Kraven The Hunter (2024) Review

Over the last few years, we have seen Sony attempt to make their own shared universe using Spider-Man villains and here is their latest and probably last attempt for the time being - Kraven The Hunter. With a lack of interest, I found the will to go and watch the film today and here is my review. The premise of the film sees after receiving super powers, Kraven goes on the hunt after people that do bad deeds. 

Main Character

Aaron Talyor-Johnson plays Kraven and unfortunately he is incredibly boring in the role. He just seems to not really care about the role and that he is sleep walking through it just to get his pay check. I always thought he was a weird choice for the role and that is what came to pass. A big issue is the writing, the people who wrote this film know nothing about the character and changed him so much that he doesn't even feel like Kraven anymore and that is a big shame. 

Supporting Characters

Fred Hechinger plays Dmitri Kravenoff and he does a decent job here. This film is built on family and the family relationships here and pretty much all of the heavy lifting comes from Hechinger and the next actor I will mention. 

Russell Crowe plays Nikolai Kravenoff and though he has a slightly silly accent it works and Crowe shows he has star power. He is clearly the person who really cares about the film and his role which hasn't always been the case so credit to him for that. 

Ariana DeBose plays Calypso and she is the most useless character in this film and I don't know why she was included. It just seemed like they needed a companion for Kraven, she never helps him and there is no real development and backstory for her character. 

In the trailer it was revealed that Alessandro Nivola would be playing Aleksei Sytsevich AKA The Rhino, but this was not a version of The Rhino that comes across well at all. He is a bit of a weirdo and that actor really overplays it, it just feels nothing like the character in the comics which adds to the idea that the people making this film didn't really understand the characters. 

Story

The story is completely nonsensical and is awful. They are forced to turn Kraven into this hero for justice which goes against the traditional nature of the character but the film is just dull and convoluted. They spend 30 mins trying to explain how he got his powers but they do it in such a poor way that I still don't understand it. The film rushes way too much and doesn't explain any of the characters and why I should care about what is going on. 

Script

The Script is really bad. It tries some really bad humour, they try and make Kraven a bit funny which is again not like his character in the comics but none of it works and Taylor-Johnson doesn't deliver them very well. I didn't care about any of the characters or the situation they are put in and that makes it feel pretty lifeless. 

Style

The film has some entertaining action sequences and a big part of that is the level of violence incorporated which makes it stands out, which is funny that is R-Rated but none of the Venom films were. But some of the action scenes are very short and just as they get going they stop and the CGI is pretty terrible throughout, especially that of Rhino, who looks like a cartoon character. 

Overall 

Overall, Kraven The Hunter is a really bad film. It has everything poor about it in a comic book film and it should never have been made. The action isn't good enough and the characters are not well realised leaving this an utter mess and one of the worst comic book films that you will ever see. 

Rating - 2/10

Venom: The Last Dance (2024) Review

With good box office performances but pretty weak acclaim, the Venom films have been interesting over the last few years and now we have the third and possibly last film in the franchise with Venom: The Last Dance and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Eddie & Venom on the run when they are hunted by an intergalactic hunter and The U.S Government. 

Main Character

Tom Hardy is back as both Eddie Brock & Venom and I really like his performance and the buddy performance that he has captivated here. He is less weird in this film and though they bicker, this is the film where both Eddie & Venom feel like friends and that they have a singular goal and that is a nice change of pace. Hardy adds a lot to the performance and this is probably my favourite performance that he has as the character. 

Supporting Characters

Rhys Ifans plays Martin and he is probably my favourite supporting character in this film. He is an Alien enthusiast that bumps into Eddie on the road with his family and he just came across as pretty likeable and endearing and I actually cared a little about him. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast do not do so well. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays General Strickland and he just feels like a really generic character which is such a waste of his talents. He is this typical army guy and he offered very little to this role, especially with the ability of the actor. 

Juno Temple plays Dr Teddy Paine and I really don't like this character. She is introduced into this film and they give her this really weird backstory and tries to make you care about her character and I really didn't. She offers incredibly little and her character isn't given any satisfying conclusion here. 

Stephen Graham reprises his role as Mulligan and he is totally wasted here, this is one of the most talented actors out there and he is just here for exposition and that frustrates me, especially where they set his character up in the previous film. 

Story

The film does a great job in continuing the relationship between Eddie & Venom and this is where the film is at its best. The duo are at there best here but the rest of the story just falls short. The whole reasoning as to why they are on the run doesn't quite make sense and feels like a last minute decision and certain storylines and characters are weak and not given enough time and complexity. The films ending mostly works but I just think it could have been better if certain things happened in the film. 

Script

This film has a good blend of humour and drama but that mostly takes place between the characters of Eddie & Venom. It is inconsistent with the other characters as the majority of humour doesn't work and only a little bit of drama works and that is just strange. 

Style

The film is a comic book film and does embrace that, especially over its last act where we see all these aliens fighting in comic books style. The film is pretty brisk and moves at a fast pace but that has its pros and cons, it makes it an easy watch but it also tries to balance too many things and thus things feel undercooked and are not developed enough. 

Overall

Overall, Venom: The Last Stand is an Above Average Film and in my opinion is the best Venom film. It is messy but is pretty entertaining that at some point is probably worth a watch but it still falls way short of being a great or even good comic book film. 

Rating - 6/10

Morbius (2022) Review

I have wanted to watch Morbius for years and never found the time, but a 13 hour flight was the perfect chance to watch this film that I have heard so much about in the past and here is my review for Morbius. The premise of the film sees a doctor try to cure himself of a blood disease but accidentally infects himself with Vampire Blood. 

Main Character

Jared Leto plays Michael Morbius and I really didn't like him in this role. He is obviously a good actor but between Morbius and The Joker, I think he should stay away from comic book roles for the rest of time. I don't think he is helped by other things going on but he is really bland and there is just no reason to care or support Morbius and that is a shame. 

Supporting Characters

Matt Smith plays Milo and he is so over the top that it is really cringe, but he is clearly really enjoying his screen time and giving it his all and he is the only person who can actually say this. His dynamic with Leto isn't particularly good but Smith has so much charisma that I couldn't stop watching it. 

Adria Arjona plays Martine Bancroft and is basically here just to give a romance for Morbius. She is a talented actress but she offers nothing here and she is one of the duller characters that you will meet in any comic book film. 

Jared Harris plays Emile Nicholas and I think he was okay here but he barely has any screen time. He feels like he is just a plot device for the story but I feel like Harris could have been a better part of the film and how he is used is a disappointment. 

Tyrese Gibson plays Simon Stroud and this might be the most offensive performance in the film. Gibson is mainly known for his energetic role in The Fast & Furious films but here he is so boring and monotone that it makes me wonder why they even bothered casting him and he felt really out of place. 

Story

The story is all over the place. The ideas presented here could have worked but they tried to do them all together which meant they didn't work. The focus should have been more on the relationship between Morbius and Milo and I mean it should have been written a lot better but it has a romantic story and seeing Morbius against the police. The plot doesn't make much sense and is another low point for the film. 

Script

The script is also pretty bad, the drama didn't make me care about anybody in this film and the humour is super cringy. The blend of the two isn't handled well and the writing of the plot just makes no sense and it fits this films rubbish tone. 

Style

Now there are a few decent action scenes and I enjoyed the fact that it pushed the envelope for its 12 rating which I do appreciate. But a lot of the CGI is rubbish and some of the action scenes are lacklustre. The films pacing is all over the place too, it felt really long even though it is actually a normal length film. 

Overall

Overall, Morbius is a pretty terrible film that lives up to the expectations that I have been told. No good things come from this film and should be avoided at all cost. 

Rating - 2/10

Madame Web (2024) Review

With Marvel Studios taking on more responsibility involving Spider-Man, Sony have decided to try and build a universe involving smaller characters from the same lore as him. We have had Venom and Morbius and will get Kraven The Hunter later this year but here we have Madame Web. I saw this film last night and here is my review for Madame Web. The p[remise of the film sees a women bestowed with powers where she has to save 3 girls from being killed by a villainous foe. 

Main Character

I must be honest that I have never been a huge fan of Dakota Johnson and she plays Cassandra Web here and I have to be honest she isn't particularly good here. She is overacting everything here and her character is super unlikeable and hard to care about. She is clearly hampered by the awful writing in this film and she can't rise above it and give us a lead role to support or care about and Cassie Web will go down as one of the worst leads in a comic book film ever. 

Supporting Characters

Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced & Celeste O'Connor play the three girls that are in the view of the villain and they are all pretty awful. Their characters are really awkward and not particularly likeable, the film tries to force you to like and care about these characters but it comes across poorly and these actresses aren't good enough to make me care. 

Tahar Rahim plays Ezekiel Sims and he is one of the more frustrating parts of this film because I have seen him be a good actor and this character had some potential but the film really flops here and makes him this over the top villain that is so stupid that it really takes you out of the film. 

Adam Scott as Ben Parker is probably the best person here but he isn't really given much to do and it still upsets me that he plays Ben Parker and it is really clear that this was just done to provide some stupid fan service that actually annoys me even more. 

Story

The story is nonsensical and completely stupid. The plot makes no sense and characters do things that make no sense, Cassie Web in particular is one of the dumbest characters that I have seen in recent movies. This film also tries its best to ruin the character of Spider-Man even though he isn't in the film and it is just the backdrop to this pretty dull and horrendous adventure. 

Script

This is a really awfully written film. Things make no sense, characters are unlikeable and there is no humour here at all. There are so many plot holes it is crazy and the film has nothing interesting about it at all. 

Style 

I mean I guess the action scenes are okay and the bad guys suit was okay but that is it. The film is filmed really poorly, the editing looks unfinished and at times it is actually quite jarring to watch it. There are way too many jump scares especially for a film that is not a horror film. The trailer shows things that barely happen in the film and it feels like we were sold a different film that never got made. 

Overall

Overall, Madame Web is a truly disastrous film. This is up there with one of the worst films I have ever seen and is up there with the worst comic book films of all time. Though I am glad I saw this film to have this experience but at all cost avoid this garbage and do something better for 2 hours. 

Rating - 1/10

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) Review

It's been a busy week but I have finally found the time to watch Venom: Let There Be Carnage and now here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Eddie Brock and Venom have to figure out their relationship while going against a serial killer and his own symbiote. 

Main Character

Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock and voices Venom and he does a pretty good job. I just find his performance as Brock entertaining and clearly somebody who is enjoying himself. He doesn't get much character development but I think there is just about enough here to give Hardy props for his role in the film. Venom is actually given more development and it is executed pretty well, I actually felt feeling towards the symbiote. He is also pretty funny and for me the dynamic between Venom and Eddie Brock is probably the highlight of the film. 

Supporting Characters

The first Venom film suffered from not creating interesting supporting characters and it is a shame that this film is the same. Woody Harrelson reprises his role of Cletus Kassidy/Carnage from the post credit scene of the first film and I just never got invested in his character. He just came across as a weirdo and a guy with no character. Harrelson is clearly enjoying himself but the character of Carnage is not given the justification that he deserves here. Naomi Harris plays Shriek and unfortunately, she is even worse. She just has these terrible one liners and her over the top bizarre performance is just too much for me and does nothing for me. The great Stephen Graham plays a police officer and it's not even that he is bad, he is actually alright but his character is dull and there is literally no reason to care and it is a shame that such a talent is wasted here. Michelle Williams is back as Anne from the first film and she is just as boring here, I just don't like the character and I have felt like Williams phones it in and signed a contract that she had to be here as she does very little here. 

Story 

The relationship between Eddie and Venom is represented quite well here and I like how we saw more things from Venom's point of view this time around. But it is flawed, the dynamic between Carnage and Venom fails and the dynamic between Brock and Cassidy doesn't work either. The characters don't get enough time to develop and you won't care about anybody apart from Venom and maybe Eddie. 

Script

The script is okay, the humour was something I was worried about in the trailer but I can't deny that it worked for me. I chuckled quite a few times with Venom having some funny one liners. But the drama falls really flat and is so rushed that when it comes to the big showdown I kind of didn't care. 

Style

Both Venom and Carnage both look great and the clash between them is way easier to follow then the action in the first film. But the pacing is all over the place, it starts off at 100 miles an hour and then slows down and ties to focus on way too much. It needed a longer runtime to make the audience care about the characters. 

Overall

Overall, Venom; Let There Be Carnage is an average film that doesn't rise above its predecessor. It is okay and I don't think will bring any new fans but there is a huge post credit scene and that is all that people will be talking about coming out of this film. 

Rating - 5/10

Venom (2018) Review

With Venom: Let There Be Carnage coming out in The UK tomorrow, I thought that I had to go back and watch the original Venom film which I have only seen once before and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a struggling reporter bonded with an alien parasite who have to save the world. 

Main Character

Tom Hardy plays Eddie Brock and he does a decent job here. You can tell he is fully committed and giving everything to the role and because he is a good actor it mostly pays off. It's not one of his best performances but he has a bit of charm and humour to him that does enough and his interactions with Venom is the highlight of the film. Hardy also voices Venom and is really good at it, the dynamic between the two of them is really good and I just wish there was more of it in this film. 

Supporting Characters

Michelle Williams plays a romantic foil for Eddie Brock and I just couldn't get invested in her as a character. The dynamic between her and Hardy is just never there for me and it just feels like that there has to be a love interest but they didn't put much time and effort into it. Riz Ahmed plays a bad guy and honestly, I have never been a huge fan of his and he is just really bland in this film. This is a mixture of poor writing and a weak performance that doesn't hold up against Hardy who is really trying. This cast is so small and unfortunately, apart from Venom and Eddie there are no character that stands out.  

Story 

The story is also a mess, things just don't make sense and none of it is interesting at all. The bad guys plan doesn't add up and the plot is really not given the focus that it needs. It takes way too long to get to the meat of it and even then it doesn't do enough to keep your interest. 

Script

The script actually has some funny moments, the dialogue between Eddie and Venom is decent and thank goodness for that because the drama is poor. The relationship drama doesn't work and the conflict between our protagonist and antagonist is not done well to say the least. 

Style

Venom himself looks great, the CGI is really good and I really like how large he is compared to the previous iteration that we saw in Spider-Man 3. Some of the action scenes are decent as well, but I do wish they could have pushed the violence a bit more as it seems a bit tame for Venom. The pacing for the film is a bit all over the place too, it takes too long for Venom to actually come on screen with the film being quite short, it doesn't use its time effectively. 

Overall

Overall, Venom is a below average film. Tom Hardy really tries but the rest of the cast aren't great and the story is all over the place so lets hope the sequel will be better. 

Rating - 4/10