HBO’s Game of Thrones, questionable last season and all, will always cast a large shadow over any similar series that follows. Yet television has carried on without it, and to that end, Rise of the Raven took those reins and moved forward, giving us a vast and expansive series, with battles, love, lust, betrayal, and heroes. At times, its ambitious nature seemed almost too much to handle, but the show took on the challenge well, giving viewers some great entertainment and human drama to chew on.
At first glance, the story seems pretty straightforward. Hungarian soldier and future regent Janos Hunyadi (Gellert Kadar) is devoted to protecting Hungary and all of Europe from an Ottoman invasion. In the 15th century, Hungary acted as a barrier to the Ottoman’s expansion plans, and Europe depended on them to do just that. However, it was much more complicated than simply fighting an enemy. As with all massive shows like this, politics must be addressed, relationships and allegiances must be formed, and a mind for strategy looking to the future all play a hand in the outcome.
One of the key ingredients to making this show a success lies in the strong female characters. Elizabeth (Vivien Rujder), Mara (Franciska Torocsik), and Elizabeth of Luxembourg (Mariann Hermanyi) all play key roles throughout the series as a wife, lover, and political figure, respectively. They are supportive of the men, but smart and cunning as well, the ever-vigilant eyes and ears that help shape key moments throughout many episodes. Too many times, female characters have been given interesting arcs only to fail the actors in the end with flimsy or weak conclusions, but here they all have a purpose, and it’s refreshing to see.
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Writer-director Balazs Lengyel undertakes the seemingly impossible task of creating and directing the story, sharing directing duties along the way over the ten episodes, to bring it to its full potential. He mostly succeeds in both story and characters, giving us a rich backdrop in both to enjoy visually and verbally. Some scenes seem to drag on a bit too long, and a few characters get lost in the shuffle along the way, but overall, it was put together well, a fluid story that was very well paced and executed. Lengyel makes everything seem detailed and real, like you were walking right into a story and experiencing it firsthand, not an easy task in a series such as this.
The fight scenes are numerous and brutal, some short, others long and massive in both scope and scale. These are not easy things to organize, film, and execute to everyone’s satisfaction, but they do a great job with realistic battle scenes and the kind of death and destruction you would see in great battles such as these. The cinematography and musical composition work together in harmony, giving the fight scenes the extra push they need, both in action and the consequences of said battles.
Kadar is wonderful as Hunyadi. He is a powerful figure that commands the screen, giving the impression that yes, he is the man to turn back the Ottoman Empire and be the saviour everyone needs him to be. However, it’s never that simple, and as the series unfolds, we watch that play out in front of our eyes.
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It’s hard to imagine what kind of planning, preparation, and execution went into this series, but whatever they did paid off. Rise of the Raven is a great adventure and is just complex enough not to lose viewers in the politics or backstories that must be told. It’s excellent television, both visually and emotionally, and it’s sure to grab many viewers in its tale of fighting for what you believe in and doing what it takes for those you love to survive.
Rise of the Raven premieres Friday, September 19th, on CBC Gem.
