2013's off to a great start with movies. Les Miserables opened in theaters a few weeks ago, and Arnold Schwarzenegger recently returned to action movies with his new vehicle "The Last Stand". There's certainly plenty to go by with the drama and action category, and the latter adds another new entry this week with the release of "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters", which stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arteton in the titular roles. Taking a cue from the classic Brothers Grimm tale "Hansel & Gretel", this piece takes a "What If" look at the siblings if they decided to take their traumatic encounter with the witch to the next level... By hunting and killing witches as a career and profession! It's certainly an interesting concept, and thanks to Solar UIP's special premiere screening of it a couple of days ago, I got to see it... And surprisingly in 3D format which I enjoyed! Here's a review if you're wondering if it's good to see like a tasty candy treat given by an unsuspecting witch. Be warned though, SPOILERS, so read at your own risk!
If you've grown up reading fairy tales in general, then you should be familiar with the story of Hansel & Gretel in general. Regardless, the movie gives a good intro of recap of that tale, as well as showing off what the brother/ sister duo do after their time in the candy house. H&G grow up to be professional hunters who go from town to town and hunt witches for a living. Their latest case sees them investigating the disappearance of several children in the little town of Augsburg, Germany. Preventing a Sheriff from executing a falsely accused woman, the siblings are hired by the mayor of the town to find the real witch and save the kids. Unfortunately a bigger plot is brewing than anything Hansel and Gretel have encountered, and they'll discover something more about their past which will bring things to a head as they try to stop an evil sorceress and her group from unleashing a ceremony callled the "Feast of the Blood Moon".
Getting right down to it - Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is surprisingly good if you enjoy kick ass action flicks and anything that doesn't require serious thinking to follow the story. First impressions will mislead one to believe that it will follow the footsteps (or misstep) of other fairy tale and horror movie recreations like Van Helsing and Snow White and the Huntsman, but it's manages to be a notch higher than those two in the entertainment level department. Jeremy Renner acts like the badass he always was, sticking right into form and playing the role of the headstrong and courageous Hansel. His sister Gretel isn't one to underestimated either, and Gemma Arteton plays the other half of the sibling Witch Hunter duo with surprising finesse and intensity. Both H&G have weapons that pack a wallop too - A shotgun and a crossbow, and I wouldn't be surprised if there'd be comparisons to other horror popculture staples like Dusk 'Til Dawn, The Walking Dead, or even the Resident Evil games.
Another thing that made me chuckle with amusement for this film is just how much comic book references I saw and pointed out as I watched. Actress Famke Janssen stars as the main baddie witch named Muriel in the film, and her looks just shout "Jean Grey" all over again from the X-Men films from the hair to the long coat. That's pretty much a plus on the movie's part, not to mention that Jeremy "Hawkeye" Renner gets to hunt her down despite his "limitations" that feel reminiscent of a plot device in The Bourne Legacy. Later on, Gretel meets and befriends a huge troll, who acts and sounds like The Hulk from "The Avengers". There's plenty of action and spectacle in Witch Hunters, and surprisingly it's good to see in 3D with all the blood & gore that accompanies the huge bangs and explosions.
Rating - 4/5
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