Cursed Review: Ten Hours of Compelling Storytelling!

Cursed, the new Netflix Original series based on the illustrated novel of the same name by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler stars 13 Reasons Why alum, Katherine Langford in the primary role, with Devon Terrell, Gustaf Skarsgard, Peter Mullan as the supporting cast. In the same domain as Netflix’s The Witcher, this fantasy drama soon after its July 17th release went on to trend worldwide, but did it reach the sky-high expectations? Let us find out! Cursed Review

Also Read: ‘The Old Guard’ Netflix Review

The storyline of Cursed based on the Arthurian Legend kicks off with a group of holy men called the Red Paladin, raiding villages habituated by the Fey People, in the pretext of cleansing the country. Eventually, they destroy their houses and set the Fey on fire. Nimue (Katharine Langford), who belongs to the Fey community, is ridiculed and chased away, for her supernatural abilities. Cursed Review

Subsequently, The Paladins destroy her home and nearly kill her mother (Catharine Walker). And eventually, as time passes, when her mom is on the death bed, she hands Nimue a sword and asks her to pass it to Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgard), and the weapon which is revealed to be the Sword of the First King and is known to bestow the wielder with tremendous power.

As Nimue sets on a quest, she entangles (sorry, Will Smith!) herself with Arthur (Devon Terrell) faces attackers, and leads a rebellion against King Uther (Sebastian Armesto). How she tackles all her hurdles and succeeds in full-filling her mother’s dying wish, with a few complications, forms the remainder of the story.

Filled with magic and mysticism, Cursed, more on the lines of the new fantasy-filled dramas, has a multitude of scenes with ghostly, wizardly elements that are fun to watch. The storyline does not complicate itself, except towards the ending, and for the most part, it was rather easy to follow. However, I did find it difficult to navigate through the variety of characters, Nevertheless, as you get into the story, I am sure you will follow what is being presented on-screen. Cursed Review

Katherine Langford is a perfect match for this series. We’ve seen her at her best as Hannah Baker in 13 Reasons Why, and she breaks her limits, raises her bar, and shines in the role of Nimue. True to what the character Arthur says to her in an episode, this 24-year-old Australian actress does look like a dream as she makes the entire story even more compelling and makes us want to watch more of her journey. With a bunch of supporting actors appearing in and out of the story, everyone did their job decently.

Another big positive of Cursed is the production design, and the camera work. Right from the locations in England and Wales, to the costume and prosthetic make-up of the Fey people, everything was top-notch, coupled with the spectacular camera shots that gave the contentment of watching something worthwhile. Adding to the list of positives is the background score by Jeff Ruso, who, by recognizing the need for this mystical series, scores perfect tunes.

To knit pick a negative, there could have been a better introduction to the characters as it is left to us to guess and understand what is happening and where they are headed. Furthermore, certain ghostly elements in the series were left without a proposed end or an explanation. And the finale episode seemed to be rushed, and an improved ending could have made things a lot better.

 

Regardless of all that, Cursed did tell a remarkable story of the Lady of the Lake, Nimue. With magic and mysticism as the main theme, the show will keep you compelled to till the end. Although it took almost ten hours to finish everything it started, we have a ton of positives to look forward to in each episode, and I am sure it will leave a lasting impression on the fantasy-drama genre. Watch ‘Cursed’ on Netflix here.

Rating – 3.5/5 | Grade – B+

Images via Netflix

---