HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS Review

By Darin Skaggs

     Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is about the grim fairy tale of the same name.  In this version the witch lures the two into her candy coated home, tries to kill them for food and the kids defeat and burn the witch.  Hansel, played by Jeremy Rennor and Gretel, played by Gemma Arterton, become witch hunters when they are all grown up.  They then attempt to rescue kidnapped children and murder the witches responsible.

     This premise sounds ridiculous and nearly laughable, but the film does not seem to think so.  The film takes the premise very seriously.  It makes Hansel and Gretel expert witch hunters.  They even have a fan base.  The film does not shy away from the violence that would be happening in this world.  Despite all the magic the film is still set in a reality very close to ours.  The film is not just plain serious though.  It has a few laughs in it.  This is not a straight out comedy but real life gives you laughs and so does this film.

     The film knows what it is and knows what it wants to be.  That being said, the film seems a bit rushed.  The first half is set up, and then it drags out those feelings until the mid-point.  Then the second half comes along.  It becomes rushed and seems to want to end the film quickly.  The editing of the film becomes faster and scenes become shorter.  It is still fun but then you don’t have time to enjoy scenes as much as you were at the beginning of the film.  Some characters don’t feel like the characters they were in the first half and just action stars.  Other characters that are introduced in the second half are only stereotypes and types that are supposed to make you think they are one thing, even though they are another.

     Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is a fun action movie taking on a classic fairy tale.  It becomes only an action movie in the second half abandoning all the enjoyable character building from the first half.  The film gets a recommendation but the more snobby viewers will totally dismiss it as garbage, which is unfair.