Reviewing ‘The Witcher’: Netflix’s new fantasy series

The Witcher is dark, complex, funny and naked!

The digital streaming giant has launched yet another series on 20th December 2019, and it’s another addition in Netflix’s fantasy fiction section. The series is created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and based on the book series by the same name by Polish fantasy writer Andrzej Sapkowski.

Netflix’s new adaptation The Witcher.
Picture: Netflix

The titular witcher hero, Geralt of Rivia played by Henry Cavill, is a mutated monster-hunter who is trying to find a place in this dark world. You learn all about him that’s needed in the initial few minutes of the first episode. In one of the first scenes, he is seen in a jungle, almost killed by a giant spider, quelled and almost drowned. His romantic angle has rather come very quickly, the girl who saves him in the neighbourhood bar from a barroom barrel rose to become his love interest.

The Witcher’s world is a cynical one through which the witcher is trying to find his place. He could be horrifying sometimes but sweet and cute the other times with restrained comic timings. The series revolves around Geralt whose daily job is monster hunting. His life between villages and castles is followed where he takes on dirty jobs for dirty people from every background. Along with him are the actors Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg Freya Allan as Princess Cirilla.

Each iteration follows Geralt, a part of an early and dwindling line of monster hunters called witchers. They are mutated from a young age to become more powerful and quicker, and the procedure also gives them limited magical skills and prolonged life spans.

Netflix’s new adaptation The Witcher.
Picture: Netflix

The Netflix adaptation is a faithful adaptation of the book and has captured the enigma of the hero perfectly. The show’s dialogues constitute one of the strongest points of this creation.

The show is loaded with some notable performances. Henry Cavill is Geralt of Rivia through and through. He is graceful and fluid with the sword whipping movements reflecting his seasonal ways with the sword for monster hunting. In one of the shots, Geralt blocks a crossbow bolt, stabs a guy through the mouth and rips apart his skull, force push to knock a bundle of bad guys back, and ultimately beheads a man. Cavill swings that thing around like he was born with it.

All in all, The Witcher is one of the hottest take-ups of this year. If you are a fan of sorcery, then this show is for you and you should definitely give it a try.