The Witcher Review: On The Hunt For A Bloody Good Time

Netflix’s adaptation of The Witcher could easily drag from trying to bite off more than it can chew from a lush world and band of characters that are brimming with stories; but instead, the show maximizes its potential by leaning into how these stories make these characters, and how they are informed and made by the world they live in.

Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and led by Henry Cavill, The Witcher dives into the story of Geralt, a monster hunter by trade. In most places he’s an outcast, finding work and means wherever he can when there’s blood to be shed. The larger narrative is around him, through the two other leads of the show, Ciri (Freya Allen), and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), as they start to come into their own, their lives forever changed.

The Witcher does suffer from some initial confusion over how the story is being told, but that settles itself out the deeper into the tale the show digs. It can get a little convoluted at times, with spinning plates that aren’t quite certain why they are spinning and enemies that are just on the edges, and so waiting for the pay-off ends up taking some time, but usually is rewarding.

The show isn’t afraid of dropping the audience into the deep end, fans of the books and video games on solid footing while newcomers will find a lot of terms being thrown about that may prove a lot. But it’s never done to the point of losing the plot, as it all feels like deep lore and worldbuilding that enhances the story.

Episodes take on a short story style of storytelling, where the overarching storylines continue on but episodically The Witcher is interested in telling key tales of the places and people, leaning on themes of discrimination and honor to speak on the headspace of those in these kingdoms, but also of Geralt’s place among them as a nomadic monster hunter.

Henry Cavill makes a perfect Geralt of Rivia, taking on the gruff tone of the game version of the character and placing his own weary, weathered performance on top, something that fans and newbies alike can latch onto and enjoy. He’s equal parts annoyed and encouraged when a job comes along, the cantankerous role giving Cavill plenty of moments to shine and speak words of cynical wisdom.

But Cavill’s stature and fighting prowess also helps fill in Geralt’s secondary manner of talk: violence. Cavill is able to command each battle he takes on with a ferocity and agility that helps sell the character’s legendary status. The battles are bloody and dangerous, doing damage to far more than only limbs. There is a sense of anger in fights, and it’s a welcome change of pace.

Other characters can feel a little underdeveloped, but it turns out to be by design, a choice so that they can grow throughout the season and find their voice through the challenges they face. It’s a rather difficult dilemma, for characters to not quite work initially, but it is in service to the story, and so it ends up a minor quibble in the end.

Locales of grandeur are treated without an eye toward creating a sense of scale, but rather are used as stops along the way for Geralt and other characters to pass through. The locations are always used to their full potential and have some intriguing design to them and are usually bathed in beautiful lighting, keeping a flow of interest when there can be need of extra exposition or there is a long journey ahead.

Some creature designs can come off as a little rough around the edges (one in particular can’t escape the look of someone in a suit, unfortunately), but for the most part, the more fantastical aspects of The Witcher do work wonders. The show knows when to combine the practical with more bombastic special effects, and it’s always in service to the story rather than on spectacle.

The Witcher manages to adapt a well-loved world and become its own thing at the same time, straddling the line with only a stumble here and there. It’s a largely successful season of television, bringing the excitement of Geralt’s adventures while still holding onto the world and the lore that makes it that much more rich. There’s a lot to like here, and its eight episodes hold on tight.

 

What did you think of this season of The Witcher? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Witcher premieres Friday, December 20 on Netflix.

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