Plot: Kraven’s complex relationship with his ruthless father starts him down a path of vengeance, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.
This Kraven origin film was disappointing.
Pros: I like a lot of the action being very bloody. Aaron Taylor-Johnson was believable and whipped as Sergei. His chemistry with Calypso was build up serviceable. & I’m glad the Sony Spiderman villain verse experiment is over.
Cons: The main plot didn’t kick in for a middle of the movie for me. It had a miss opportunity developing the father and sons dynamics. The how Sergei got his powers was weird. Russell Crowe‘s father role was rubbish. A lot of not very good CGI. The film felt lifeless as well the writing & dialogue.
Directed by J. C. Chandor
Screenplay by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, Richard Wenk
Story by Richard Wenk
Based On Marvel Comics
Produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, David Householter
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott & Russell Crowe.
Cinematography: Ben Davis
Edited by Chris Lebenzon, Craig Wood
Music by Benjamin Wallfisch, Evgueni Galperine, Sacha Galperine
Production companies: Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Arad Productions, Matt Tolmach Productions
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Casts:
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff / Kraven:
A hunter-gatherer. Taylor-Johnson described his take on the character as an apex predator and a conservationist but not a poacher, a “protector of the natural world”, and an “animal lover”.- Levi Miller portrays a young Sergei.
- Ariana DeBose as Calypso Ezili: A voodoo priestess and lawyer who aids Kraven.
- Diaana Babnicova plays young Calypso.
- Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Kravinoff / Chameleon: Kraven’s estranged half-brother who is a master of disguise, capable of mimicking other’s voices.
- Billy Barratt portrays a young Dmitri.
- Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsevich / Rhino: A Russian mercenary who can transform into a human-rhino hybrid and controls the transformation using a serum.
- Christopher Abbott as the Foreigner: An assassin who uses ocular hypnosis to slow time and is hired by Aleksei.
- Russell Crowe as Nikolai Kravinoff: Kraven’s estranged father, and a ruthless crime lord and drug trafficker.
- Murat Seven as Ömer Ozdemir, a Turkish assassin hired by Aleksei.
- Yuri Kolokolnikov as Semyon Chorney, a Russian crime lord Kraven encounters in prison.
- Tom Reed as Bert, Aleksei’s second-in-command.
Additionally, Masha Vasyukova appears as Kraven’s mother. Guillaume Delaunay plays Mofo, a large and intimidating prisoner who becomes Kraven’s cellmate.
I would still recommend watching this film on NOW TV.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident film reviewer,
Level Best Art Cafe