It’s no secret to anyone that this movie was seen as a flop of epic proportions—especially where the critics were concerned. They rated it an abysmal 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, and while it performed better with general audiences, who mostly showed up for its two main stars, at 72%, that critics’ score likely killed any future franchise plans, leaving this IP and the characters it introduced dead in the water. And now, like other Sony superhero projects, it looks like the movie is slated to leave Netflix in two weeks despite spiking in viewership after the premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Kraven the Hunter was meant to launch a multi-film franchise that introduced one of Marvel’s most iconic villains, but the sheer number of plot holes, poorly done CGI, and overall lazy execution axed those plans before they could really get off the ground. It starred Russell Crowe and Aaron Taylor-Johnson and told a story about one man’s brutal quest for revenge. Centered on Sergei Kravinoff (Taylor-Johnson), later known as Kraven, the movie follows his twisted relationship with his ruthless father (Crowe)—one that sets him on a path of vengeance and leads him to become the world’s greatest hunter and its most feared.
Honestly? Yeah. The cast had the perfect amount of star power, and the story was literally written. But, like origin stories often do, it fell prey to poor direction and a weak script. Critic Guillermo Troncos says it best: “Kraven the Hunter dangles a few intriguing ideas, throws in a half-baked premise, and fumbles nearly everything—from the script to the visuals to the dialogue.” The most infuriating thing about the film in general is that the potential for an incredible villain origin story was right there, chock full of violence, nuance, and perfect casting, and still, the entire thing was horribly fumbled. Critic Cameron Ritter added, “After years of planning, delays, and reshoots, it’s hard to find much positive to take away from this movie, and it’s unfortunate to see Aaron Taylor-Johnson be let down by Marvel yet again.”
Casual viewers, however, had a much more generous take on the movie and were not deterred by their critic counterparts. And while they still had complaints—like Sony always forcing villains into the shoes of an anti-hero—they were much less harsh, with some still craving that Kraven sequel. “It’s a lot of fun! Aaron Taylor-Johnson owns the role of Kraven, and the action is so insane. I hate that they wasted Rhino, and most of the things in the third act are pretty rushed. I recognize the flaws, but it’s overall a very fun movie to watch,” said one viewer, summing up the feelings of most of the general audience.
