The Witcher season 4 review: Liam Hemsworth's Geralt falls flat as Netflix flagship fantasy loses its magic

Following the shock news that leading man – and self-confessed Witcher fan – Henry Cavill was hanging up Geralt’s swords and wolf medallion back in 2022, fans of Netflix’s flagship fantasy series were understandably left reeling.

The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth was shortly announced as the new the White Wolf for the final two seasons. But with huge shoes to fill, as many considered Cavill’s portrayal of the beloved monster hunter definitive, the controversial announcement certainly left a dark cloud over the project.

Casting concerns aside, there’s no denying that the writers have long played fast and loose with the source material in season 4, taking plenty of creative liberties with certain character arcs and events – much to the frustration of those who love Andrzej Sapkowski’s books and the CD Projekt games.

While the third outing attempted to right the ship with a more faithful adaptation, season 4 faces even bigger challenges. Can Netflix win over returning viewers with the introduction of fan favourite characters such as Regis (Laurence Fishburne) and Leo Bonhart – or Cavill’s departure prove the final nail in the coffin for the "Witcherverse"?

Picking up after the devastating (and Continent-altering) events of the Thanedd Coup, season 4 sees Geralt (Hemsworth), Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (Freya Allan) once again scattered across the war-ravaged Continent.

The former lion cub of Cintra embraces her “Falka” persona among the rebel gang of outlaws known as the Rats, while Geralt embarks on yet another (!) rescue quest, forming a new found fellowship of misfits along the way. Meanwhile, Yennefer seeks to unite the remaining sorceresses for a final showdown with Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu), the mage who's secretly been pulling the strings all along.

Thankfully, the latest instalment isn’t split into multiple parts – as that month-long gap between volumes last season certainly hurt the pacing. Netflix has instead opted for a full release, to its credit.

Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri’s intertwined stories are recapped through a clever narrative framing device, as book characters Storyteller Stribog and Nimue recount previous events, tying together the series’ legends and myths Sapkowski’s novels.

While season 3 was buoyed by the heartwarming found family dynamic as the trios destinies finally converged, this season certainly suffers with their frustrating separation.

After more than a two year wait – and with Cavill’s departure looming large – it’s admittedly difficult to feel excited about yet another search for Ciri.

Overall, the fourth outing is unfortunately a frustrating and inconsistent entry, marked by a significant drop in quality. The shifting tone – paired with uneven performances and production elements – 0ccasionally tips the series into melodrama.

The sprawling story has ballooned with an ever expanding roster of characters, locations, factions and shifting allegiances, resulting in an unwieldy amount of plotlines to juggle.

Certain threads are also far more compelling than others. Sharlto Copley is an entertaining standout as the infamous bounty hunter Leo Bonhart, and is proves a much stronger antagonist than the naff(?) Vilgefortz.

On the flipside, The Rats’ storyline is a slog to get through, lacking the charm and charisma of Shadow and Bone’s similarly rag-tag band, The Crows. It’s also disappointing that Ciri’s enigmatic father, Emhyr var Emreis (Bart Edwards), has seemingly faded into the background.

Thankfully, many of Baptism of Fire’s major moments are faithfully adapted, including the introduction of fan favourites Regis (Laurence Fishburne) and Leo Bonhart (Sharlto Copley), Ciri’s dark arc with The Rats and the Battle for the Bridge on the Yaruga. However, Yennefer’s arc – and the events leading to the creation of the Lodge of Sorceresses – undergoes significant changes.

It was always going to be a bold move to recast Geralt, and unfortunately, it just doesn’t work. It’s incredibly jarring to see and hear Hemsworth as Geralt. Rather than adapting a similarly deep, gravelly tone as Cavill, he questionably decides to channel his brother’s Thor-like accent.

While the Aussie actor is competent in the action sequences, his stature and overall take on the monster hunter unfortunately just doesn’t measure up. He’s less physically imposing than his predecessor and lacks the stoicism and chemistry of his predecessor.

As feared from the much-maligned trailer sequences (here’s looking at you, “Let’s f**king move!”) the writers still fail to grasp the show’s main protagonist, with awkward dialogue and inconsistent characterisation.

Despite showrunner Lauren Smith Hissrich's insistence that the “show is bigger than one actor”, many fans tuned in purely for Cavill’s performance and his endearing dynamic with co-stars Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan.

Hemsworth does his best with the material he’s been given, but his delivery and performance often falls flat – which may just prove the final straw for many long-time viewers.

Jaskier (Joey Batey) fans are also dealt somewhat of a blow, as the bard’s development from last season regresses in favour of comic relief.

While the renowned Bremervoord musician has brought to life a number of bangers, such as Toss a Coin to Your Witcher and Burn Butcher Burn, this season's musical interlude is a misfire in comparison. The baffling, Aladdin-esque musical sequence in the otherwise engaging, hansa-centric episode The Joy of Cooking will likely divide viewers.

Inconsistencies also lie in the show’s production values. The large-scale Battle for the Bridge is a real standout (dodgy ogre VFX aside), while the Battle of Montecalvo falls flat due to lacklustre production design and unconvincing magic VFX.

As Cavill’s absence looms large over a story weighed down by uneven writing and tone – plus questionable performances and production design – it’s clear that Netflix’s flagship fantasy series has lost its magic. Unless season 5 pulls off a (monster) miracle, this might be one quest even Geralt can’t complete.

The Witcher season 4 is available to stream now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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