User reviews

Six stars is probably generous. This movie is NOT good. In many aspects, it's actively bad (see below). But I was still able to enjoy this in a dumb-fun kind of way. Here are a few factors that helped.

First, I am a big Spider-Man fan and remember liking the Kraven character from the 90's animated series. I also regularly find entertainment from stupid, lower quality movies. And I've enjoyed many of the other Sony-Marvel side universe movies.

There are also some cool actions scenes. I'm ecstatic they went for an R rating instead of being cowards (looking at you, Morbius). But by far the best part of this movie is Aaron Taylor-Johnson. His acting talent is on full display and he elevates every scene he's in.

Okay now the bad. This movie is all over the place, unfocused and pretty dumb. There are multiple moments of unintentional humor, including one of the funniest character reactions I've ever seen. The dialogue and line delivery is bad. The CGI is bad. It's a generally poorly-made movie.

But by far the worst part is the performance by Ariana DeBose. I really don't like being mean, but this is third thing I've seen her in (Argylle and I. S. S.), and she does NOT belong. I couldn't stop noticing how unconvincing she was. Her line delivery made me laugh. In scenes with her and Taylor-Johnson, the contrast in talent could not be more stark.

Look, you already know if this is something you would enjoy. If it looks stupid to you, don't watch it. If you aren't as picky and can still enjoy something with major flaws, you might have a good time.

(1 viewing, opening Thursday UltraScreen 12/12/2024)

Sony's Spider-Man Universe doesn't go with a bang, but a whimper. "Kraven the Hunter" is clichéd at all turns. ATJ tries to make the most of it, yet the script holds it back. Action is a bit fun at times, but it's muddled with much pompous exposition.

The movie is kinda fun when Johnson is in action causing bloody chaos but everything else is a drag. Great cast held back by clunky dull dialogue. The script is simply bad and a waste of Aaron Taylor Johnson, who I actually enjoyed in the role. Another instance of a villain turned hero. A story that lacks any intrigue. Rhino and Chameleon are wasted as I expected.

"'Kraven the Hunter" was probably a solid 2004's action movie at one point, but the usual Sony antics are all here. Painful ADR, choppy editing, and tons of lifeless CGI animals!

Dare to say, this is one of the most soulless modern comicbook movies. It is exactly the film you'd expect at this point. The film doesn't understand a single character it tries to adapt to screen and the whole movie often feels created by AI.

It is better than "Madame Web" and "Venom: The Last Dance" which isn't saying much, but if this is the end of the Sony Spider-Man-less universe, at least I'm glad it's over.

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.

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).

I thought this movie was kinda fun. The pacing was good, I was never bored. The action was pretty intense and well shot. I don't understand the bad reviews. I guess people just pile on Sony marvel movies after things like Madame Web. I enjoyed Morbius and the first Venom. All the other Sony movies kinda suck. I like how this is rated R and the kills are violent. This movie kinda reminded me of the Tarzan from 2016 which I loved. The only issue I had was the Rhino. A tough character to adapt to film. In the comic it's easy to make him massive and powerful by just wearing a suit. The version from Amazing Spider Man 2 was horrible. Here they rely on some science experiment and cgi. It doesn't look good at all. Doesn't ruin the movie but it's just hard to bring that character to life in film. Overall I really enjoyed this movie.

While i wasn't overly enthusiastic about this film I had better expectations than the other lacklustre entries of this so called disjointed mess of a shared Universe attempt by Sony. The few reasons are listed as below:

R rating

A serviceable actor

A veteran powerhouse like Russel Crowe

A decent enough track record holding director JC Chandor

Mildly talented supporting cast like Ariana Debose and Alessandro Nivola.

A crazy hunter as the titular protagonist

and of course Action thriller plot

Sadly none of these barring maybe r rating is utilized in this trash.

As the Crown jewel of a kingdom is never to be seen a.k.a Spider Man one could hope nothing short of the disastrous results as seen here.

The adaptation of the source material couldn't be farther away dare i say.

The titular protagonist or antagonist as i like to say is nowhere near his comic book counterpart.

Sergei Kravinoff a.k.a Kraven the Hunter is only interesting for audiences when he hunts for certain wall crawling arachnid but even if we let it slide, all other ingredients here spells disaster.

Subpar plot, atrocious dialogues and poor editing has led to this utter non sensical adaptation rife with plethora of flaws.

Aron Taylor looks and sounds absolutely nothing like Kraven we all know and enjoyed till now in the characters sporadic appearances throughout his miniscule appearances throughout media.

Where is the deep baritone Russian accent that makes him instantly recognizable?

His wide and thick trademark of a mustache, his herculean stature, his bolas to capture his prey?

His iconic lion mane's vest ?

Other actors are wasted as they put little to no effort at all in the movie. Russel Crowe seemed very nonchalant about his role so much that he came to collect a paycheck like Jared Harris did for Morbius.

Ariana Debose as the intriguing and mysterious witch doctor Calypso has nothing substantial to add in the plot, Fred Hechinger's Dmitri better known as the master of disguise Chameleon is equally worthless.

Most disappointing has to be Alessandro Nivola's Rhino who transforms into a human rhino hybrid voluntarily instead of being a victim of inhumane government experiment gone awry as in the source material.

Rhino who is usually depicted as a mindless brute is a much sympathetic character when you learn he has been wronged by corrupt bureaucrats and wants to cease his existence by separating from the surgically grafted exoskeleton.

But ofcourse none of layered backstory is adapted her instead of being made into some kind of mutated abomination both literally and figuratively.

The only highlights of this mediocre half hearted attempt is the brutal and blood filled action scenes sprinkled throughout. But that alone can't save a movie from being a complete failure.

I for one am elated that Sony's decision makers have finally accepted defeat as their spin off films have ceased to be produced as of now as per The Wrap's authentic sources claim.

After destroying the Venom franchise by handing over the directorial duties to the nepotistic snake like Kelly Marcel (a close confidante and off screen quasi concubine of lead actor Tom Hardy), Sony has witnessed the fall of their cash cow with the Last dance earning less than half of the first Venom film.

Alienating audiences has never been easy in the history of movies and killing off waning interest in the future entries.

Save your money and catch it on streaming if you are desperate for this utter nonsense.

I wasn't expecting much with Kraven the Hunter. The recent run of Sony Marvel films has been pretty dismal and i wasn't holding my breath.

It's unfortunate to say that Kraven follows suit. The screenplay felt like it was written by a 5 year old playing with Marvel toys. It felt fake and awkward. A poor screenplay makes everything else the film brings uneventful and lame. The skilful actors of Aaron and Russel couldn't save it.

What the film had going for it (if anything) was the look of Kraven and the action sequences. His beast like movement and sequences where he is tearing up was awesome to say the least. However, the villians are basically not worth mentioning. One dimensional.

To sum up, Kraven the Hunter doesn't provide anything new or inventive to the superhero genre. The awkward screenplay and basic villains suffocate Kraven's better moments as a character.

It's a shame that a character so loved in the Marvel universe gets such poor treatment.

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.

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.

Kraven the Hunter should have been an easy adventure type movie highlighting the ultimate anti-hero of the spiderverse, where he isn't necessarily evil.

The cast isn't bad the problem with this movie is the actual handling of Sony studios.

The movies story is boring which is a shame because Kraven is one of the most interesting characters.

The movie is ugly. The combo of bad CGI and terrible visuals makes this movie hard on the senses.

Editing.... similar to Madam Web's poor editing this movie falls prey to failing the basics.

Again, Sony studios is the biggest villain for the spiderverse.

Kraven the Hunter is one of the stronger Marvel films to date. Its dark, gritty tone and the compelling performances of two standout characters-Kraven and his father (played by Russell Crowe, who gives one of his best performances in recent years)-really make the film work for me.

One of the film's greatest strengths is its personal, grounded storyline. Rather than focusing on world-ending stakes, the plot centers around family drama, which makes it feel more intimate and engaging.

While some of the CGI could have been improved, this seems to be a common issue across recent MCU and SMU films (with a few exceptions, like Deadpool and Logan). That said, it doesn't detract significantly from the overall experience.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed Kraven the Hunter. It's dark, gritty, and bloody-everything you'd want from this type of film. I'd love to see Aaron Taylor-Johnson return to the role, but we all know how these things go.

So, head to your local cinema, grab a ticket, and I promise you'll get your money's worth. It's a smooth, edgy action flick with a 90s/2000s vibe.

Cheers!

This was a great popcorn movie, I really enjoyed it! It had some good humor, and I liked that Kraven went after bad guys. I didn't know anything about the character or story beforehand, so it was all new to me. I was surprised that Kraven wasn't the only enhanced human (Rhino, Foreigner), but it just made it a bit more interesting.

I am bothered by how many people denigrated Ariana Debose, who was fine with what she was given. Fred Hechinger (who was also on Gladiator II) was decent as the brother.

Was it perfect? Heck no. But it was much better than I expected! It is a fun movie to see, better than many out there. Oh, and shockingly no extra scene during or after the credits!

There have been five Sony Spider-Man Universe movies so far: VENOM 1-3, MORBIUS, and MADAME WEB. To me, they are in the range between fine and the worst movie I've ever seen. Now, the sixth (and thankfully final) instalment is KRAVEN THE HUNTER. Yet again, the filmmakers try and give a bad guy the chance to be good. This tells the origin story of yet another Spider-Man villain that doesn't have Spider-Man in it. After the death of their mother, Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his brother Dmitri (Fred Hechinger) get taken in by their ruthless crime lord with a weakness allergy father Nikolai (Russel Crowe). Sergei gets his powers in a dumb way, then he becomes the world's greatest hunter. Throw in a few more baddies into the mix such as Rhino (Alessandro Nicola) and a guy literally called "The Foreigner" (Christopher Abbott, and you have one hell of a party. Oh yeah, there's a love interest named Calypso (Ariana DeBose) who literally doesn't need to be here. I actually had hope for this movie. When I heard it was going to be rated 14A I was like finally! A movie about a violent villain is actually going to be violent! I thought it would've started with VENOM, but whatever. To be fair, the violent action was entertaining in this one, despite the bad CGI. Some of the actors had fun, despite the horrible script. Given time, I could've written it better. It blows my mind how many talented actors signed up for this. ADR (Automated Dialog Replacement) is a pretty common practice in filmmaking, where they re-record dialog to make it sound better. Normally, it's not noticeable, until now. Sometimes if you stare at people's mouths while they're speaking, the sound doesn't even link with the dialog. The best part about KRAVEN THE HUNTER is the action, and the fact that this mediocre universe is finally coming to a whimpering end. Still, not as atrocious as MADAME WEB. Rest in pieces.

Where to spend 130 million dollars? Let's take a good-looking actor, a talentless director and screenwriters, and a crowd of mediocre actors. What could go wrong? Everything! From the very first frames of the film, there are a bunch of bloopers and nonsense about Russia, why don't American filmmakers want to immerse themselves in the culture, life and realities of the countries they are filming about? This happens all the time, are you so lazy?

Why hire and give money to a director who has no good films? Or did you just steal the film's budget?

Terrible acting by supporting actors, just awful, how can you pay these people for this? Or did they just work for food, I don't understand. Worthless props. Terrible 3D graphics.

I really like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, but this worthless film will remain a disgusting stain on his career. Oh yeah, as a native Russian speaker I didn't understand what the actors were saying while imitating Russian %) This film only shows laziness and mediocrity!

And please, US law enforcement agencies, investigate the probable theft of money allegedly invested in this "film"!

I had already lowered my expectations before watching, thinking just to spend some time. It turned out to be worthy of my 11 AUD ticket. 😂

Honestly, the plot and world-building are kind of ridiculous, but if you don't take it too seriously, it won't bother you too much. (Like Aquaman, but with a less consistent plot.)

The action and fighting scenes are very good. It has a good balance between real shots and CGI to present the power of Kraven.

It is the only Sony Spider-Man villain movie I want a sequel to besides *Venom 1*. Ironically, Sony produced a kind of okay villain movie that deserves a sequel when the whole project is about to end.

I was very much looking forward to seeing this movie, I like Aaron Taylor-Johnson and this seemed like it was going to be able to show off his talent. I could not have been more wrong. Now, credit where credit is due, the score was great and Taylor-Johnson did the best with what he was given. The quality was brought down by the sketchy CGI (Some looked fine, others terrible) and the atrocious acting from the supporting actors! Granted, the script did no one any favours, but it seemed like a few actors did not even try to make it work. This made it very difficult to stay in the fictional world because the dialogue and the characters felt so disconnected. The main female lead also felt a bit shoe horned in to get the feminism points and it took away character development from some of the other characters. Sony needs to throw in the towel with super hero IPs and stop dragging good actors down with their box office failures.

I genuinely cannot understand why people are hating so much. I'm a fan of both marvel and Sony and I thought this was a good addition! We get cool action, a solid backstory and some good fights what else are you looking for out of a superhero movie?? I enjoyed this all the way through, sure it's not perfect but it's a very solid 7/10 even creeping on 8 but I enjoyed it, better than morbius, better than the first two venoms. What's all the hate about? He's badass as kraven and thank god we finally got an anatomical rhino, budget kinda sucked with the cgi there but still not unhappy with the portrayal. Y'all need to lighten up.

If you thought that "Kraven the Hunter" could be an interesting adventure, get ready to be disappointed. The film is a completely meaningless spectacle that negates all expectations.

The plot is flat and predictable: you can guess how it will end at the beginning. The characters are soulless and the only thing they do is repeat the same cliches every fifth time. The dialogues are written as if they were written by a person without the slightest idea of how a conversation sounds in real life.

Visual effects? It's hard to believe that this is really a modern movie. In places they look like unfinished drawings, and trying to enjoy them is like watching an old videotape.

As for acting, it ranged from frankly weak to comical. Some moments make you feel sorry for the actors, who clearly did not know what nonsense they had to play.

As a result, "Kraven the Hunter" is a movie worth skipping. Even if you are a fan of superhero themes, find.

I really don't get all the hate behind this movie. It was pretty good as someone who didn't know much about Kraven or these other characters. Action, dialogue, good actors, etc. I'm so tired of all these movies that are pretty decent or good getting awful reviews from people and then we that enjoyed the film don't get to see anymore of it. I don't know if it's just comic fans or what that rated this so bad, but yall need to chill for the people that haven't read all 100,000 Marvel comics since birth and just want to be introduced to new characters or series. You ruin it for everyone and it's so annoying. I'd love to see more of this character involved with Spider-Man but guess what, probably won't get to because angry weebs wanna cry cause the movie wasn't exactly word for word like the comic they read when they were 10 years old. Grow up and stop ruining films and series for everyone else.

There's some fun to be had watching Kraken the Hunter. ATJ gives a nice performance and he definitely has the physicality for the role. I had fun watching him in action and think he was a great choice to play Kraven. Russell Crowe is also an enjoyable presence on screen. The plot doesn't make a ton of sense once you start breaking it down, but the actions scenes are fast paced and unique. It definitely benefits from the R rating, letting us see Kraven's use of mostly edged weapons in detail. Overall an enjoyable movie that over-performed my somewhat low expectations. I think it's a better watch than the last two venom movies, morbius, and definitely madame web.

Truly one of the movies of all time. This giga-chad masterpiece is on its way to making a Kravillion dollars. I loved the part when Kraven looked directly into the camera and said "I'm gonna Krave all over you."

This movie will sweep the award season. Films like this should be placed inside a time capsule so future civilizations can sit and watch with awe at the glorious works of art that this generation produced. But by then Kraven will already be a well established household name. In fact, all future currency will become Kraven Bucks in honor of this amazing box office achievement. All hail Lord Kraven!!