Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Violent, by-the-numbers Spider-baddie smash-'em-up movie.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Kraven the Hunter
What's the Story?
In KRAVEN THE HUNTER, Kraven (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is taken to a Russian prison. After beating up two prisoners in the yard, he's summoned to meet a powerful criminal, whom he quickly kills with a tiger's tooth and escapes. In flashback, viewers then learn his origin story. He was once a boy called Sergei, whose powerful, drug-dealing father (Russell Crowe) was merciless in his attempts to raise "men, not cowards." During a hunting trip, Sergei is attacked by a lion but gets saved by Calypso, a medicine woman's daughter. From that point on, Sergei has superpowers. He eventually decides to run away, leaving behind his younger brother, Dmitri. Years later, Sergei, now Kraven, finds the grown-up Calypso (Ariana DeBose), now a lawyer, and strikes up a partnership with her. When his brother (Fred Hechinger) is kidnapped by a supervillain known as the Rhino (Alessandro Nivola), Kraven dashes off to the rescue, little realizing that he's walking into a trap.
Is It Any Good?
Yet another by-the-numbers entry in Sony's Spider-Man Universe franchise, this action-adventure feels lazy and cynical, as if putting in the least amount of effort to still be profitable. The talky origin story in Kraven the Hunter foreshadows pretty much everything that happens in the movie, with little emphasis on the "shadow" part; it's all quite clear. So the only thing to do is wait to enjoy whatever occasional action sequence doesn't look like rubbery CGI effects, such as some flipped/crashed cars, or Kraven scaling a building with his hands and bare feet. The dialogue is often painful, and musical theater star DeBose seems to be there for virtually no reason at all; Kraven teams up with Calypso in order to help him "find people he can't," even though his entire purpose is to find people. (Why wouldn't he be able to find someone?) Perhaps the most dramatic thing in Kraven the Hunter is the realization that it was directed by J.C. Chandor, whose first three movies—Margin Call, All Is Lost, and A Most Violent Year—signaled an exciting, promising career. Hopefully this film won't make that potential extinct.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Kraven the Hunter's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is Kraven a villain? A hero? An antihero? Why?
How does the movie depict parental abuse? How are phrases like "be a man" and "don't be a coward" harmful?
How is drinking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
How does this movie compare to other releases in Sony's Spider-Man Universe? What's the big picture in this series?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 13, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : January 14, 2025
- Cast : Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Ariana DeBose , Russell Crowe
- Director : J.C. Chandor
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Queer Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Releasing
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes
- Run time : 127 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violence, and language
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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