Netflix’s Witcher Failed Henry Cavill, But This Underrated Fantasy Did Him Right
A fantasy epic that could actually entertain you through and through. The one that respects its origins and adds upon them responsibly.
I feel like I have to address the elephant in the room when I talk about Henry Cavill and the fantasy genre. And that elephant is none other than Netflix 's Witcher adaptation, of course. For millions of fans (me included) who hold Andrzej Sapkowski's novels close to heart, watching the show absolutely butcher its source material was extremely painful.
When Cavill, a devoted fan of the Witcher universe himself, packed up his things and rode off into the sunset, nobody was really surprised. The man literally plays The Witcher games in his spare time, he knows his stuff.
But if The Witcher adaptation couldn't really immerse you in its universe, there's another gem starring Henry Cavill that will. One that's been unfairly gathering dust with a mere 50% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Immortals (2011): The Greek Epic That We All Forgot About
Immortals is a visually stunning take on Greek mythology. The story follows Theseus (Cavill), a man chosen by Zeus himself as he leads humanity's fight against the power-hungry King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke being deliciously villainous).
The film completely abandons the traditional dusty beige aesthetic we usually get with Greek mythology movies. Instead, they give us this gorgeous, highly stylized world that looks like Renaissance paintings come to life. The costumes are stunning. But the action sequences are the real icing on the cake.
The Immortals Still Deserves Your Attention Even 14 Years Later
Unlike The Witcher's confusing plot and questionable creative choices, Immortals knows exactly what it is and owns it completely. The film embraces its mythological roots and delivers something fresh and visually spectacular. As one Redditor rightly pointed out:
“To say it's visually striking is an understatement. The film looks gorgeous and the production design is astonishing at times. Plus Henry Cavill in an early role, doing a damn fine job. We don't need an intricate backstory to care about his character. There is a 'hero's journey simplicity' that I miss in big studio movies.”
The way Cavill embodies Theseus shows exactly what we lost in The Witcher. And that's an actor who can bring humanity to his roles without losing the sense of wonder that makes fantasy so special.
Immortals is currently available on Spectrum, Fandango at Home, Amazon Video, and Apple TV+. It's worth every minute, even if just to see how a properly handled fantasy epic can make you forget all about a certain Netflix disappointment.
