What to Watch This Weekend – Kraven the Hunter

Kraven the Hunter is a story about becoming an individual in the shadow of expectations. As children, Sergei (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Dmitri (Fred Hechinger) learned about their father Nikolai’s (Russell Crowe) criminal empire. Nikolai’s intention is to one day turn the family business over to his sons. To celebrate this impending venture, he takes his kids hunting with disastrous effects. When confronted by a lion, Sergei freezes out of fear. The lion attacks and leaves Sergei for dead. However, a young girl named Calypso (Ariana DeBose) finds Sergei and infuses his blood with a mysterious serum. The potion, combined with the lion’s blood, grants Sergei incredible strength and heightened senses. Disillusioned by his father’s cruel ways and lack of sympathy toward others, Sergei adopts the moniker Kraven the Hunter and sets his sights on achieving brutal justice outside the law.

What works in Kraven the Hunter is Johnson’s commitment to the role, and the action sequence concepts. Johnson is absolutely believable as a beast. His stature, bulk, and swagger make for a very fun and compelling performance. His dedication to the character yields charisma, and his moments keep Kraven the Hunter entertaining. Additionally, director J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year, Triple Frontier) knows how to stage thrilling fights and chases. He has a natural eye for framing in a way that feels exciting and playful. When Johnson lets loose, hopping around like a cheetah and gruesomely dispatching goons, Kraven the Hunter is at its most engaging.

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People who don’t enjoy cheesy gore and special effects, combined with little regard for logic, may not enjoy Kraven the Hunter as much as others.  While some may relish the violence, note that it is often excessive and grotesque. Furthermore, while Chandor frames his action sequences well, they are hampered by lackluster CGI. Some of the animals and characters look poorly animated, which detracts from the immersion. Finally, Kraven the Hunter’s plot rarely makes sense. This is especially unfortunate given the runtime, which feels like the director had plenty of opportunity to develop the narrative. Instead, motivations are murky at best and coincidences are aplenty.

Kraven the Hunter feels like an example of good casting in wrong the vessel. It’s hard to not to wish that these Spider-Man characters had been woven into actual Spidey films. Instead, Sony has altered these villains to the point of dilution. While there may be a few fun nods to the source material, fans may have to work hard to find the bright spots.

Recommended if you enjoyed: Madame Web, Morbius

Kraven the Hunter is now available on most digital streaming platforms

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