Score: ●●●●●
To say that screen adaptations of popular video games get a bad rep is an understatement. Certain cult classics have given us entertainment so bad it is funny to watch, such as Super Mario Bros (1993), but some adaptations fail to even find their video-game roots, such as Resident Evil (2002).
It is, therefore, a beautiful sight to witness the deserved praise and adoration of Netflix’s Arcane: League of Legends.
Adapted from the renowned MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) League of Legends, the series takes place within a world that is never truly examined in the strategic arena-style combat of the game. This alone deserves appreciation, as the cast and crew have breathed life and vibrancy into what were otherwise simple details in Lore tabs of specific characters. The world of Piltover, both through a stunning, unique art style and an equally as beautiful soundtrack, feels alive, with the series making good use of the city’s political divisions and alliances and showcasing it in a way that only amplifies the drama unfolding around the two central protagonists.
What is perhaps most striking about the series is its simplicity. League of Legends is a nearly 13-year old game that is still played today. As such, its characters are loved by many a player and its lore is rich. It is amazing then that, as an individual who has never touched League of Legends, Arcane was able to captivate me as much as it did. Knowing next to nothing about the characters in no way hindered my enjoyment of the series. Indeed, it only served to leave me in suspense as to where the episode went next.
To add to her tally of standout performances, Hailee Steinfeld beautifully portrays Violet/Vi, a roughened young adult seeking to make ends meet while trying to fight for her freedom out of the oppressed underground of Piltover, formerly known as Zaun. At Vi’s core is a deep love and affection for her younger sister, Powder/Jinx, with Steinfeld’s performance excellently complimented by Ella Purnell’s portrayal of the erratic younger sibling. While this serves as the crux of the show, Arcane benefits from a host of supporting characters that feed into the central conflict between the two sisters. Every character feels rich with a deep connection to the dynamics at play in the magically-fuelled city of Piltover, brought to life by a compelling cast of voice actors. Specific attention must be paid to Jayce Tallis (Kevin Alejandro), an eccentric, bright young inventor who finds himself in a position of power within the city’s bureaucracy thanks to his harnessing of the Arcane. Alejandro conveys every emotion through Tallis’s voice alone, and the animation affixed to Jayce and his science is breathtaking at the very least.
We watch with bated breath as the story twists and turns, branching off into side-plots and weaving back into one cohesive strand of majestic storytelling. One of the most enjoyable relationships from my own watching is between Jayce Tallis and his mentor and fellow Council member Professor Heimerdinger, who, while usually seen as a comedic character within the game’s lore, is portrayed as a person past their prime, having watched Piltover rise above, who has also seen the dangers of combining magic and science. It is painful to watch, then, as his character falls from grace, so to speak, being kicked to the curb in favor of more youth and vigor in the form of Tallis.
It may visually appear to be another steampunk-esque animated TV series, but the show is far from it. The show made me tear up on more than one occasion, having gotten invested in the outcomes of each character throughout the first nine episodes. Of course, the show is so expansive and showstopping that seeking to cover every character, location, music, art style, and plot point in this review would prove impossible. The adjacent and incredible individual stories of Viktor (Harry Lloyd), Caitlyn Kiramman (Katie Leung), and Ekko (Reed Shannon) must be experienced firsthand.
Arcane is, therefore, a masterpiece in blending gorgeous animation and voice-casting, rich world-building, a stellar soundtrack, and, perhaps most importantly, a riveting, emotional rollercoaster of a narrative. What Netflix and co-creators Riot Games have produced is a truly magnificent poster-child for the beautiful storytelling that goes into modern video games, hopefully encouraging more works like it in the near future.
