Castlevania: Nocturne review: A gripping spin-off to the acclaimed animated series!

3.5/5

Story: Set in 18th century France, during the height of the French Revolution, a descendant of Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades, Richter Belmont, is waging a war against vampires. He is joined by his foster family and a sorceress from the Caribbean islands, as they battle a vampire known as ‘the messiah’ who has joined forces with French aristocracy and threatens to plunge the world into eternal darkness.

Review: It’s always best to keep one’s expectations in check when it comes to spin-offs of a revered TV show. Even more so when the original exceeded expectations after it concluded its run. Castlevania is arguably one of the most compelling animated shows ever created – rich in social commentary within an enthralling gothic fantasy horror setting. Castlevania: Nocturne might not have hit the dizzying heights of the original but it certainly delivers an engrossing story with captivating characters, scintillating action sequences, and exploration of several mythologies and cultures for its storytelling.

The first couple of episodes do struggle with inconsistent pacing, as it relies on relatively rudimentary expositions to flesh out its characters. While the method leaned on for character development does lack a bit of nuance, it does ultimately serve its purpose. Once the characters and the setting are firmly established the series quickly settles into its grove and the narrative gathers pace. And just like the original series Castlevania: Nocturne does not shy away from using its story as a tool to explore socio-political themes. In fact, both animated shows thrive when they employ well-written dialogue, symbolism, and allegories to convey their philosophical messages.

Castlevania: Nocturne leans on the French Revolution as a plot device to open a discourse on the pros and cons of any revolution. It poses several questions such as the role of religion during a revolution, whether a violent usurpation can be justified, and most importantly whether human casualties are the inevitable price society must pay for long-term freedom, liberty, and equality. But the most pertinent question the narrative delves into is whether these fundamental human rights are meant for all or just a particular race. As one would expect from a gothic horror fantasy religion is a vital plot device in the series. While Christianity and its dark history from mediaeval Europe to the cusp of the Industrial Revolution are central to the narrative, the series has also put emphasis on African mythology and the ancient Egyptian mythology surrounding the Sun God Re and Sekhmet, the Goddess of war.

While the stunning anime-style animation and the aforementioned qualities make the series irrefutably binge-worthy, the conflicted and flawed protagonists are its best quality. Richter Belmont (Edward Bluemel), despite his valiant acts of bravery, struggles with fear due to his traumatic past. Maria’s (Pixie Davies) righteous stance on the Revolution is unrestrained, and at times reckless. Whereas Annette (Thuso Mbedu) is unable to empathise with Richter’s childhood trauma, as she is unable to relate to the notion that each individual processes trauma differently. However, the most intriguing, complex, and morally grey characters are the Abbot (Richard Dormer) and the vampire Olrox (Zahn McClarnon). The series finale brings out the best and worst in both characters, albeit in contrasting circumstances. The story behind Maria and her mother Tera’s (Nastassja Kinski) relationship with the Abbot, despite the mystery and intrigue, is far too predictable. The primary antagonists Erzsebet Báthory (Franka Potente) and her trusted lieutenant Drolta Tzuentes (Elarica Johnson) might not be as menacing as Graham McTavish’s turn as Dracula in the original series, but are certainly convincing and overwhelming adversaries for the protagonists.

Verdict: Castlevania: Nocturne is a fantastic spin-off to Castlevania. It might not have hit the impossibly high benchmark of the original but it certainly delivers a gripping story with well-written characters, stunning animation and action sequences, and nuanced exploration of several socio-political themes. The cliffhanger in the finale suggests that a second season could be on the way. And it appears Netflix has certainly perfected the art of adapting acclaimed video games into animated shows – Castlevania, Arcane, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and Castlevania: Nocturne are a testament to the fact. And with the announcement of the Netflix animated shows Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft and Devil May Cry, it appears video game fans have plenty of reasons to be optimistic.