Aaron Taylor-Johnson isn’t new to superhero movies, having played the MCU’s Quicksilver in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, but Kraven the Hunter is his first opportunity to lead one, and while he turns in an entertaining performance, the latest installment of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe never lives up to its potential. The movie is violent, with some of the most violent kills seen in a superhero movie, but while this makes for an R-rated action film, it’s not enough to outweigh the movie’s flaws.
The film’s biggest problem is its overabundance of characters, with multiple origin stories and barely enough room to develop the main characters, Sergei and his brother Dmitri. This leaves the story feeling shallow and poorly executed, as if the action scenes were devised first and the story was built around them. The result is a superhero movie with very little personality beyond Taylor-Johnson’s charm.
The movie also falls short of its goal of deconstructing toxic masculinity, instead reaffirming harmful stereotypes at the end. The film’s conclusion is frustrating and overly simplistic, undoing much of the good work done in the first act.
Ultimately, Kraven the Hunter is a poorly executed superhero movie that fails to stand on its own as a standalone film. While fans of Taylor-Johnson may find some enjoyment in his performance, the movie is not a must-watch Marvel film. With a rating of 5/10, it’s only recommended for those who enjoy superhero movies for their action scenes or are fans of Taylor-Johnson.
