BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- This is less of a review of “Kraven the Hunter” and more of an obituary. This trip into the world of movies based on Marvel Comics characters is the last one for Sony Pictures as the rights have now gone to Disney and its Marvel Universe. The company had some success with the “Venom,” “Ghost Rider” and “Spider-Man” franchises but over the last couple of years, the efforts have been painfully bad with “Morbius” and “Madame Web.” It was up to “Kraven the Hunter” to send the company off with a proper burial. The effort comes in an R-rated standalone story showing how one of Marvel's most iconic villains got to be so bad. In this case, I come not to praise “Kraven” but to bury it. The memory of any past success has been tainted by this fiasco that almost reaches the dismal quality of “Madame Web.” The story is so slow that when the action scenes finally start, they have a disjointed feel to the rest of the movie. Sergei (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) – also known as Kraven – grew up dealing with an unhealthy relationship with his gangster father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe). The less-than-fatherly fathering dad does get amplified during a very long and laborious open sequence when Kraven gets his super hunting skills from the blood of a mystical lion and the help of Calypso (played by Diaana Babnicova as a teen and by Ariana DeBose as an adult). The best the team of writers Richard Wenk, Art Marcum and Matt Halloway could come up with explaining how Sergei became a blood-thirsty vigilante is that he says, “something changed me.” The movie has a running time of more than two hours and is filled with wasted scenes. A little more could have gone into the transformation information. There is a real lack of originality when it comes to the action scenes. Scenes of Kraven running barefoot through city streets or hanging from a car are mundane at best. The action scenes  are bad in several instances such as when the special effects are the worst since the “Twilight” tree climbing scenes. Sadly, the lack of effort and originality is the norm. The writers show more of a tendency for snarling scenes by Crowe using a weird accent and the maniacal rantings of Alessandro Nivola as the thick-skinned Rhino. Someone forgot to tell him he wasn’t hired to be the comic relief of the production. Taylor-Johnson does his best, but the odds were against him. The best that can come from all of this is that he gets cast in better roles. He would be hard pressed to find one that is as weak as “Kraven the Hunter.” The biggest glowing error with Sony’s Spider-Man spin-offs is that none of them have featured Spider-Man. Trying to make Kraven an anti-hero doesn’t work and that is an immediate minus when it comes to interest in the film. Only Venom has had a story interesting enough to work despite a lack of the famous webslinger. As seen in “Morbius” and “Madame Webb,” the lack of the hero who made these supporting characters famous leaves the film already half empty before the opening credits start. The last painful moment from the film is that with the introduction of Kraven and Chameleon, every member of Marvel’s Sinister Six (actually seven) have made film debuts. Alfred Molina brought Doctor Octopus to life in “Spider-Man 2” while Thomas Haden Church portrayed Sandman in “Spider-Man 3.” Jamie Foxx was Electro in “Amazing Spider-Man 2” and Jake Gyllenhaal took on the role of Mysterio in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” The last member of the team, Vulture, was played by Michael Keaton in “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Chances of getting the team together for a Disney project are dead and buried. Sony’s days with Marvel Comics have come to a sad ending. There were good days, but it is the work that happens just before the cinematic coffin closes that will be remembered the longest. Rest in peace Kraven, Morbius and Madame Web. Parting is such a sour sorrow. Movie review Kraven the Hunter Grade: D Director: J.C. Chandor Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Arian DeBose, Alessandro Nivola Rated: R for language, bloody violence, disturbing images Running time: 127 minutes.