[The Gryphon (Der Greif) Amazon Prime Review] The German series is similar to Stranger Things but is Dark Fantasy more terrifying.

The Gryphon (Der Greif) The German series 6 episodes, is created by Amazon Prime and based on the bestseller fantasy novel. It tells the story of Mark, a 16-year-old teenager who inherits a legacy from his family and enters a life-threatening battle in the parallel world of the Dark Tower to help humanity escape the clutches of Griffin.

The Gryphon (Der Greif) Amazon Prime Review

In the year 1994, in the fictional town of “Krefelden,” Mark, a 16-year-old teenager, inherits an ancient diary from his family that leads him to a parallel world called the Dark Tower. In this world, Griffin reigns as the ruler, a monstrous creature that oppresses all living beings and rules through fear. Mark discovers that he is the only one who can defeat Griffin, but he doesn’t see himself as a hero and wants no part in this battle. Mark faces problems at school, a broken friendship, and his first love, which is already complicated enough. However, when Thomas, Mark’s older brother, disappears into the world of the Dark Tower, he must embark on a journey to find his brother. Despite his determination, everyone around him believes he has gone mad and blindly believes in these stories.

The German series, which bears a resemblance to Stranger Things, starts with a group of teenage characters in the 90s who are fascinated by old things. Despite the availability of CDs during that era, the protagonist and heroine both have a fondness for vinyl records. The series incorporates mixtapes featuring popular songs and incorporates Sony Walkman as a part of their adventures on multiple occasions. It also uses popular songs from the past as its soundtrack and intertwines real music history into the main storyline, including the case of the death of the lead singer of Nirvana, for example. If someone is a music enthusiast from that era, they would surely appreciate this aspect of the series. However, even if one is not from that era, they can still understand and relate to the nostalgic atmosphere created in a similar way to Stranger Things. It has become a beloved series among a large number of modern-day viewers as well.

Another similarity is the presence of a dimensional world with a dimensional gateway located in a small town. However, in this series, the world is referred to as the Black Tower, a place with towering ominous dormitories and imprisoned malevolent monsters known as Griffin and attempting to cross dimensions to conquer the human world. What sets this series apart, however, is its intense and horrifying dark fantasy elements, surpassing Stranger Things by a significant margin. Characters in the series are brutally killed multiple times, showcasing a level of brutality that Stranger Things has never portrayed, with no character deaths or serious injuries. Additionally, the series excels in creating truly spine-chilling and terrifying scenes, some of which resemble scenes from horror movies involving eerie creatures.

While may similarities, this is by no means a copy. It is based on an old German novel from 1989 and takes a unique and distinct narrative approach different from typical American series. The story does not follow the conventional formula of characters coming together to defeat demons. Instead, it explores the individual lives of each character, without forcing them to come together according to a predetermined formula. However, they all reside in the same town, and their stories intertwine, creating a deep and detailed exploration of each character, almost as if they are separate protagonists. Although the focus is primarily on “Mark,” who embarks on a fantasy adventure, the other characters in the normal world also have their own stories connected to the smaller fantasy. This unpredictability adds to the intrigue, as it is impossible to guess what will happen next. While initially it may seem ordinary as it introduces the fantasy world, as the story progresses, it becomes increasingly bizarre and horrifying, with unexpected twists and escalating brutality.

Another significant difference is the emphasis on the protagonist’s mental illness. The story is narrated as if the main character, Mark, and his brother may be suffering from a psychological disorder, believing in the fantasy world due to past trauma with their father, who also believed in the fantasy. The series heavily focuses on this aspect, similar to films like Pan’s Labyrinth, where the protagonist sees a fantasy world alone. In this story, it is narrated in a similar manner, making other characters perceive Mark as insane. Even his mother, who takes care of him, sees him as mentally ill. This aspect is intriguing and becomes a central theme in the series.

 

The love story in the series is portrayed appropriately and well. It tells the story of first love, disappointment, and complicated relationships, depicting the obstacles of love effectively. The characters are teenagers aged 16 and above, but there are no explicit scenes beyond kissing.

The CGI in the series is decent for a TV show, but it does not heavily feature such scenes. The fantasy world in the story is predominantly dark and focuses more on makeup and various incarnations of the characters as monsters. It is executed smoothly, and the movements appear natural.

One of the main drawbacks of the series is that the storytelling can be somewhat disjointed.some scenes may not initially reveal their significance to the overall story, requiring a longer time to understand. which may be because it is not following the typical American fantasy series formula. However, overall, these issues are not too significant, and the series still manages to provide a deep and well-detailed storyline. While the viewing experience may not be seamless and highly entertaining, the depth of the story and the excellent attention to detail make up for it.

 

 

The six episodes mainly explore the intricate fantasy world depicted in the deeply developed novel trilogy. However, the series deviates from the original novels in several ways. Despite this, the reception from both novel readers and reviews, including audience and media, has been positive. Although the German series and Prime didn’t heavily promote it, it remains uncertain whether it will continue until the end. Nevertheless, the author is supportive of continuing the series to its conclusion because it offers a unique and distinct fantasy narrative.

 

 

Including other English reviews