'The Queen's Gambit' Review: Anya Taylor-Joy soars high in quest to become chess champion

The Queen’s Gambit is an intense drama miniseries which lingers on the topic of addiction and passion for a sport. The series is directed by Scott Frank and stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Bill Camp, Moses Ingram and Isla Johnston in key roles. The series is available to watch on Netflix.

The Queen's Gambit Review: Plot 

The series follows a young girl, Beth Harmon, who loses her mother to a car crash and is sent to an orphanage for young ladies. There she finds solitude in the game of chess, supposedly a man’s game, and also gets addicted to tranquilisers, which were served to every girl there once per day. From the beginning of the series, Beth finds herself out of place and always feels lonely.

She is soon adopted by a family which breaks up soon after she joins them. However, Beth’s new mother discovers her talent in Chess and makes a commission from matches she wins. Beth develops a desire to become the chess champion in the world and for that, she must beat Vasily Borgov, the Russian world champion chess player.

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Beth has a gift and soon becomes a global name as she travels around the world completing with chess champions. With more success comes more fame, and Beth’s addiction grows so much that she is clouded with thoughts making her lose focus from the game. In spite of losing a game against her fiercest competitor Borgov due to her addiction, she does not stop the intoxication rather submerges deeper in it. However, after much effort, she turns sober and gets back to playing chess with more focus than before. She once again must face Vasily Borgov to win the title of world champion. Only the question lingers, was it her drugs helping her win the matches? Would she be able to play with same agility without intoxication and assume the title of Chess Champion?

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What works?

The drama series is impeccably made with attention to details and that is what makes the show brilliant. From costumes to set designs, everything has been taken great care of to depict the era the show was set in. The direction of the show deserves much praise and even the supporting cast has portrayed their characters very well to make for a good series.

Anya Taylor-Joy has outdone herself as Beth and has conveyed her character without making it looked forced. The cinematography by Steven Meizler and editing by  Michell Tesoro deserves a lot of praise as they have beautifully captured the essence of the characters and the story. Various sequences to show Beth is intoxicated have been pictured well.

What does not work?

• The show is dark and intense and might not be enjoyed by people who like light-hearted shows or fast-paced shows.

Final thoughts

The drama series will be thoroughly enjoyed by people who love serious, immersive content. The series must not be missed and is sure to give a good cinematic experience. Would definitely watch it again.

Rating 4.5/5

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