Kraven the Hunter

One of the most fascinating results of the superhero boom is the constant need for studios to churn out film franchises based on comic book characters on the same scale as the very successful Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sony’s attempt at its Spider-Man-focused world has been less than stellar so far given the odd dynamic of Peter Parker’s role as the backbone of the new MCU era, which moves forward with Tony Stark’s death and the retirement of Steve Rodgers’s Captain America. Thus, Sony is left only with the villains of the comic lore to play with. What happens then is that characters who are evil and morally grey in the source material, take on the role of the anti-hero, doing good and saving the world in questionable manners.

Kraven the Hunter follows Sergei Kravinoff, son of gangster leader Nikolai Kravinoff, whose estranged relationship with his abusive and criminal father comes to a head when he is attacked by a lion in the middle of a hunting escapade. The experience leaves him on death’s door, only to be saved by a young Calypso who feeds him a mysterious medicine that ensures his survival and grants him superhuman abilities of enhanced speed, strength and a deeper connection with wild animals. Breaking off from his father’s rule and leaving behind his younger brother Dimitri, Sergei takes on the name Kraven, hunting down criminals on his list.

On paper, the plot very much reads like a typical superhero origin story. Where it truly descends into incoherence is in the writing and structure of conversations. Nonsensical, corny and full of hunting puns, the direction of the script doesn’t work with the darker tone of the visual aesthetic. Kraven the Hunter takes itself too seriously with writing that’s full of frivolous one-liners and unnatural dialogue. It doesn’t help that the ADR work in the picture is quite noticeable, with editing doing nothing to hide the disjointed mess of different recordings and line delivery being spliced together to make one conversation.

Fortunately, the actors have enough charisma to carry the film through. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, while not an honest depiction of the comic book character fans are familiar with, does bring a fantastic swagger to Kraven that’s obnoxious yet somewhat endearing enough to root for. Ariana de Bose’s Calypso is also an interesting figure with lots of potential that the script doesn’t truly explore. There’s intrigue in these two being love interests, especially surrounding their opposing relationship with the law, with Calypso being a lawyer with criminal and truly evil clientele working with Kraven, a vigilante trying to take down some of the most deplorable figures in the criminal underground. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t capitalise on any of the moral conundrums of this dynamic, nor does it showcase the potential for nuance in both of these characters’ motivations. Ultimately, their romance is quite underdeveloped as are their individual story arcs.

One thing Kraven the Hunter has going for it above the other releases in this franchise is genuinely enjoyable action sequences. Although the computer graphics are sub par and often obvious, the actual choreography and camera work within these scenes produce fast-paced and thrilling sequences, full to the brim with adrenaline-pumping fights. These are the moments in which the movie’s potential truly shines, with high-stakes chase scenes and unique use of the environment and props to strategise. The tribal soundtrack and death march aesthetic of the score add to the experience, creating an enjoyable feature despite a lacklustre script.

Overall, Kraven the Hunter is best enjoyed when not thinking too much about its source material. If it were just an original story of a morally grey anti-hero, it would have probably been more interesting and less constrained. There are glimmers of nuanced topics and themes the film could have explored, and some of the relationship dynamics are genuinely interesting to watch unfold. The action is overall better than most of the other films released under this cinematic umbrella. Alas, the glaring issues with the script, bad editing and lifeless CGI cannot be discounted, resulting in a mediocre visual spectacle with no substance.

Mae Trumata

Kraven the Hunter is released nationwide on 13^th December 2024.

Watch the trailer for Kraven the Hunter here: