It really seems like Sony’s Spider-Man universe has been snowballing towards disaster that began with Madame Web. Everything that was planned, from the now lost El Muerto movie to Donald Glover’s Hypno-Hustler, it never seemed liked it had any direction. Though fans were reeled by Venom, having finished his arc in Venom: The Last Dance, any interest that’s left remains in the Spider-Verse. Where does that leave Kraven the Hunter, the last live-action film in Sony’s little Spidey realm? Well, it’s certainly not in a good spot that it wants to be.
Much like Morbius and 2018’s Venom, Kraven the Hunter is another superhero origin movie focusing around Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson)’s past. After being saved by Calypso (Ariana Debose) as a child, he’s forced to face an old friend-turned-enemy, the Rhino (Alessandro Nivola). However, he’s also caught up in some family drama surrounding his relentless father Nikolai (Russell Crowe). Though Sergei still has his brother, Dmitri (Fred Hechinger), he has to learn the most important lesson of all: hunt or be hunted.
As much as Kraven the Hunter aims to metaphorically examine survival, its script overdoes it. This becomes evident by the end of the first act, where Kraven and Calypso re-meet for the first time. They lay out a whole exposition dump that merely explains the flashbacks. The audience has already seen these scenes and understands the mystical connection they share. Yet, the film over-explains itself. This tendency continues, especially during the Rhino’s confrontations with his rivals, but it’s most evident between Kraven and Calypso.
Moreover, the dialogue is also barebones with little subtlety. It really shoehorns in Kraven being mentioned as “The Hunter” in every way. There’s this tease about the moniker being nothing but a fairytale in the criminal underworld. However, the way it’s continually brought up makes its threatening aura feel less impactful as it goes on. Sure, not all characters know that Kraven is “The Hunter”, yet there are other ways to make it seem intense. Plus, when they, being Rhino and Dmitri, figure this out, the title does not hold as much conviction as it should.
Furthermore, it’s obvious, but Kraven also really tries to incorporate as much Spider-Man-related elements as possible. One scene that makes this really clear is the confrontation between Kraven and the Foreigner (Christopher Abbott). Here, it’s discovered that Kraven has a fear of spiders, which was passed down onto him by his mother. If that element wasn’t already clear, the script also has much of its characters’ backgrounds connected to New York. Though the film mostly takes place in London and international waters, there’s no escaping that overarching narrative connection.
Kraven himself has his moments to shine thanks to Taylor-Johnson’s performance, in addition to Levi Miller‘s younger portrayal. The first act, which mostly takes place years before, is somewhat compelling as Sergei and Dmitri’s brotherly dynamic is formed. Yet, Nikolai, who Crowe gives a good performance, is manipulative in a way that almost gets one on edge. Through these scenes, it’s nearly successful in presenting a sympathetic side of Kraven towards his family. However, it also emphasizes showing than telling by reinforcing how Sergei and Dmitri’s mother was imprisoned for her “madness”. As such, it can result in its emotional resonance being somewhat cheesy.
His interactions with other characters, like Calypso and Dmitri, are particularly interesting. Taylor-Johnson is able to show that Kraven does truly care for them. DeBose and Hechinger put on strong performances respectively, but their characters don’t get much action until the final act. Again, the expository dialogue makes this affection feel stilted. With the writing, each scene feels like it needs to explain as much as possible while trying to be emotionally convincing. Each cast member tries to deliver a good performance, yet their characters are essentially basic as possible.
Still, there are certainly some comedic moments that make this film stand out. From him not being able to catch the elevator to just simply hitting a one-liner, the comedy can hit right. Yet, there are other times here it doesn’t work, which can make a scene feel weird. This type of humor is certainly a staple of Sony’s Spider-Man universe and it continue to show here.
As for the villains, Rhino and the Foreigner, they try to be intimidating as possible. However, it comes off in almost a playful kind of way instead. Rhino feels nothing more than just a crime boss with enhanced abilities while the Foreigner is completely rewritten. Yes, the film actually gives the Foreigner this superspeed-like ability that almost feels threatening. However, the visual effects of the Rhino and Foreigner’s powers, and overall, are about as good as Madame Web (take that as you will.)
The other part where Kraven shines is in the action, particularly when it’s not dealing with heavy CGI. These close-up, isolated action scenes are able to fully capture the athleticism Sergei really has. The choreography and planning of these sequences nearly captures that Captain America: Civil War vibe. This is especially so for a scene involving a helicopter escaping that almost replicates Captain America pulling it down. The practical stuff really works when the film relies on those combat scenes. Otherwise, other scenes, like the final fight between Kraven and Rhino, feel robotic instead.
Kraven the Hunter is the cherry-on-top of a disastrous mess as the final film in Sony’s live-action Spider-Man universe. Even though the cast does their best, the on-the-nose writing and poor visual effects make it a weak film. In the end, it serves as a reminder of what this entire line of movies has become: a mediocre byproduct of feeding off the hype of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Kraven the Hunter releases in theaters on December 13.
