Image: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Releasing and Marvel Entertainment
I saw this in the eight-minute official opening of “Kraven The Hunter,” which was made available online yesterday, just as this newest entertainment article of mine is being published. It was polished, sleek, and flawless in its sequencing, editing, and presentation. It makes a compelling case that this upcoming movie should be taken seriously. Those who are skeptical about “Kraven The Hunter” should think twice and see for themselves how superb the first eight minutes of the movie are. This is just a sample of the overall tone of “Kraven The Hunter,” which is anything but boring.
It’s very Jason Bourne-like, with Kraven The Hunter being portrayed more as an anti-hero than a straightforward super-villain. It made me realize that “Kraven The Hunter” will be an all-around great movie because there is no way a studio would choose to release the first eight minutes of their highly anticipated film if they did not have complete confidence in it.
It has been a tough road for all movie studios, especially if they plan to create, produce, and release anything superhero-related, a comic book-inspired movie, or anything resembling a Marvel film. There are many “know-it-alls,” bashers, haters, fools, trolls, and people whose sole intention is to discourage others from watching these movies. These are some of the most miserable individuals, and unfortunately, many people listen to them without realizing that these people I am talking about have long since lost their love for cinema and their desire to enjoy a movie when it comes out. They want these films to fail. So, my advice to level-headed individuals, those not yet jaded or influenced by these negative voices, is to trust your instincts, follow your intuition, and make your own decision about whether to watch the movie or not.
Now, let us get back to the topic at hand. I had to get that out of the way. This is more than a typical marketing campaign, strategy, and tactic; it is about taking a chance and seeing where it leads. For the most part, since a couple of months ago, when I wrote about “Kraven The Hunter,” I felt immediately that this movie would at least be good, with competent filmmakers and actors suited for their roles (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Russell Crowe). I do not believe there is any miscasting or typecasting here; rather, the casting for the main roles is spot-on.
I have been wanting to say this for some time now: when it comes to movies from studios associated with Marvel, it feels like one foot is in the past (early to mid-2000s) and the other is in the present in terms of filmmaking. I have always felt this way about recent releases like “Morbius” and “Madame Web.” I think there is less pressure for them to constantly tie everything together and more focus on creating a film that stands on its merit, without needing to be a loose connection or thread to previous movies in its universe. That phrase is becoming tiresome to hear.
Honestly, when I analyze the current situation of all the movie studios associated with Marvel Studios, I see that they have several advantages. They can create the movies they want without heavily relying on previous works. Instead, they can focus on telling a compelling story, delivering solid entertainment, and hopefully making a hit.
For all the comic book collectors and readers, especially longtime ones, we already have Kraven The Hunter, Rhino, and Calypso appearing in this upcoming movie. I believe these three Marvel comic book characters are solid reasons to trust that the film will do justice to these Spider-Man super-villains. They should be portrayed in a way that stays true to their comic book origins, without being altered or given strange backstories and unnecessary details that often come with character development. The goal is to present these characters on the big screen in a way that appeals to all moviegoers, whether they are comic fans or not.
Whether or not, in the end, ‘”Kraven The Hunter” will have winning numbers at the box office, I honestly do not care, because I am going to watch this movie. I know when I see a great movie, and this is one.
“Kraven The Hunter” should be seen by moviegoers who understand that not everything has to revolve around the MCU or focus on the same A-list Marvel comic book characters. These characters have already had their moment in the spotlight. Giving a legendary Spider-Man super-villain, who has long since died in Marvel Comics, a movie of his own will not only revive interest in the comic book legend but also open doors for movie studios associated with Marvel to explore lesser-known Marvel superheroes and super-villains to younger audiences, giving them a chance to appear in their respective films.
I highly recommend “Kraven The Hunter” to be watched in cinemas.