The Witcher Review: Your New Must-See Netflix Series

In recent months, there has been a lot of talk and excitement surrounding the new Netflix series, The Witcher and having watched the episode screeners prior to the official release, I couldn’t wait for the embargo to lift so I could finally talk about it. Is it worth the hype? In one word, yes.

There are many fantastical shows and films out there such as Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones etc, but it would not be fair to box this show into the same category as it’s something more singular and has its own entity. Yes, there are likely to be comparisons from critics and viewers alike to the successful Game of Thrones books and series, but The Witcher isn’t that show; it doesn’t try to be and it doesn’t try to compete with it either.

Whether you are a fan of the best-selling fantasy series of the books penned by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, or an avid game fan of 2015’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, this series tries its hardest to remain faithful to the elements which made it so popular brought to life by showrunner, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. The show is based largely on the books with particular focus from the first, The Last Wish. For those who may have never read the books, played the game or even heard of it prior to the promotions from Netflix, the series and characters are easy to comprehend and even care about as the episodes unfold. 

The first episode opens in explosive style as we meet the titular character, The Witcher, known as Geralt of Rivia and by some as ‘the Butcher of Blaviken’ in a swamp battling with a giant spider. Henry Cavill plays the mutant hero who spends his days in isolation, monster hunting for money. Without choice, he was converted into a Witcher at a young age to make him stronger and faster, possessing superpowers which help him along his way.

Of course, he is not blessed with popularity by the humans who hire him for work or live alongside him, it’s the classic case of being afraid of what they do not understand. He is not revered by them in the slightest and that is a fate he has been forced to accept. Does this make him an enemy to them? No. Geralt is a complex character, accused by many as being unable to have human feelings and empathy which you quickly learn is an incorrect theory as you follow the enigmatic character on his journey. He has great hubris in his moral code and abilities, which often draw him into life-threatening situations. His sarcastic ways, gruff undertone to his voice and sword-wielding capabilities make him  respected by the audience who will find his ways no doubt impossibly charming. He is like a medieval John Wick: he rocks up into towns, havoc is caused, he deals with the issues slinging his swords and then quickly moves on again. 

There is a huge focus on Geralt of Rivia and his journey, but it seamlessly entwines with the tales of two lead female characters: Ciri, a young princess (Freya Allen) with deadly weapon-like powers eloping from her fallen kingdom to find Geralt and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), a fiercely independent sorceress transformed into a beautiful mage on her own fractious, unruly journey.

They too have their own quest which they embark on as Ciri is desperate to find Geralt – he is her destiny following the Law of Surprise (further information on this is in our episode reviews) and Yennefer has given up everything to become a beautiful mage – including her womb. In the first series, we see how she struggles to cope with the idea of not being the most important person to someone and is in desperate search of finding a way of having a baby. 

The show shines with fantastical elements featuring mysterious creatures, elves, dwarves and even dragons but it isn’t necessarily at the forefront of the narrative. It encompasses darker moments of violence, brilliant battle scenes and a watch-behind-your-hands episode 3 magical transformation. Despite the books being largely about Geralt and how he spends his days monster hunting (usually a new one each episode apart from the final two), the show is so much deeper than that. The three lead characters embark on such difficult journeys and struggle between the choices of the ‘lesser evil’ deciphering decisions based on love and survival, you really end up emotionally involved with the characters, sympathising with their plights and irreversible consequences of their actions as they navigate The Continent.

Related post:Final Trailer Has Landed For Netflix’s The Witcher

However, it isn’t all doom and gloom. The Witcher has many lighter moments playing alongside the narrative, largely thanks to the unlikely duo of Geralt and Jaskier (Joey Batey), the bard who makes songs and poetry about the witcher’s exploits and adventures. He is the evocation of the infamous tales of the white wolf across The Continent. There is a lovely relationship between the two on camera as he exposes Geralt’s sarcastic nature and inner turmoil of having a companion travel with him, trying (and failing) to not befriend him. 

It is difficult to pinpoint just one element that makes The Witcher so successful – but it really is an enticing TV series that has a little bit of everything. Henry Cavill is superb in his lead role. It would not have been an easy undertaking to play such a universally loved character.) He has nothing to fear though, as he is delightfully brusque in his role enveloping the defectless concoction of apathetic charisma and physical sustenance. The show itself is buttered with breathtakingly brilliant swordsmanship and the choreography is sublime as Cavill dances around flawlessly in a balletic style, brandishing his sword with ease and purpose.

The Witcher is an original dark fantasy series that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It has moments of humour, horror, violence and gore but it is also good fun to watch. Now cast aside the next eight hours of your day and be prepared to binge-watch this entertaining saga.

Have you watched The Witcher yet? What do you think of the series? As always, we like to know what you think, so let us know your thoughts below, tweet us @filmandtvnow or leave a comment on our Facebook page.

The Witcher is available to stream now on Netflix.

Please follow and like us: