A man with a complex relationship with his father sets out on a path of vengeance, driven to become the greatest hunter in the world. A film by J.C. Chandor, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, and Russell Crowe.
KRAVEN
THE HUNTER
J.C. Chandor
(2024)
Sergei (Levi Miller) and his half-brother Dmitri (Billy Barratt) are collected from their boarding school, St. Michael’s Academy in Upstate New York, by their father Russian crime lord Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe). Nikolai tells them that Sergei’s mother (Masha Vasyukova) has taken her own life, and that he’s taking them to Ghana to hunt Zar, a fearsome lion. Blaming his father for his mother’s death, Sergei claims it was Nikolai’s decision to send her away that led to the tragedy.
In Northern Ghana, young Calypso Ezili (Diaana Babnicova) receives a tarot reading from her grandmother (Susan Aderin). Calypso draws three cards: The High Priestess, The Tower, and Strength. Her grandmother interprets these cards as an omen of an impending terrible accident. She then gives Calypso a mythical family potion, passed down through generations, which possesses extraordinary healing powers beyond imagination.
During the hunting trip, young Sergei comes face to face with Zar. As he raises his rifle to shoot, their eyes meet, and he senses something profound, prompting him to lower his weapon. Suddenly, Nikolai shoots Zar from afar, causing the enraged lion to charge at Sergei and drag him away.
Later, Zar drops Sergei’s body in front of Calypso, who saves his life using her grandmother’s mystical potion. Before the paramedics arrive by helicopter, Calypso places the Strength tarot card in Sergei’s hands. At the hospital, Sergei is declared dead for three minutes before inexplicably returning to life.
Back at their estate outside London, Nikolai scolds Sergei for endangering both his and Dmitri’s lives by hesitating to shoot the lion. He announces his plans for Sergei to eventually take over the family business, declaring that while Dmitri will return to school in New York, Sergei must remain behind to learn from him. When Nikolai shows Zar’s mounted head on the wall, Sergei becomes enraged, lashing out that the lion should have killed Nikolai instead.
Fleeing to Far Eastern Russia, where his mother once lived, young Sergei discovers he possesses superhuman abilities. His newfound powers grant him extraordinary strength, speed that surpasses a cheetah, and ferocity greater than a tiger’s. He channels these abilities into becoming a protector of the land, dedicating himself to hunting down wildlife smugglers.
Sixteen years later, adult Sergei (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), now known as Kraven the Hunter, infiltrates a Russian prison by killing and impersonating a convict during a prisoner transport. His target is Semyon Chorney (Yuri Kolokolnikov), leader of the Kirov Gang operating from within the prison walls. After deliberately causing a disturbance that puts him in proximity to Semyon, Kraven brutally kills him using a tooth ripped from a tiger-head carpet. He then makes his escape, racing across snow-covered terrain to a waiting aircraft.
Kraven tracks down Calypso Ezili (Ariana DeBose), who is now an investigative lawyer at one of the biggest law firms in Europe. He returns her tarot card and tells her that he killed Semyon Chorney, who is responsible for the death of her mentor and dear friend Samantha. Later, Kraven hands her a list, hoping she can help him locate people he can’t find. In response, Calypso warns him that if he continues pursuing the names on that list, people he cares about will get hurt.
Meanwhile, Aleksei Sytsevich (Alessandro Nivola), also known as the Rhino, learns of Semyon Chorney’s death and plots to seize his territory. After a failed attempt to assassinate Nikolai, Aleksei receives a mysterious flash drive containing prison footage that reveals the Hunter’s true identity as Sergei Kravinoff.
Aleksei sends his henchmen, led by Ömer Ozdemir (Murat Seven), to kill Sergei at his younger brother Dmitri’s (Fred Hechinger) London penthouse. The attack occurs during at dawn, but Sergei had already left in the middle of the night. When Sergei returns in the morning, he discovers Dmitri has been kidnapped and attempts a rescue, but the kidnappers escape.
Desperate for help, Sergei visits Calypso at her office, hoping she can identify who took Dmitri. Later, Aleksei demands a $20 million ransom from Nikolai Kravinoff, but Nikolai refuses to pay, claiming it’s not about money but power. When Sergei confronts his father, warning that Dmitri’s blood will be on his hands, Nikolai retorts that it wasn’t he who abandoned Dmitri – it was Sergei. He coldly adds that Dmitri was dead the moment he was taken, stating that’s what he himself would do.
Directed by American filmmaker J.C. Chandor, with a screenplay by Richard Wenk, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway, the film explores the origin story of Kraven the Hunter.
Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, who first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #15 in August 1964, the story delves into Kraven’s past, his complex relationship with his father, and his journey to becoming the world’s greatest hunter.
The film proves surprisingly entertaining, exceeding expectations set by its second trailer. The cast delivers strong performances throughout, and despite its 119-minute runtime, the pacing never drags.
While there are some unexplained plot elements and characters like Calypso Ezili could have been developed further, the film maintains its engagement from start to finish. It stands notably above Morbius in every way.
KRAVEN the Hunter was theatrically released in the United States on 13 December 2024.
