“The Witcher” Review
By: Shain E. Thomas
Tags: The Witcher, Streaming Video, Television, Netflix, Entertainment

Virtually everything you need to know about the title character and the series itself can be garnered from the first few minutes of the first episode. With episodes directed by Alik Sakharov, Charlotte Brändström, Alex Garcia Lopez, and Marc Jobst, Netflix’s The Witcher stays true to the Andrzej Sapkowski written source material. The hero, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), is essentially a freelance monster hunter for hire. Geralt is not without a few useful superpowers.

We first encounter Geralt, in a secluded swamp, battling with a giant spider-like creature. The next time we see him, he is seeking information at a tavern. Many of the tavern’s patrons, inclusive of the barkeeper, aren’t welcoming of his kind. With more than a modicum of scorn and a hint of ridicule, even though the villagers are obviously scared of the witcher’s abilities, they want him gone from the tavern. A helpful young woman stepped in and pretty much told the men where they could get off.

In capturing every aspect of Sapkowski’s hero perfectly, we see Cavill personify the character with just as much commitment as he brought to Clark Kent / Superman. The hate people have for Geralt is readily apparent. Like other characters Caville has played in various films, Geralt steadfastly holds to a moral code that forces him to confront dangerous situations. Incredibly gruff, with more than a smidgen of sarcastic wit, Geralt is surprisingly charismatic. As the series progresses, we see Geralt dragged into bigger and bigger conspiracies.

Image Credit: IMDb.com

The Witcher, reminiscent of Game of Thrones, includes warring kingdoms and more than a few political manoeuvrings. The eight-episode series, having already been picked up for a second series, features many dangerous magical creatures. Unlike the production’s contemporaries, an aspect of this series which makes it work incredibly well is the blending together of two storytelling techniques.

The series follows three distinct storylines which eventually intertwine. There is an overarching story which follows Geralt, a sub-narrative which follows Princess Ciri (Freya Allan), and a second sub-narrative which follows the fiercely independent Yennefer (Anya Chalotra). Both Ciri and Yennefer possess mysterious powers. Instead of a serialised approach, featuring a “creature of the week,” each episode is presented with a self-contained storyline.

If you have read any of the Sapkowski written stories, you will see how each episode embodies perfectly a different tale. With each episode comes a different monster-related issue for Geralt to solve. The series structure feels true to the essence of the source material. The chronological of the series is perplexing to viewers that can only follow a distinctly narrow structure.

The series, with various contextual clues, forces viewers to decern for themselves what’s happening. Because of how each episode flows, a single viewing will not benefit you. With each viewing, you will see numerous minuscule details which you previously missed. Only a determined viewer, one looking for the smallest of details, will catch every nuance the first time around.

The Witcher, surprisingly refreshing, lends itself perfectly to this entertainment format. The series, like Game of Thrones, possesses more than a little brutality and an incredible amount of violence. Varying in violent intensity, many episodes feature well-choreographed fight scenes.

The series shows a side of humanity that many people would rather not acknowledge exists. Many of the monsters in this series, whilst outwardly attractive, behave monstrously. Through much of this series, with each story is filled with horrid characters, viewers will not find a single reason to feel sympathy.