KRAVEN THE HUNTER – A Review by John Strange
The first appearance of Kraven the Hunter was in The Amazing Spider-Man issue #15 in August 1964. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character was, to me, different than all of the other villains who faced off against the web-slinger. I always liked his style, even as I enjoyed Spiderman defeating him.
In Kraven the Hunter from Columbia Pictures, Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his half-brother Dmitri Smerdyakov (Fred Hechinger) are attending a boarding school in New York State. They are pulled from the boarding school by their father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), when Sergei’s mother dies.
Sergei’s family is a mess. His father is a gangster (who lives to hunt). His half-brother is afraid of the evil in their lives and acts much like a chameleon to hide from the dangers he encounters. Through it all, Sergei is determined not to follow his father into the family business.
The “birth” of Kraven the Hunter from young Sergei Kravinoff is a fascinating story that director J.C. Chandor crafted from the script by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway.
The locations in this film are gorgeous, whether mansion, nightclub, or wild lands. Ben Davis’ cinematography is outstanding. The fight scenes are big and wild, filled with an impressive amount of controlled violence.
Best of all, the story progression makes a lot of sense and gives us a film that is worthy of the heart of the MCU. The MCU has experienced a spate of films that weren’t as good as their predecessors. That streak is broken with Kraven the Hunter. This is an excellent, though very violent film, worthy of the young man who becomes Kraven the Hunter. And the film prepares us well for sequels.
Director: J.C. Chandor
Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, and Russell Crowe
MPAA Rating: R (for strong bloody violence, and language)
Selig Rating: 5 Stars
Runtime: 127 Min.
Release Date: 12/13/2024
Language: English
Genre: Superhero, Action, Thriller
Movie Site: KRAVEN THE HUNTER Official Site
Trailer: KRAVEN THE HUNTER Official Trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
