Netflix’s Castlevania: Yes, It's Just As Good As They Say
Video game adaptations in media have always been less than stellar. Whether they are good or bad, they leave a lot to be desired. Fans demand a lot from studios to interpret their beloved franchises in the best way possible. It makes sense too, if done right, these interpretations can lead to growth in the fanbase, as well as more exposure for the series in question; but if done wrong, it could turn people away from the series or franchise, and tarnish the reputation of the original material it was initially based on. Even despite the ‘hit-or-miss’ nature of these adaptations, this doesn’t stop studios from making them.
When sifting through Netflix’s massive catalog last weekend, I stumbled on ‘Netflix’s Castlevania’. I heard of this show when it initially released all the way back in the summer of 2017, but I decided to pass on it. It wasn’t that I disliked Castlevania, in fact, it was quite the opposite. Castlevania is one of my favorite video game franchises of all time, and I couldn’t bear the thought of it being handed off to a huge studio only for it to be churned out as a shell of its former self.
I made the decision and never looked back, at least, until now. I was conflicted. Should I watch it? What if it’s just a waste of time? I decided to consult the oracle of knowledge itself — Google. After reading through hundreds of reviews, I was surprised at what I saw. Incredibly positive reviews littered the page, not even the common ‘it’s so bad it’s good’ you usually get from media. Armed with my newfound knowledge and reassurance, I began to watch the show. Never have I been so relieved to be wrong about something.
Netflix’s Castlevania is really good. Yes, I said it. This show is a culmination of everything I love as not just a Castlevania fan, but also a lover of good storytelling. Of course, like any adaptation, it doesn’t match the source material exactly, but it really doesn't matter to me at all.
The plot goes as follows. Set in the historical region of Wallachia in the year 1455, a woman named Lisa seeks out the elusive Vlad Dracula Tepes in order to acquire some of his advanced scientific knowledge and become a better doctor. As the two grow closer, they eventually fall in love and have a son, named Adrian Tepes.
However, after Lisa is accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake years later, Dracula vows to purge humanity from the face of the Earth. It is up to Trevor Belmont, the last survivor of the vampire hunter clan, Sypha Belnades (a Speaker that wields powerful magic abilities), and Dracula’s son, Adrian Tepes (now know as Alucard) to stop the grief-stricken Dracula.
There is quite a lot to unpack about this show, but one of my favorite aspects of it is the strong character building at play. You can point to any character in this show and identify their unique quirks, personalities, and character motivations. The key to any engaging show is the characters. Characters are the driving force behind any good story, and these characters deliver in a big way.
In fact, some of the best-written characters in this show are the antagonists, surprisingly. The big baddies of the show all have compelling backstories that let viewers empathize with and connect with them on a better level. In fact, the writing for these characters can be so strong, that you actually side with the villains sometimes, because we see first-hand how the world has wronged them, and what has driven them to the dark side.
I can’t count how many shows similar to this one feature compelling and interesting protagonists but have incredibly bland antagonists. In reality, that should almost never be the case, right? Sure, doing the righteous thing is never easy, but doing the evil thing is surely much harder. Especially when it involves purging all of humanity, right? There need to be strong intrinsic motivations for a character to go to such an extreme, and I believe this show does a great job of delving into the psyche of its characters.
The pacing of this show is also a great point to it as well. Each episode is filled to the brim with twists and turns, cliffhangers, betrayals, and everything in between. Despite each episode's 24 minute run-time, the writers manage to pack each one with engaging storylines and interesting characters.
Something else I really appreciated about this show was just how gory it was. I loved that it was targeted toward a more adult audience, and tackling more adult themes. I can’t express how fearful I was of them potentially watering down the series to appeal to a broader audience.
But, this series really surprised me. Not only is it just as gory as I wanted, but characters also curse frequently, and it is so refreshing. There’s something about watching the heroes curse at one another that brings a smile to my face. Themes of loss and corruption of the general populace are all present, and these are themes that I wasn’t expecting the show to delve into, but I was pleasantly surprised nonetheless.
As a Castlevania fan, there are so many subtle details and callbacks to the original games, that I couldn’t help but get giddy with excitement. It is very apparent that the team behind this show really loves the source material, and it is seen all throughout the show. Despite the major changes in the story, this adaptation isn’t all too different from the original game it is based on, ‘Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse’ on the Nintendo Entertainment System. If you’re a Castlevania fan, you’ll definitely love this adaptation.
This show was made with love for the series, and you can definitely feel it. Even if you’re not a Castlevania, this show will definitely satisfy you. With great action sequences, a solid plot, strong writing, and compelling characters this show will leave you wanting more. This show really captures what makes the games great, and I’ve seen it pique the interest of non-gamers looking to get into the series.
In conclusion, if this show has taught me anything, it’s really that I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Even despite the myriad of sub-par adaptations of video games in the past, it would be a mistake to write off every big-screen adaptation of our favorite franchises due to fear. Really good series like these can only succeed and flourish if we the fans continue to support them. By supporting them, other companies or studios can catch on and hopefully with time, make better adaptations in the future.
