the first season of “cursed” rises to the challenge of creating a solid, well-acted fantasy series with some bloody bite

By: Keaton Marcus

Review of Netflix’s Cursed:

A new take on a classic tale has landed with Cursed, a radical reimagining of the Arthurian legend, based on the graphic novel by Thomas Wheeler and Frank Miller. It’s about a Fey warrior named Nimue (Katherine Langford) who’s mission is to bring the Sword of Power to Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgard), with charming mercenary Arthur (Devon Terrell) without being captured by the ruthless Red Paladins led by Father Carden (Peter Mullan). Though it perhaps isn’t as subversive in the crowded fantasy genre as it should be, it still makes for an interesting retelling of a story that’s been told too many times from the male perspective. The series starts far before to when Arthur held the sword, and it tells the tale of The Lady of the Lake, telling audiences that before the king, there was a queen. Katherine Langford, who had her breakout role in 13 Reasons Why, and then later on acting in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, totally rules in the leading role. She stabs, cuts off heads, and uses a whole lot of Fey magic. All what we would expect from this unmerciful warrior. Langford has proved herself to be a rising star, and though they delve into her past occasionally, it just leaves me intrigued for more. Terrell does a good job as the iconic Arthur, handsome and flirtatious, but they don’t really justify his screen presence in the first couple of episodes except as to tag along with the hero. It’s not till the third when our creators really decide to give him some backstory, and most importantly, a suitably bloody action sequence. Gustaf Skarsgard is also a total standout as Merlin, portrayed as an utter loser that has nothing better to do than drink. Peter Mullan is also exceptionally menacing as Carden, obsessed with slaughtering all Fey kind.

What left me most surprised was the amount of blood and gore in the show. I would say pleasantly surprised, actually. The trailers didn’t show off much violence, and I was expecting a Harry Potter or Percy Jackson-type thing for children, but wow was I wrong. And it’s good, to be honest, that Cursed is able to show off that violent bite which gives so much more edge to the action sequences. The visual effects aren’t incredibly strong, but clearly this series has a high production cost, and there’s some beautiful landscapes to lay your eyes upon. It mostly falters with the creatures, where the computer-generated imagery seems a bit obvious, though otherwise I was genuinely impressed. Yes, this is Netflix trying to attempt at another Game of Thrones after the monster hit that was The Witcher, but to be fair, both attempts have been welcomed by myself. They prove to be a tad cheesy, yes, but also visually impressive and well-acted. The character development isn’t as strong here, but it leaves room for more later this season or even a sequel. What’s really epic Thomas Wheeler and Frank Miller’s courageous act to create a diverse cast. They make Arthur of color and the hero a strong female character, which sometimes makes up for its occasional lack of imagination. The storytelling feels smooth and straight-forward, easy for the younger teens watching this to follow. There’s nothing too convoluted or complex, and it ends a perfectly entertaining, fun show with a terrific Katherine Langford.

Should you Binge, Browse, or Skip?

Cursed doesn’t bring enough subversive content into the mix, but with a set of fine performances, entertaining action and strong writing, it succeeds. I would say…BINGE IT