Kraven the Hunter Movie Review: A Hilarious Mess That’s Best Watched with Zero Expectations
Spoiler Warning: This post contains spoilers for Kraven the Hunter. If you plan to watch it and want to avoid spoilers, bookmark this post for later!
Oh, Kraven the Hunter. What a chaotic, messy film you turned out to be. Honestly, I’m not even sure why Sony made this movie. When I think of Kraven, I think of the amazing Spider-Man video game on PlayStation, where he was a fantastic villain. That game captured the essence of Kraven perfectly. Unfortunately, this movie? Not so much.
To put it plainly: this movie isn’t great. If you’re planning to watch it, I recommend doing so with one mindset—don’t expect a superhero film or even a well-crafted story. Instead, treat it as a hilariously bad movie that you can laugh at, especially if you’ve had a rough week and need a distraction.
The Plot: A Rollercoaster of Bad Writing
The movie begins with Kraven as a young boy, alongside his brother Dimitri. Their father, a gruff and unlikable character, pulls them out of school and takes them on a hunting trip in Africa. He insists that school in America has made them weak and wants to teach them strength. Kraven quickly becomes his father’s favorite, while Dimitri is cast aside for reasons that are never explained.
On the hunting trip, Kraven is attacked by a lion and almost dies, but a mysterious girl named Calypso saves him with some kind of magical potion. This moment leads to Kraven developing powers that connect him to animals. However, the movie never fully explains these powers or their limits.
From there, Kraven’s story spirals into chaos. He grows up rejecting his father’s ways, only to eventually become just like him—a violent man driven by his own flawed ideals. The movie tries to make him a “hero” by having him kill poachers and protect animals, but fans of the comics will know Kraven is anything but heroic.
The Characters: Flat and Forgettable
The relationship between Kraven and Dimitri (who later becomes the Chameleon) is one of the movie’s few interesting aspects. Dimitri calls Kraven out for being just like their father, which is a key moment in understanding Kraven’s dark, conflicted nature.
Unfortunately, the supporting characters, including Calypso, are underdeveloped. Calypso could have been a compelling figure, but the movie reduces her to a plot device. And let’s not even get started on the villain, Rhino, whose character design and motivations are baffling at best.
The Writing and Acting: A Disaster
The dialogue in this movie is laughably bad. There are so many lines and scenes that had me cringing, but at the same time, I couldn’t stop laughing. It felt like the script was written without a clear understanding of who Kraven is as a character.
As for the acting—yikes. Even talented actors couldn’t have saved this script, but the performances here felt uninspired and over-the-top.
The Action: Over-the-Top and Gory
If there’s one thing the movie delivers, it’s action. The fight scenes are bloody and brutal, making this a very adult movie. However, the over-the-top violence feels more like a gimmick than a necessary part of the story.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a hardcore fan of Kraven or Spider-Man, skip this movie. It doesn’t do the character justice and will likely leave you frustrated. However, if you’re in the mood for a “so bad it’s good” kind of movie, Kraven the Hunter might be worth a watch. Just don’t expect anything remotely close to the depth or quality of the comics or the Spider-Man video games.
For me, watching this disaster of a movie at least gave me a few laughs and helped me forget about a stressful week. Sometimes, that’s all you need from a film.
What did you think of Kraven the Hunter? Did it make you laugh or cry (from disappointment)? Let me know in the comments!
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