REVIEW: Kraven The Hunter (2024)
Review By Liam Herschall — NewsTime News
Sony’s Kraven the Hunter takes a bold step into the morally ambiguous territory of antiheroes, crafting an origin story for one of Spider-Man’s most formidable foes. Directed with unrelenting grit by J.C. Chandor, the film is a cinematic safari through vengeance, environmentalism, and familial betrayal. Aaron Taylor-Johnson imbues Sergei Kravinoff with a primal intensity that is both captivating and terrifying. And yet, as much as I admired the artistry of this film, I couldn’t shake the overwhelming guilt of enjoying a story about this man that I know will go on to try to kill my good friend Spider-Man.
The film’s action is relentless and raw, with every fight sequence masterfully shot to emphasize Kraven’s predatory precision. When he leapt off a cliff to spear a helicopter pilot midair, I felt my heart race. But then I remembered: this is the same guy who’s eventually going to hunt down Peter Parker, my buddy who I grew up with and saved me from being mugged by a guy with a sonic hammer. How could I cheer for a man whose life goal is to turn my web-slinging pal into a wall-mounted trophy?
The screenplay does a remarkable job of fleshing out Kraven’s motivations, painting him as a man who sees himself as nature’s ultimate arbiter. His hatred of poachers and despoilers is almost noble—until you remember that, someday, he’s going to look at Spider-Man, the guy who swings around cleaning up New York’s crime, and think, You know what? I should skin that guy.
The cinematography is nothing short of stunning. The golden hues of the savannah juxtaposed against the dark forests of his homeland create a striking visual narrative. But every time Kraven crouched in the tall grass, silhouetted against a dying sun, all I could picture was him hiding in an alley, waiting to ambush Spidey with a blowdart. Even the lush soundtrack, filled with tribal drums and soaring strings, couldn’t drown out the inner turmoil of knowing I was being seduced by the backstory of a man destined to shoot a net at my neighborhood hero and really good friend, Spider-Man.
As the film reached its climax, with Kraven standing victorious over his latest prey and roaring at the heavens, I couldn’t help but feel complicit. I had just spent two hours empathizing with a man who will one day try to destroy a guy who brought me my wallet, and a snarky little quip, when I dropped it off the Empire State Building. How could I look Spider-Man in the eye the next time I saw him and say, “Oh, yeah, I loved Kraven the Hunter! That guy’s awesome”? I’d have to explain myself, and you know Spidey would give me that disappointed tilt of the mask.
In the end, Kraven the Hunter is a gruesome triumph—visually arresting, emotionally complex, and unflinchingly brutal. But no amount of artistry can erase the fact that this man will one day try to hang Spider-Man’s head above his fireplace, and Spider-Man is my best friend.
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