Kraven the Hunter is a Marvel movie overrun with Spider-Man villains. Some familiar, some unfamiliar. But even the familiar ones can trip audiences up if they're not expecting it.
J.C. Chandor's movie, the latest (and maybe last) in the Sony Spider-Man Universe, has quite the liberal interpretation of the semi-famous Spider-Man villain Rhino. Whether it's 'good' or 'bad' is a matter of personal taste. What really matters is that it's different. But how different?
Played by actor Alessandro Nivola, the Rhino seen in Kraven the Hunter retains some of his same traits from the comics. But Nivola's fresh approach to the role gives the Rhino new dimensions and elements that ground the character in a way that only few could have seen coming.
For those who've seen Kraven the Hunter, know who the Rhino is – thanks to his countless appearances in Spider-Man media – and need a place to say, "yeah, this is a weird new Rhino," you're in the right place. Below, let's run down what makes Nivola's Rhino unlike anything Spider-Man fans have seen before. Warning: minor spoilers for Kraven the Hunter lie ahead.
Who is Rhino in the comics?
First introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #41, Rhino is commonly portrayed as a dim-witted, low level Russian thug named Aleksei Sytsevich who undergoes a scientific procedure. The end results gives him invincible gray skin, superhuman strength, and the overall appearance of a human/rhinoceros hybrid.
Playing up the archetype of a dumb brute, the Rhino has long served to demonstrate Spider-Man's superior intellect and (often improvised) tactical prowess. While Spider-Man can't best Rhino in a test of strength, he can outsmart him. Take for example their battle in the animated series The Spectacular Spider-Man; Spider-Man tricks Rhino into following him to an underground steam tunnel, where he dodges Rhino's punches so that he himself breaks open pipes that choke him with hot air.
In the 2020 video game Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the boss battle against Rhino requires players (as Miles) to maneuver around Rhino, "piggyback" onto him, and get him to run into electrical hazards, making him vulnerable to easy punches.
You get the idea. Rhino's whole deal is being strong but not bright. But things are quite different in the world of Kraven the Hunter...
Who is Rhino in Kraven the Hunter? What changes have been made?
Alessandro Nivola's Aleksei is a Russian mercenary and he's no low-level thug. He is now the brains of his non-descript operation and a competitor to Nikolai Kravinoff, the father of Sergei/Kraven (played by Russell Crowe). At the start of the movie, Nikolai bullies Aleksei, as Nikolai sees him as a weakling to be pushed around. This embarrassment burrows into Aleksei like a seed that is later watered by resentment.
Fast forward in the movie's timeline and Aleksei is still at the top of his enterprise. Only now, something's different about him, physically. Off screen, Aleksei submitted himself to a cutting-edge experiment by a New York scientist named Miles Warren, who in the comics is the creepy Jackal. No, Jackal does not appear in the movie, but his name-drop may be an attempt to establish him as the SSU's Green Goblin, in lieu of the Goblin being reserved for the MCU.
On the outside, Aleksei appears dressed in an oxford white button-up shirt, black trousers, and a tiny backpack with a strange wire to his abdomen. At first glance, he looks like an IT guy on Wall Street. Or a Book of Mormon ensemble cast member. In concert with his eccentric behavior and nervous tics, Aleksei is still very much unlike the Aleksei fans know from the comics.
But then Aleksei unhooks the wire to his backpack, which is revealed to hold an IV pack containing fluid that keeps his body in a "normal" state. Disconnected from the fluid, Aleksei's monstrous rhinoceros form slowly takes over. This is how Rhino becomes the Rhino that comes to blows with Kraven in the movie's climax.
This new Rhino may be internally "weaker" than he has ever been seen before, but he's also fueled with psychological pathos that makes him more compelling than usual. Embarrassed by the way Nikolai dared to speak to him, Aleksei sought powermand eventually got it.
This makes him an especially unique foe for Kraven in a way that the typical "dumb Rhino" never could be. If Kraven's aura in his own movie is that he's a tough jacked-up guy, putting him against Rhino is like chucking a solid cinder block against a steel wall. By transforming Rhino into a "weakling" who sought scientific augmentation, he now stands in proper contrast to Kraven, who was born strong and earned his powers through supernatural enhancement.
Again, the matter of Kraven the Hunter's version of Rhino being 'good' or 'bad' is subject to your own personal vibe check. It's just worth pointing out that even in poorly received movies like Kraven, there's always a chance to see something new even in familiar things.
Kraven the Hunter is in theaters now. You can read our Kraven the Hunter review for our full verdict, our guide to the Kraven the Hunter post-credits, and whether there will be a Kraven the Hunter 2. And don't forget to check out our Kraven the Hunter ending explained feature too.
And for more, check out our guides to the most exciting upcoming movies and new superhero movies, as well as how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
