‘Kraven the Hunter’ stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick Ass, Avengers: Age of Ultron) as the titular character and chronicles the villain’s origin story.
Because I only know Kraven from the 90’s animated ‘Spiderman’ series, I went into this trailer blind, and it looks great. Aaron Taylor-Johnson was an unexpected casting choice for the character, but he looks the part, and appears to fit comfortably into the role. And, while the trailer showed a lot, it works here since the character isn’t as well known as Spiderman or Fantastic 4 and is being introduced to a wider audience for the first time.
But the aspect that stuck out the most is its rating. The fighting choreography looks fantastic, but it’s also bloody and violent, something that a Marvel film hasn’t done since 2017’s ‘Logan’. This was the most unexpected part of the film but, from what’s in the trailer, it was a necessary addition. It also shows that some Superhero/Villain films have to be R rated to be told accurately; I truly wish ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’ had been given the same treatment.
Despite knowing nothing aside from his appearances in the animated ‘Spiderman’ series, ‘Kraven the Hunter’ looks fantastic. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is an unexpected but brilliant casting choice for the titular role and its bloody direction is truly surprising but welcomed.
There are shows that I will rarely binge-watch; I usually take my time to ingest the show’s plot, especially if it’s a long running one. However, ‘Good Omens’ was one I happily consumed in a single day; it was delightful, funny and a great adaptation of the book by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. But it was a surprise to hear that a second series is coming. A surprise and a welcome one.
The second series of ‘Good Omens’ once again follows the demon Crowley (David Tennant – Doctor Who) and angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen – The Sandman, Quiz) as they continue to live on Earth after the events of the previous series.
Because the first series was an adaptation of the book, all of the characters have been developed and established and are well known by mainstream audiences by now. This means that the second series can be its own narrative. And it looks like this series will be a mystery, because archangel Gabriel has supposedly lost his memory, placing Aziraphale and Crowley as suspects number one.
While the story is separate from the book, ‘Good Omens Season 2’ looks fantastic: David Tennant and Michael Sheen’s onscreen chemistry is perfect, and I can’t wait to see the two unlikely duo again. And now that the source material is covered, it gives Neil Gaiman free reign to continue the story in the way that he wants, and it once again looks funny and delightful.
A trailer that made a surprise appearance was for the adaptation of ‘Nimona’.
Based on the graphic novel of the same name, ‘Nimona’ follows a shapeshifting villain who goes on a special mission with the villainous Lord Ballister Blackheart. Their mission: to prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.
With a chaotic storyline as above, it comes as no surprise that the trailer for the animated film follows a similar pace and tone. But it’s also a relief to see it come to life after its troubled production. Originally starting development at Blue Sky Studios (‘Ice Age’, ‘Rio’), the film halted production when Disney shut the studio down in 2021. The film was then picked up by Netflix, where production slowly continued, so it’s amazing to see the film finally see a release at all.
And, while I have yet to read the comic, ‘Nimona’ looks like a lot of fun. The animation style is incredible; after all the standard CGI animation styles that a lot of Disney films have used, it’s really nice to see various animated films branch out and utilize different styles.
It’s amazing to finally see the adaptation of ‘Nimona’ come to life. The film looks colourful, vibrant and a lot of fun with an interesting lead character. And the storyline of a shapeshifter and a villain going on a quest is fantastic; it’s rare for a film to be from the point of view of a villain and it’s a narrative style I love. It’s a film I am unexpectedly excited for.
Within the current video game adaptation trend, one surprising release is ‘Gran Turismo’. Originally released for the Playstation One in 1997, the racing franchise spawned 15 entries and will now have its own live action film. But, while previous adaptations have told the stories of their source materials, ‘Gran Turismo’ is going in a different direction.
‘Gran Turismo’ tells the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a British gamer-turned-racer who won his initial race seat through GT Academy, a competition organized by Nissan and Sony.
Because the game franchise doesn’t have a story, it means that Playstation Studios could execute this adaptation in a different way instead of trying to make up a fictional story. And a very interesting story has been picked for this film that directly relates to the game and it looks fantastic. While I am not a fan of racing, I will always be interested in films that are based on true stories and this one is unique, especially considering the way in which the GT competition was laid out.
‘Gran Turismo’ could’ve been a racing adaptation with a fictional story, but the story of Jann Mardenborough is a perfect way to use the gaming IP. It’s an interesting and unique story and it looks fantastic.
Gran Turismo is a series of racing simulation video games developed by Polyphony Digital. Developed for PlayStation systems, Gran Turismo games are intended to emulate the appearance and performance of a large selection of vehicles, most of which are licensed reproductions of real-world automobiles.
As the film opened to a replay of a sequence from ‘Fast Five’, I couldn’t help but think how much the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise has changed since its introduction in 2001. What started as ‘Point Break’, with underground street racing, has turned into a superhero series; not only does the franchise now try to up the stunts with each entry, but it also adds another huge star to its already massive cast. Furthermore, it even rivals Marvel with the number of characters that return from the dead, the most recent being Han (Sung Kang – Obi Wan Kenobi, Fast & Furious 6) who returned in F9. And, whilst the franchise is ridiculous, it’s a lot of fun and the latest entry is no exception.
‘Fast X’ continues the fast-paced lives of the ever-growing Family lead by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel – Bloodshot, Guardians of the Galaxy). But a new psychopathic villain threatens to tear Toretto’s life and family apart.
The franchise is also good at retconning its own narrative. The scene where a vault is dragged across the highway by Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker – Fast & Furious 7, Hustlers) is shown to have been owned by a ruthless drug lord and his newly revealed son Dante (Jason Momoa – Aquaman, Dune) who serves as this entry’s villain. And, while other aspects of the film shine, Momoa is the best part of ‘Fast X’. With each entry, the focal villain either grows crazier or sillier and Dante is the former in the best way. Jason Momoa does a fantastic job at portraying a psychopath who wants revenge for what previously occurred, and he’s clearly having fun here. While he gleefully drives through the 2-hour 20-minute runtime like a child in a sweet shop, he’s also the first villain in the franchise to actually appear threatening. This is something that is welcomed in a franchise filled with resurrected characters, crazy and impossible stunts and cartoon-like villains. Plus, the threats that he gives to Dominic and his Family are shown more than told, further enthusing how much of a threat Dante can be. There are real stakes here compared to previous entries and it was a welcome aspect.
And Jason Momoa isn’t the only new addition to the franchise: Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) also makes an appearance as a new member of the Agency HQ, the organization that was previously led by Mr Nobody (Kurt Russell – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Escape From L.A.). But, while her character has potential, the writing doesn’t give her a lot of screentime unfortunately. Brie Larson is a fantastic actress and her character arc of going behind Agency HQ’s back and helping the Family is interesting. But, with the multiple side plots throughout the film, Larson doesn’t get enough screentime to truly become an important, or meaningful, part of the story which is a shame. This issue also extends to Roman (Tyrese Gibson – Morbius, Fast & Furious 9) and Tej (Ludacris – 2 Fast 2 Furious). While these have been divisive, I always found them charming and a fitting comic relief. But, once again, these two characters barely have any screentime, making their scenes appear pointless. This is especially a shame considering both characters have been a Family member since ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’. The film tries to develop Roman’s character, this time as a leader, but it is ultimately forgotten about.
An aspect I did enjoy regarding the Family was Agency HQ’s newly appointed CEO and his opinion of them. Played by Alan Ritchson (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), the new CEO Aimes takes over after Mr Nobody’s disappearance and immediately calls the Family out as terrorists and a danger to the general public. This was the best way to execute this plotline and essentially hold a mirror up to the main characters. While the franchise is filled with enjoyable car chase sequences and a ton of action scenes, the Family do also endanger lives with their dangerous driving, something that has received backlash for a long time now. So, this was a well-executed plot that ultimately served as Aimes’ story arc to an extent: to stop the Family from causing more destruction.
And, while I could talk about the acting, the fight and car chase sequences themselves, they are a staple within a franchise that has been speeding along for 12 years. Therefore, a certain quality is to be expected and that expectation certainly delivers. While there weren’t any notable stunts that were crazier than the ninth entry (where does it go after putting a car in space?!), the action scenes are extremely enjoyable. It is a shame to see Brie Larson, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris pushed to the side-line, but this is ultimately Jason Momoa’s opportunity to truly shine, and he easily steals the show. If you’ve stuck with the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise for 12 years, then this is just as enjoyable as the previous entries.
