Review of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) by Dc F — 25 May 2014

This film is like "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" in that it's all concept but has nothing to offer beyond that. Like the old Roger Corman or AIP movie posters that depicted sensational action and thrills, or a lurid title, but the movies rarely equaled the excitement hinted at on their posters.

IN this film in particular, the title fairy tale characters are now grown up and travel the countryside ridding the land of witches. Like Lincoln, this film has plenty of splashy visuals and crazy stempunk-like inventions and weaponry, but the lack of story and characters render the film inert.

Weather the film wanted to play it straight or take on a satirical tone, you need to care about the characters in the film to make it work. From the director of the terrific "Dead Snow," which had a great horror comedy tone ALA "Evil Dead", this film just seems like a mess that's desperately trying to become the next big franchise.

Jeremy Renner is Hansel and Gemma Arterton is Gretel. Peter Stormare is also there and he livens up his scenes, but overall, it's a boring and I really just wanted the film to end.