Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is exactly what potential viewers should expect (plus a bit more gore) based on the film’s premise and marketing.
Tommy Wirkola’sHansel & Gretel : Witch Huntersis the latest in a maturate trend of music genre mashups that retrofit familiar queer tales or historical name with activity - packed supernatural chemical element . Similar efforts have experienced mixed ( and in some cases downright hapless ) responses from critics and moviegoers but there ’s still grounds to believe that , under the right set of condition , a cinema hybrid that refashions timeless stories with activity - revulsion set small-arm could provide a fun screening experience .
After a nine month delay from its original March 2012 expiration date , Hansel & Gretel : Witch Huntersis eventually here - starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the titular survivors - turned supernatural bounty hunting watch . scoot entirely in 3-D , does the film make clever use of its tongue - in - cheek apparatus and deliver a camp but exciting lesson of musical style mashup done properly ?
Despite aiming for a deeper character story , Hansel & Gretel : Witch Huntersonly succeeds as asinine and overly - bloody entertainment that is about as slight as its fairy tale rootage fabric . Moviegoers who were connive by the film ’s core premise and further enticed by the poke will find exactly what they were require - and little more . Characters and story often take a backseat to military action as Wirkola ’s moving-picture show is downright brutal - relying alternatively on a number of crowd - pleasing ( read : bloody ) second to make it memorable . A fair share of motion-picture fan will belike be surprised by the amount of violence and contrived raunch in the movie - much of which comes across as impel - in for the purpose of marketing the experience as " hardcore " action - horror . For some looker , the blood and gore will beWitch Hunter ’s biggest selling point , for others it ’ll further undermine any ( flimsy ) attempts to be taken badly .
give thatHansel & Gretel : Witch Huntersfocuses more on pedigree - soaked action set - pieces rather than its titulary hero , the story is adequate - observe moviegoers in the present moment alternatively of exploring potentially underwhelming tangents . Still , there are a issue of characters , relationship , and core secret plan point that remain developing - without worthwhile wages . Given that the motion picture runs a mere 88 arcminute , it ’s exculpated thatWitch Huntershas been significantly prune down to keep the pace fast - move - excise any elements that might slow things down . To Wirkola ’s credit , this was in all likelihood a smart move , pay that there ’s only so far a film producer can stretch the Hansel and Gretel kill witches premiss . In fact , set about to humanize the duo , search their family relationship with other characters , or explain witch mythology , are easily the least successful piece of the flick - paling in comparison to the entertainment provided by needful witch track down episode .
In his effort to pose a hardcore fairy tale story , Wirkola has delivered two of the least likable protagonists in late computer memory . Hansel and Gretel are frigid and expressionless - not to refer disinterested in about every unmarried person around them . Despite competent performances from both Renner and Arterton , the portrayal of their crony and sister human relationship is a missed opportunity - as it could have been the one orbit where the two leads would be able to cut down the stoic - faced machismo and have some fun . woefully , in keeping with the focussing of the picture show , there ’s nothing for them to let the cat out of the bag about - except for hunting witches . As a result , the dynamic between Hansel and Gretel is thin and muddled .
A few headland - fret edits by the film maker - a sensual shot of Gretel ’s naked leg stepping over Hansel in their bedroom or a prolong scene of stilted staring and hugging - could , as it is depicted onscreen , cause moviegoers to slip the characters ' relationship for a repressed passion affair , or else of healthy ( albeit stagy ) sibling fondness . It ’s unlikely that Wirkola was in reality implying a forbidden romance between the two but the awkwardly drawn scene are symptomatic of a larger problem - the role are so immerse underneath fighting , cursing , and bleeding that consultation will have little to no theme how they feel about anyone or anything that happens in the moving-picture show . They hate witches , which is evident in a barbarous and off - commit torture view where , after conquer a fleeing spellcaster , Hansel straps on brass brass knuckles to tucker out information out of their detainee .
alas , few of the side characters are give an opportunity to help break the minutes away from Hansel and Gretel ’s preference for violence - over - substance . Local want - to - be beldam Orion Ben ( Thomas Mann ) attempt to lighten the mode while Mina ( Pihla Viitala ) , a mysterious woman who was most cauterize at the post , is meant to add emotional gravity but the witch hunters ' reaction to these well - meaning people is so flat ( and in sure cause mean - zippy ) that the tone rarely makes a successful chemise .
In a cast that also includes Peter Stormare and Rainer Bock , Famke Janssen is the only memorable fend for histrion . Janssen is uncompromising in her depiction of malign sorceress Muriel and , despite lines of corny exposition and savorless dialog , she ’s the one side player with enjoyable flare and actual personality . Edward , a brutish troll who serves the witches , is a worthwhile gain but many moviegoers will be cark by the stiff mix of virtual effects used to bring the character to life .
Nevertheless , amidst a host of missed opportunities , Hansel & Gretel : Witch Hunterssucceeds in its primary finish : gory and hyper - stylized activeness . Wirkola has crafted a diverse mixture of entertain battle episode - guy on traditional Wiccan mythology with some crafty changes to the recipe . In combat , Hansel and Gretel ( the theatrical role and the film ) both come alive - providing a smart compounding of crack - powered pugilism / spell - molding and slick ( modern ) twists on colonial - era weaponry . As name , the film cope a brisk pace , one action set piece after another with only minor drama beat generation in between , so moviegoers who can overlook the predictable story and slender personalities will discover heap of crowd - pleasing moments to emphasize the campy experience .
Famke Janssen as Muriel in ‘Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’
That said , there ’s no reasonableness to see the film in 3D or in IMAX . Few shots make role of the increased depth , which is especially surprising yield that Wirkola shoot the pic using three-D cameras . A handful of gory moment are slenderly heighten in 3D but the bulk of onscreen visuals are pretty flat . Not to mention , there ’s a lot of frantic television camera work during activeness scenes - meaning that the overall film could be easier to follow , and later on more pleasurable , in 2D.
Anyone looking for an interesting pull on theHansel & Gretellegend will likely be underwhelmed by the storytelling and characters inWitch Hunters . It ’s a bland , and at fourth dimension downright blemished , narrative with flat leads and predictable winding . Yet , the film succeeds in its fundamental goal - to show the humble pouf tale survivor mercilessly burning and beating witch in an over - the - top action - horror adventure . Basically , Hansel & Gretel : Witch Huntersis precisely what potential viewer should require ( plus a second more gore ) based on the pic ’s premise and selling - whether or not that ’s a full thing will be dependent to individual taste .
If you ’re still on the fencing aboutHansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters , check out the house trailer below :
Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner in ‘Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’
-
[ poll id=“508 " ]
Let us know what you thought of the film in the commentary section below .
Hansel on the hunt in ‘Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’
For an in - depth discourse of the film by the Screen Rant editors check out ourHansel & Gretel : Witch Huntersepisodeof theSR Underground podcast .
Hansel & Gretel : Witch Huntersruns 88 minutes and is Rated gas constant for strong fantasy horror fury and gore , brief sexuality / nudeness and language . Now playing in 2D and 3D theaters .
Hansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters is a modern reimagining of the classic Brothers Grimm poove taradiddle . Starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the titular siblings , the 2013 action phantasy movie follows the brother and sister fifteen years after they survive a kidnapping endeavour by a cannibalistic witch , which inspires them to hunt down every dark sorcerous exploiter they can get their work force on .
