Review of The Last Witch Hunter (2015) by Brett C — 21 Oct 2015

I think it would be hard for people not to admit that Vin Diesel is one of the most likable actors living today. He's not the thespian that a Leonardo DiCaprio or Daniel Day-Lewis is, but the man is entertaining as hell. The Last Witch Hunter is yet another vehicle for Diesel to excel in as a true movie star, no Fast and Furious pun intended. The film is not very good at all, but it's incredibly entertaining.

Putting Vin aside, you have a solid cast with Elijah Wood, Rose Leslie, and the cinema legend Michael Caine for gosh sakes. This was most definitely a paycheck film for Caine, but he gave a formidable performance. Leslie, from Game of Thrones fame, also was solid as the dream-walker/semi love interest for Diesel. Elijah Wood has a very limited role and I never really bought into his character or performance rather. The writing is not exactly Oscar worthy, it's rather poor actually. But it didn't need to be. Vin gave us just as many lame one liners as every Fast and Furious film. Plus, it's hilarious hearing Diesel call Caine a 'kid'. It's these gags that added to the outrageously fun experience.

The reviews for the film have been poor to say the least, and I can't really argue with them. For me, it was just endlessly entertaining. I actually found the CGI to be quite effective for the most part especially for the villainous witch queen. So the story and writing can be confusing, weak, and contradicting at times, but the visuals and performances make the viewing worth while. There's not much else to say, but I hope this 90 million dollar film turns into a franchise, although I think it's destined to flop.

+Perfect film for Diesel.

+Solid cast.

+Leslie holds her own.

+CGI.

-Weak writing.

-Contradicting story.

6.3/10.