The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf appears to be a hit among reviewers and fans after debuting on August 23. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently has a 100 percent Tomatometer and 90 percent audience score, with most reviewers giving it a high amount of stars. The majority of reviews give praise to the animation by MIR studio (Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Voltron: Legendary Defender). The voicework from veteran actors Graham McTavish and Mary McDonnell have also garnered some mention. There is some criticism on its pacing or effort in trying to tie it in with the live-action series, but many feel it does well based on the length of the feature.
The 81-minute feature focuses on a young Vesemir, who is known to Witcher fans as the future mentor of Geralt of Rivia. It begins with flashbacks establishing his background, starting with his childhood to how he becomes a monster slayer. Numerous other characters are introduced to flesh out the story and develop various arcs. After spending some time on Vesemir’s background, along with some history on the creation of Witchers, the film ends with a climatic battle. Of course, like most Witcher stories, there is some tragedy involved. There’s plenty throughout the feature, along with various body parts.
With its slim self-contained arc, Nightmare of the Wolf is no substitute for a new season of The Witcher — but it’s all the better because it’s not trying to be. Sure, there are connections to be found for those inclined to look. Vesemir’s backstory offers hints about Geralt’s own, and it’s a safe bet that some of the names mentioned in passing here will come up again later. But by resisting the temptation to tie its fate too closely to Geralt’s (or to any of the series’ main characters’, for that matter), Nightmare of the Wolf serves up a satisfying peek at a universe that always seemed richer than any one story. -The Hollywood Reporter
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Rotten Tomatoes, Digital Trends, Metacritic, IGN