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The Intense Action Makes Up for a Convoluted Storyline in Kraven the Hunter (Review)

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The scenes were anticlimactic and resembled a Spider-Man sensation – instead being bitten by a spider and “with great power comes great responsibility”, Kraven is bitten by a lion and “power is about strength”. However, Russell Crowe’s rendition of a Russian crime lord and demanding father were menacing. For the most part, Aaron Taylor-Johnson held the movie together through wild animal style fighting scenes with a hint of dark sophisticated essence.

Early in the film, Kraven (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) demonstrates his superhuman strength in the prison scene, similar to another Marvel character Sabretooth from X-Men. During his escape, he finds himself locking eyes with a wolf in the midst of the snowstorm. The piercing stare gives the indication that Kraven has a spiritual connection with animals, which should be pleasing for animal enthusiasts. The flashback into the earlier years did not provide much background on the Russian crime lord Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe), merely that he is a demanding resentful father towards his sons Sergei “Kraven” (Levi Miller) and Dmitri (Billy Barratt). It seemed not much effort was placed in what should be an important key factor; when the young Sergei locks eyes with a ferocious lion, and the predictable outcome of how he obtained the animalistic superpowers from a magical potion given to him by a young Calypso Ezili (Diaana Babnicova), who undramatically runs to his rescue out of nowhere.

The scene abruptly cuts to present day; an adult Sergei, now Kraven, eliminates a poacher and his boss. This scene gives a boost of adrenaline, but quickly fades. The storyline gets muddled when Kraven teams up with adult Calypso (Ariana DeBose) to get justice on a list of corrupt individuals. The best action happens during the final scene – Kraven combating The Foreigner (Christopher Abbott) and Aleksei Sytsevich aka the Rhino (Alessandro Nivola). It gets intense with graphic action sequences – going back to the roots of Marvel Comics.

It was fun finding many Easter eggs connected to Spider-Man throughout the movie, from Kraven’s hallucinations with spiders to the mention of Miles Warren. The surprise twist revealing The Chameleon was a plus, better than watching Dmitri (Fred Hechinger) playing the piano and singing like Ed Sheeran.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson was good at delivering the grand image of Kraven. He does have the experience of playing a Marvel’s Avenger character, Pietro Maximoff – Quicksilver, under his belt. Although Kraven the Hunter did not have the elements of a successful Marvel film like Deadpool, it does have enough components to surpass Madam Web.

Sabrina "Kiddo" is the newest member of Countdown City Geeks and is a contributor of movie and television show reviews. Her passion for film derived from her college days where her rhetoric-writing professor focused on the aspects of screenwriting and music lyrics. She also has a knack for memorizing and repeating movie quotes, catchphrases.

Movie Reviews

Into the Unknown: Reviewing ‘From the Beyond: High Strangeness in the Bennington Triangle’

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In this video, we take a deep dive into the mysterious and unsettling documentary ‘From the Beyond: High Strangeness in the Bennington Triangle’.

Exploring one of America’s most infamous paranormal hotspots, this film examines eerie disappearances, strange sightings, and the chilling folklore surrounding Vermont’s Bennington Triangle. We break down the documentary’s storytelling, evidence, interviews, and overall atmosphere—does it truly uncover something unexplainable, or does it leave more questions than answers?

If you’re into unsolved mysteries, paranormal phenomena, and high strangeness, this one’s for you.


Synopsis: Since the mid twentieth century, a mysterious section of land in rural Vermont has been the home of untold strangeness. Rumors of UFOs, ghosts, phantom lights and mysterious creatures can all be found there in abundance, while verified reports of odd disappearances – many still unsolved – cast a shadow over Glastenbury Mountain. From the Beyond: High Strangeness in the Bennington Triangle goes beyond the rumors and campfire stories, while daring to ask what may be the most frightening question of all – why is Glastenbury Mountain so inexplicable, and what happened to those who have gone missing?

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Movie Reviews

THE SHITHEADS aka IDIOTS – Sticky, Icky, and Out of Control

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The Shitheads, now renamed Idiots, was showcased during the 2026 SXSW festival and is scheduled for a theatrical release in August of this year. The film is directed by Macon Blair which he co-wrote with Alex Orr, starring Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Mason Thames. The plot is driven by a couple of underachievers taking on what should be an effortless task of transporting an affluent teen to a rehab center, but this intellectually predatory teen throws them off course.

It didn’t quite reach the heights it aimed for. I was anticipating this dark comedy to be an exciting adventure, bursting with laughs, but it was frustrating like your car getting a flat tire. The characters are defined by basic emotions-anger and confusion-but nothing beyond that. The movie never explores them, so it’s difficult to empathize. When faced with several misfortunes, they lack impact because the audience has no emotional connection.  The weak characters are just along for the ride, dictated by the script rather than the narrative cohesion, making that “road to nowhere” feel long and exhausting. It spends a lot of time lingering on repulsive comedy scenes that not even a jumbo roll of toilet paper could wipe up this mess. It can get sticky, icky and out of control.

Mason Thames, however, made chicken salad out of… well, you know. He impressed me with his performance, a revelation role of a charismatic irritant-sociopathic, spoiled, privileged brat. Thames could have elevated his character to higher levels and carry the film to the finish line. While critically acclaimed renowned actor Peter Dinklage had a brief cameo, it served as a tantalizing preview of the chemistry he might share with Mason Thames for a future team-up.

There is a much better movie buried somewhere inside the pile of Idiots. The underlying premise has potential, but the film eventually stalls under the coherent thematic arc and inconsistent pacing. It’s not a disaster by any means, but it is a disappointing work of inspired fragments rather than a cohesive narrative that falls short of being essential cinema.

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Movie Reviews

THE SEEING EYE DOG WHO SAW TOO MUCH – A Fun Hidden Short Mystery Gem

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A 1975 film by Enrico Januzzi The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much has been exhumed by Eric Jackowitz who wrote, directed and stars as the Dog Scientist that brings a quirky invention to extract clues from the memory of the victim’s seeing eye dog to solve the mystery of the black-gloved killer at the Rome Symphony. The dog’s facial expression says it all… what the heck is happening here! It’s a short film that gives a fun experience to keep you guessing through the laughs and exaggerated slashing to the whodunit murder mystery.

Jackowitz used the limited time effectively giving it a similar resemblance to a grownup version of a Scooby Doo episode, but with classic cinematic style that blends sharp comedy with serious, dark themes, focusing on eccentric characters. This haunting film is all character driven with the intriguing, unusual suspects and victims compiling the pieces of the puzzle for the grand ruh-roh reveal.

The Seeing Eye Dog Who Saw Too Much had its world premiere at the 2026 SXSW Festival, and to no surprise it won the Audience Award. The small ensemble includes Ethan Edenburg (Maestro), Anna Garcia (Daria), Colton Eschief Mastro (Stelvio), Gabrielle Montes de Oca (Anne), Melissa Villaseñor (Cesar Salad Lady) and Tom Mcgovern (Angelo). Each actor was empowered to explore their roles freely, allowing them to immerse themselves in the joy of character creation making this an outrageously entertaining short film that I consider a fun hidden short mystery gem.

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