For those weary of diving into The Witcher with no familiarity of Andrzej Sapkowski’s book series or the numerous video games, don’t stress, because Lauren Schmidt Hissrich’s new series starring Henry Cavill succeeds in immersing newcomers into this fantastical world thanks to its surprising intimacy amidst an epic backdrop.
Set in an unnamed Continent, The Witcher is centered on the adventures of Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), a monster hunter attempting to find meaning in his life amidst a world full of wicked people. Geralt’s fate gets intertwined with Yennefer of Vengerbeg (Anya Chalotra) and a powerful sorceress known as Princess Ciri (Freya Allan), who harbors a dangerous secret. The series follows this trio as they traverse the wicked Continent together.
Right off the bat, The Witcher immediately immerses viewers into the Continent thanks to its remarkable art direction, stunning cinematography and fitting music. One can already feel the amount of history and atmosphere in the Continent from the first episode alone, which was directed wonderfully by Alik Sakharov. Those concerned that The Witcher would come off as Netflix attempting to replicate the tone and feel of HBO’s Game of Thrones should lay those worries to rest, because this series only shares similarities with Game of Thrones in its adult approach to the fantasy genre alone whereas the Continent and the characters that inhabit it couldn’t be more different than those we see in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
The first five episodes of The Witcher succeed in their expert pacing, much of which is thanks to their insistence to let each of the main characters establish their own identities and personalities with such rich stories and character histories. It also helps that the three main leads are each compelling in their own right. Henry Cavill, Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra each bring a gravitas to their characters. In regards to Henry Cavill’s turn as Geralt of Rivia, his physical presence on screen is a sight to behold and is a welcome new change of pace from what fans have become accustomed to with his turn as Superman in the DC Extended Universe. Both Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra are particularly strong as Princess Ciri and Yennefer of Vengerberg, respectively. Freya Allan brings a level of maturity to her younger character given the burden she has to deal with, but it is Anya Chalotra’s performance as Yennefer that is the standout performance here thanks to her commanding presence as a sorceress ready to take matters into her own hands. There are particularly uncomfortable moments for Yennefer to undergo, and Anya Chalotra sells it every time she’s onscreen.
The action sequences on display are also pretty remarkable, boasting some well-choreographed combat sequences and visceral cinematography that immerses viewers right into the action with the characters. The rather intimate approach to the cinematography really helps bring something unique and tangible to long-form storytelling in the fantasy genre.
The first five episodes of The Witcher alone already exhibit much promise for this fantasy series thanks to the show’s expert world-building and surprising intimacy amidst the epic backdrop. Now that Netflix has confirmed that season 2 is on the way along with the amount of source material available at their disposal, The Witcher is shaping up to be one of the most-promising new fantasy series for those looking to get their fix after Game of Thrones.
Grade: 8/10