'Mythica: The Necromancer' continues the fun, fantastical chronicle of enterprising mage Marek, ever growing in her powers, as she journeys forth with her friends in a great quest. There's no questioning that these pictures fall below the big-budget standards of major feature films, yet it's easy to get swept up in the adventure and just have a good time. That said, there's a distinctly darker tone at hand here as the series goes on.
Once more, technical aspects of this entry are quite fine. Wardrobe and costume design above all looks outstanding, but filming locations, set design and decoration, props, makeup, hair, prosthetics - it all does so much to build our engagement. Visual effects may not be top of the line, but they certainly exceed what we generally expect from "second-rate" would-be blockbusters. At that, I think there's even still more improvement over predecessor 'Darkspore,' let alone the first film 'A quest for heroes.'
As was the case with the first two movies, the writing is direct and fast-paced with intent to advance the plot. However, I feel like from the very beginning we see dialogue of greater intelligence, and characterizations with considerably expanded depth and complexity. I've previously found the cast to be quite capable, if inhibited by the screenplay. Yet as the writing feels notably better this time around, the actors are afforded more opportunity to explore their roles.
That's true of the secondary supporting cast, yes, but moreso of the principals. Melanie Stone again performs admirably as chief protagonist Marek, showing a range and strength of personality that goes beyond the limits of the parts she most often takes on. Co-stars Adam Johnson, Jake Stormoen, and especially Nicola Posener share in that increased illustration of acting aptitude, if to a marginally lesser extent (admittedly appropriate to their status as major supporting characters). Matthew Mercer gets more screen time as overarching antagonist Szorlok, and it's a joy to see him here. New to the ensemble for 'Necromancer' is Philip Brodie as shady oppositional figure Betylla, giving the heroes a complicated companion for some of their trek.
As with the prior films, the narrative here very much bears the air of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, brought to life. Just as the production values seem to have obtained a level-up for this third 'Mythica' feature, the characters also show more of what they can do. The party members show improvement of their skills, boosted not just with experience but arguably with training akin to multi-classing. We get dialogue of a high-level wizard supporting character/NPC instructing their relatively fresh-faced protege to NOT to rush to seek out the end-game villain. The story here centers on a surprise B-plot that distracts the party from their long-term goals and destiny - yet which ultimately dovetails into that larger picture. We see spells or abilities echoing D&D staples like Illusory Wall, Light, or the wild intuition and bond with animals of a ranger. With that perspective in mind, it's ever easier to get caught up in the story being told.
The overall saga progresses ever further toward a grand showdown, and the increasing stakes carry with them heightened drama and emotional beats. This portion of the tale is unmistakably grittier, yet that shift in atmosphere works to keep us invested.
This series is a passion project, guided not by multi-million dollar studio backing but by heart and will. As such, it's a fair guess that no one will be watching 'Mythica: The Necromancer' who hasn't already committed to its antecedents, but even so, it's a fun fantasy adventure worth checking out for any fan of the genre.
