins Wolverine)

Though most of the SPUMC movies are utterly unwatchable and meandering garbage, and then along comes Kraven The Hunter, directed by the inimitable JC Chandor (Margin Call).

Is Kraven a great movie? No it is not, however Kraven is a brutal and fun enough romp that it's easy to sit through for a couple of hours and take pleasure in all of the monstrous and gory shenanigans. Unlike the other SPUMC waste before it, Kraven is actually earnest in its attempt to deliver straight forward brutality and the actors are having a ball. Aaron Taylor Johnson is having a blast and taking Kraven every bit as seriously as Hugh Jackman has ever taken Wolverine. Russell Crowe and the other cast members are having an equal blast.

The story/screenplay is an absolute mess, but JC Chandor directs with a creative eye and the cast are taking this movie more seriously than anyone should ever be asked. It's an easy 5.5 if you want to turn off your brain and see what kind of onscreen murders they can dream up on screen.

I think Kraven achieved everything it wanted to achieve, and I'm surprised to say I don't hate it. It's a simple "turn your brain off and enjoy" kind of action movie. I came in expecting something corny and repetitive from "marvel's fantasy mafia movie"; and while there were a lot of awkward character writing and inconsistent pacing - as well as janky CGI - I was pleasantly surprised to see several attempts at deeper themes and a decent art direction. Its simplicity keeps the whole thing cohesive and easy to follow. There was no point in the movie where I was completely taken out by the story direction, or felt like there were loose ends and plot holes. It's solid, simple, and a bit boring. All in all, I give it a 7 for being a little better than mid.