22/18
Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU)
Tale
Kraven’s complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff, sets him on a path of vengeance — with brutal consequences — and inspires him to become not only the world’s greatest hunter, but one of the most feared. Sergey Kravinoff: [after his father tries to attack him] You can’t do this to me anymore. Cast of AniMat’s Mad Cartoon: Caillou’s Revenge (2022).
Their movies, while somewhat unusual, had individuality, ambition, and brutality
While everyone likes to joke and make memes about the Sonyverse’s villain spinoffs (Madame Web is justified), I actually applaud what they brought to the table when the MCU couldn’t even bring themselves to do so. We wouldn’t have gotten that in the original MCU. Kraven and Venom are the standouts, with Kraven actually being a big boost.
In the comics, Kraven is a sleek, cold, calculating savage
You couldn’t have picked a better actor than Aaron Taylor Johnson for this role. His incredible style is on full display here in all its brutal glory. The addition of the legendary Crowe is also a great side to the overall story.
Not every comic book movie needs 100 subplots and character connections
While the story is very straightforward and somewhat basic, that’s what the character needs. The action is absolutely insane and will keep you on edge the entire time. The cgi is there, but it doesn’t really detract from the overall product.
I actually think Venom was outclassed by this, and that’s saying something, because Venom was severely underrated
It’s a shame we probably won’t get any more standalone villain spin-offs in the Sonyverse, but it will still be a solid act in itself to remember.