Of all the comic book rogues galleries, Spider-Man’s stable of antagonists deserves special attention. Few can match the memorability, likability, and intricate theming of the wall-crawler’s favorite foes. Some villains enjoy the spotlight in multiple adaptations, but others are denied their opportunity. A villain like the Rhino has the potential to be fun, frightening, and engaging, but only if he gets the stage in a film likeKraven the Hunter.
As a pitch,Kraven the Hunterdoesn’tappear to entice too many interested eyes. Taking a villain who hasn’t been particularly beloved since the 80s and turning him into the latest anti-hero is a tall order. A great supporting cast will be instrumental in keeping fans hooked, and the film has a few solid lesser-known characters to play with.
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Kraven the HunterWill Reportedly Feature the Rhino
Sony’sKravenmovie will reportedly feature multiple villains, even before counting the dangerous murderer lending his name to the title. According to the press surrounding the feature, Christopher Abbot will appear as thefilm’s main villain, the Foreigner. Kraven’s half-brother Chameleon and his love interest Calypso will be taking on more sympathetic roles. Kraven has been reworked from a heartless big-game hunter into a conservationist who seeks to protect the natural world. That’s the film’s principal antagonist, a reformed villain in the hero role, and two fellow repentants to serve as his family. There’s only one wild card in the mix. Alessandro Nivola will appear in the film as Aleksei Sytsevich, AKA the Rhino.
Rhino Should Be Terrifying, Not Silly
The problem with Rhino as a character is that he’s rarely allowed to be more than a glorified henchman. Every Spider-Man story pits him against a few unnamed goons in bank robberies or armed assaults, but the supervillains rise above those idle threats.Rhino is often somewherebetween the two. He’s too big and powerful to be among the lowly henchmen but too one-dimensional to reach the heights of villainy. This is usually an intentional choice. Spider-Man usually needs an antagonist who is little more than big and strong to deliver a solid fight scene. Rhino is the perfect candidate for that thankless role. He’s typically a short-tempered brute who shows up to destroy property and hurt people in the brief moment before Spider-Man takes him down. Though this is often the case, it doesn’t have to be.
Rhino is a hugely threatening force against any mortal foe. Spider-Man can face him on even footing, but anyone who happens to be nearby is in extreme danger. Though he’s usually dim-witted and slow, his unhinged antics and immense physical strength make him deadly. There’sa lot to fear from Rhino, but most Spider-Man stories play him off as a joke. He’s a slapstick villain who gets disposed of before the real heavy hitters come out.Kravendoesn’t have Spider-Man’s gifts. He can pose a threat under the right circumstances, but he’s typically just a human being. In the bout against Rhino, there’s good reasonfor Kraven to be scared. That fear should translate to the audience. Rhino should inspire terror in the hearts of fans. A good portrayal can do a lot for an imperfect villain, and it’s time for Rhino to get his chance on the big screen.
TheSpider-ManVideo Games Offer Good Rhino Examples
Fred Tatasciore’s take on Rhino from theInsomniacSpider-Mangamesis one of the best examples to date. The character appears in mostSpider-Mangames, usually as a boss fight. Both PS4 titles use Rhino as a boss, depicting the character as a shouting braggart in a robot suit. This version of Aleksei is permanently trapped in his Rhino suit. He starts the game imprisoned in the RAFT. Doctor Octopus promises to free him from prison and his robotic armor. Rhino is used multiple times in the first game. Spider-Man takes him down twice. The most clever moment with Rhino comes when Rhino is used as a threat for one of the game’s stealth sequences. The player must evade Rhino or face the monster’s wrath. The “Game Over” sequences depict Rhino suddenly discovering the player in a harrowing moment of fear.It’s a perfect demonstrationof Rhino’s applications as a supervillain, both in action sequences and horror scenes.
Rhino is a mighty foe that rarely gets his day in the sun. He’s usually little more than muscle for a more intelligent villain, but he could be so much more.Rhino will likely serveas the muscle for Foreigner inKraven the Hunter, but his portrayal could make him more interesting. Foreigner is a boring villain that no one has ever heard of. Rhino has an immense well of untapped potential that can finally come to the screen with this film.Kraven the Hunterhas a lot of opportunities to make something new and interesting, no matter how unwilling it might be to take it.
