'The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf' Review
In ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’, Beau DeMayo and Studio Mir present a character-driven ride through the world of the Witcher, continuing the legacy of Andrzej Sapkowski’s works and offering viewers a bloody good time.
(Photos: Netflix)
For fans of The Witcher franchise, ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ comes as advertised: a gruesome, bloody spectacle and a fresh eye on the history of the Continent. Beau DeMayo and Studio Mir continue Andrzej Sapkowski’s legacy with the same character-driven storytelling that has drawn readers to Geralt of Rivia’s saga for decades.
Anime is a new medium for the Continent, having been brought to television twice, film once, and video games a number of times. In this format, the world shines. As with other projects in Studio Mir’s portfolio, such as ‘The Legend of Korra’, the story of ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ relies on enhanced human abilities, larger-than-life sequences, and spectacle. The animated presentation allows for more believable acceptance of the supernatural while remaining grounded in a lived-in world. Director Kwang Il Han guides the story across time through an assorted cast of characters, fear-inducing monsters, and the sweeping scenery of Kaedwen and Kaer Mohen. By the end of the film, we are left with the question, ‘Why haven’t we brought witchers into animation sooner?’
Yet, this is as good a time as any. Netflix has invested heavily in The Witcher beyond the series adaptation starring Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, and Anya Chalotra with the ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ anime film, WitcherCon, and the upcoming ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ prequel series. The story that DeMayo offers uncovers and humanizes an unexplored event in the history of the Continent with a beloved character as our guide.
Vesemir, a character familiar to book readers and video games players alike, is given a new energy in the light of his youth. The Vesemir we meet in ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ is a swashbuckling young witcher forced to confront the demons of his past when a strange new monster begins terrorizing a politically-fraught kingdom. Standout voice acting, particularly from leads Theo James (Vesemir) and Lara Pulver (Tetra) and supporting actors Graham McTavish (Deglan), Tom Canton (Filavandrel), and David Errigo Jr. (Young Vesemir), contributes to the immersive storytelling.
In truth, there is very little we know about Vesemir from the books. (And by ‘little’, there are exactly two things readers learn about the film’s protagonist between Sapkowski’s The Last Wish and Blood of Elves.) Fans of the books and games can rest assured knowing that the contents of ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ fit nicely into the existing lore of the Continent. DeMayo sticks to what’s known and thrives finding creativity in the gaps—with a few creative liberties and surprises for viewers.
DeMayo presents a compelling case for ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’s Vesemir in an interview with the Verge: “I was thinking about my own relationship to my parents and how so much of my identity is formed in opposition to what my parents are. And so if Geralt is the grumpiest person alive, it made sense to me that Vesemir would be an extrovert and this kind of charismatic character. Where it became interesting for me was taking the world we knew through Geralt’s point of view, which is a hard world with a hard character, and then we put this life-loving, pleasure-seeking character in that same world, and see how he interacts with it.”
Our first encounter with Netflix’s Vesemir in ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ builds anticipation ahead of The Witcher, Season 2, which premieres on December 17 with Kim Bodnia (Killing Eve) taking up the mantle.
For viewers who may find their way to ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ through a maze of Netflix recommendation carousels, the film offers a fairly contained, whirlwind introduction to the world of The Witcher and a cross-section of its inhabitants. For viewers already familiar with Netflix’s adaptation, Andrzej Sapkowski’s series, or CD Projekt Red’s video games, ‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ expands upon the lore of the Continent and takes us firmly by the hand toward The Witcher, Season 2.
‘Nightmare of the Wolf’ premieres on Netflix on Monday, August 23, 2021.
Alyssa is the host and producer of Breakfast in Beauclair, a global Witcher podcast, and creator of GoodMorhen, a visual exploration of Andrzej Sapkowski’s the Witcher universe. She is based in New York City.