Why Henry Cavill Is Especially Proud Of The Blaviken Fight On The Witcher
Most of the time, movies or television series adapted from video games are a bust. From the laughable outing by Dwayne Johnson in "Doom" to the multiple failures to get "Resident Evil" right on the screen, it seems to be impossible for filmmakers to find the right mix of faithful adaptation and fresh content.
With that kind of uphill battle in front of them, it made what the cast and crew did with Netflix's "The Witcher" that much more impressive. On top of finding the perfect leading man in Henry Cavill, the team struck the perfect chord in bringing the video game world and characters to life. Ironically enough, they did so by breaking all the rules, as Melanie McFarland of Salon Magazine points out. "Among the many things this show does right is defy the ancient sword-and-sorcery traditions of the white knight savior and the goodness of some kings countering other rulers' evil."
But how much are the cast and crew proud of? Henry Cavill, who spent two seasons (and with Netflix finally providing fans with an update, presumably a third) as Geralt of Rivia, sat down with BBC Radio 1 to discuss what he was the proudest of in the series. The answer goes back to the very first episode.
The Blaviken fight told a story
When discussing the swordplay and fight choreography on BBC Radio 1, Henry Cavill is asked if there is a move that he is the proudest of. He answers by saying that a particular movement is tricky to single out but specifies that in Season 1, Episode 1, the Blavikan fight is where he feels the most pride. "Wolfgang Stegemann and I worked together with his team to design that. We are very proud of that fight. It's storytelling; the characters exist within the action. We were very determined to do it our way, and it's just a beautiful piece."
The Blavikan fight is where Geralt gained his nickname, The Butcher of Blaviken. He is ambushed in the streets by Renfri's gang, and the scene is a one-take sequence involving intense technical movements and perfect timing by both the actors and the crew. Cavill explains the scene's intricacies in a short feature by Netflix. Watching him go into detail about the fight makes it clear how much he loves this character. It also reveals the dance the actors go through and how difficult a scene like this is to pull off. With all the evident work that went into these four minutes in the first episode, there is no question why this was Cavill's proudest moment on screen as The Witcher.
There is a lot to be proud of in The Witcher
There are a ton of things that Henry Cavill could have pointed to with pride in "The Witcher." Aside from being one of the only video game adaptations in existence to receive an overwhelmingly positive reaction, it topped the Netflix charts. Season 1 was the second most watched English language series on the streaming service with 76 million views. It was topped only by "Bridgerton" Season 1 with 82 million views. Season 2 continued its dominance with 462.5 million hours in the first 28 days. This put both seasons of the series individually in the top ten most viewed series on the streaming service.
Outside of the numbers, the costume department, the effects, and the storytelling are all top-notch, making it the best replacement for "Game of Thrones" the entertainment world has seen. Cavill and company have much to be excited about, especially Season 3 of "The Witcher." Yet, Cavill shows where his priorities lie for Geralt. He didn't talk about the numbers; he didn't talk about the marvelous recognition the series received. His proudest moment is in the team's hard work and precision, showing the world that he genuinely is Geralt of Rivia.