Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
2013 · Directed by Tommy Wirkola
Original language: English
- fantasy
- horror
- action
The story
After getting a taste for blood as children, Hansel and Gretel have become the ultimate vigilantes, hell-bent on retribution. Now, unbeknownst to them, Hansel and Gretel have become the hunted, and must face an evil far greater than witches... their past.
What it’s like
Saturated, grimy fantasy-action in the lineage of gleefully overcooked genre cinema: cold blue forests and smoky candlelit taverns give way to hot orange firelight and sprays of arterial red, with a steampunk sheen on the weapons and a lot of handheld, kinetic camerawork that whips around fights and chases. The score is loud and percussive, pushing the set-pieces along with pounding drums and stabs of synth, and the mood is brash, tongue-in-cheek and deliberately over the top rather than dread-filled. Violence is frequent, bloody and cartoonishly graphic, with witches burned, skulls split and creatures torn apart; there is some crude humour and a brief sexual undertone, but no sustained cruelty. Pacing is relentless, with few quiet moments between shootouts and chases, and the emotional register stays light and wry, following two damaged siblings who swagger through their vengeance and slowly reckon with what it cost them. Best for viewers who want a loud, blood-spattered popcorn night with a sense of humour and no interest in subtlety, and a poor fit for anyone seeking something gentle.
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