HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS

With Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Thomas Mann, Derek Mears, Robin Atkin Downes

Written & Directed by Tommy Wirkola

Being an MTV production, and as the title suggests, this is not exactly going to be the old school Brothers Grimm version of this well known fairy tale (continuing the trend highlighted by Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and reinterpretations like Snow White and The Huntsman).
After being left in the woods by their parents, and finding their way to the wicked witch's candy house, Hansel and Gretel are captured for dinner, but manage to escape and destroy the nasty creep. Years later they have become professional witch hunters, ridding towns of the scourge for a fee (and occasionally saving some falsely accused).

With the fantasy angle, naturally little attention is paid to realism and historic accuracy or physics in this medieval world. With Matrix-style fighting ability, the witch hunting siblings even sport high power multi-function firearms (in addition to more traditional weaponry like crossbows to dispatch the wicked).

One particular town is panic stricken with their children disappearing (witch kidnappings being the main suspicion). As Hansel and Gretel investigate this influx of dark witches, it become clear that a congregation of covens from all over the land is being planned with a very specific, ruthless and detrimental ritual to be performed a the blood moon. The duo's parental issues of abandonment also get exposed and resolved.

Famke Janssen is one hot witch queen (even when transformed from her lovely guise into her nasty self). Besides the array of deadly witches, throw in some human foes, and even a troll, to turn this already pretty dark fairy-tale premise into an action packed ride.

I saw this in 2D, and frankly, I didn't miss the glasses carving into the bridge of my nose. But if you want to sit and wait for the occasional object flying at you, watch it in 3D.

PS. While this is making light of a myth, let's not forget how many women were accused and murdered by the church and inquisitors for their own misguided cause...

[A more traditional telling of the tale is also set for a 2013 release]

3 / B
- Paul Blom

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Click images below for more Jeremy Renner movies :

A: Multi-Viewing Potential

B: Could Enjoy A 2nd Look

C: Once Should Suffice