In their next attempt to bring an obscure comic book villain to a blockbuster audience, Sony has released the next full-length trailer for Kraven The Hunter. It’s…something, alright.
In a Russian prison, Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) lives a secret life as a ruthless big game hunter with a deep connection to animals. The locals deem him a myth, dubbing him Kraven. In voiceover, his father Nikolai (Russell Crowe) tries persuading to accept his roots, but Kraven is determined to forge a different path.
After escaping, Kraven becomes aware of his next target: famed Russian mercenary Rhino (Alessandro Nivola), an unhinged human-rhino hybrid. Battling both internal and external demons, Kraven embarks on a journey to become one of the greatest hunters the world has ever seen.
With Marvel and DC’s dominance in the superhero space, Sony’s excursions into the genre have been…pretty terrible. However, following Venom: The Last Dance, they seem to have decided to fill more niche genre corners of the universe. This is where Kraven succeeds.
Taylor-Johnson is suitably smoldering as an action star, alongside a talented supporting cast. The action and cinematography rides the John Wick wave of close-quarters gun-fu, lending the film more grit than most superhero films. When only lightly touching on Kraven’s comic-book roots, the film looks quite enjoyable as a pulpy action flick.
But when focusing on the CGI-heavy action imagery (particularly with Rhino’s transformation scenes), the film falls flat. The visuals look hokey, and Kraven’s relationship with animals has been upped to an Aquaman-esque symbiosis where Kraven is literally accompanied into battle by a horde of wild beasts. It feels ridiculous, but generically so.
If Kraven can find a balance between its identity and its obligations to the superhero genre, this film could find a comfortable spot in Marvel’s superhero box set. But, knowing Sony’s poor track record, this feels like another misguided attempt to shove an intentionally goofy villain into a main event role.
Directed by JC Chandor, Kraven The Hunter will release theatrically in the US on December 13, 2024. The movie stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead role.
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