It’s not easy to wield a long blade, and even The Witcher’s Henry Cavill could use some criticism from an expert swordsman. The actor first portrayed the titular character Geralt of Rivia from Netflix’s dark fantasy series in 2019. Based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, The Witcher became a flagship show for the streaming platform.
Cavill played the monster-hunting Witcher for three seasons, but he ultimately left the project due to creative differences with the studio. Fans would soon meet Liam Hemsworth in Season 4 as a replacement for the original star.
Expert Swordsman Reacts To Henry Cavill’s Performance In The Witcher
In a recent video interview showing different fight scenes in movies and shows, London Longsword Academy Master-At-Arms Dave Rawlings rated Henry Cavill’s performance in The Witcher and gave some valuable insights on which areas needed improvement. Rawlings commented on the famous fight scene in Season 1 via Insider:
“I have issues with this particular fight because there’s a lot of reverse grip with the sword being held backward down here. It’s not a good way to use the sword. You sacrifice your ability to defend above very, very clearly. You have not got any reach. It’s not safe, but he’s changed grip.”
While Rawlings had qualms about Cavill’s grip on the sword, he praised how the actor danced with his blade. The expert also noticed how Cavill looked confident wielding the weapon. Rawlings continued:
“I like how he moves. I think he’s got a good organic feel to him. Generally, the sword is being moved in front of him, which is a very, very good thing. It’s very rarely just kept behind him, so he’s closing the space off between him and his opponent with the sword.”
The master swordsman later expressed his admiration for the show’s fight scenes, especially the spinning movements that purposely drive away the enemies while holding one’s ground. Finally, Rawlings gave his ratings for both Cavill as a swordsman and the fight sequence itself:
“The thing is most of my judgment on this fight scene is actually Henry Cavill being very, very good physically, and what is shown in this fight scene is probably being the most disappointing fight scene in The Witcher so far. So, for Henry Cavill, it’s going to have like an eight. For actual quality of fighting, it’s going to have about four.”
It seems like Cavill could have used a better fighting sequence in The Witcher because he already has the skill and the confidence.
Henry Cavill Dedicated Himself To The Witcher Franchise
It is no secret that Henry Cavill is a longtime The Witcher fan, and being cast on the show was a dream come true for him. Even before the confirmation of the show, the actor had expressed interest in taking on the role of Geralt of Rivia. As a passion project, Cavill has made it clear that he wanted the show to be very faithful to the source.
His time working on the set of and training for The Witcher is also influenced by his previous collaboration with Tom Cruise on Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Cavill insisted on performing his own stunts as much as possible, and this included learning how to ride a horse and wield a sword.
Rawling’s critique of Cavill’s sword-wielding techniques is still very much valuable and appreciated despite the actor no longer reprising the titular role. Although, his advice could be helpful to Liam Hemsworth for the upcoming season.
The Witcher is available to stream on Netflix.
Source: Insider
