Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
Dir: Tommy Wirkola
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton,
and Famke Jannsen
Some films have the unfortunate quality of sounding too good
to be true. Take Abraham Lincoln: Vampire
Hunter as a prime example of an attention-grabbing title that misses the
potential of making something purely entertaining. While Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is able to deliver a mildly
entertaining, over-the-top take on the fairy tale mythology, there are too many
issues to fully enjoy the movie

There are plenty of interesting ideas floating around in
this film. Though several are misguided and underdeveloped, some are
entertainingly executed. The Grimm fairy tale mythology is only slightly
utilized but the handling of Hansel and Gretel’s origin story is dark and
threatening; the way horror fans have always pictured it. The first glimpse of
the witch in the candy house tormenting the children is effectively menacing
and introduces the film with promising effect.
The practical use of make-up, and additional special effects, was a
welcome surprise considering most of the theatrical trailers exhibit only CGI
renderings. The make-up design for a few of the witches is a mix of deep
cracked skin and blackened teeth that builds an intimidating form. There is a
nice, but too fast and narratively late, scene involving a gathering of witches
that displays a bevy of intriguing individual designs for about a dozen various
witches, it’s a promising hint at what could have been.
The glaring issue with the film is the lumbering script.
Though Renner and Arterton give capable fortes to the lead characters they
aren’t given much to work with for added character depth. The dialogue is
heavy-handed and filled with daft one-liners marked with an occasional
expletive thrown in for no reason whatsoever. While the plot moves along
passably it disposes of the initial dread in favor of comic musings and a few
inventive fight scenes. There are also sub-plots that feel like time fillers,
such as the addition of a burdened troll named Edward
(Derek Mears) who helps Gretel escape danger. Another aspect that counteracts
some effective qualities is the misuse of CGI and 3-D. There are some creative
practical effects that get ruined with an overabundance of CGI and in-your-face
3-D. For instance, whenever a witch gets slayed in unexpected gruesome style
the film insists on hurling viscera at the screen, which veils any practical
effect applied by the harsh switch to CGI and 3-D.
While Hansel and
Gretel: Witch Hunters isn’t particularly bad if you don’t take it too
seriously, it’s not particularly good either once you give it a chance to fully
sink in. Though the film displays some promising narrative elements and several
clever make-up effects there is far too much working against it to recommend a
trip a to the theater. However, if you
are in the right mood on a lazy weekend in a few months and find yourself
looking for a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, give Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters a stab.
Monte’s
Rating
2.50
out of 5.00
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