Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters: "We Hunt Witches. What Do You Do"

Director: Tommy Wirkola
Writer:    Tommy Wirkola
                Dante Harper
Starring: Jeremy Renner
                Gemma Arterton
                Fake Janssen
                Pihla Viitala
                Peter Stormare
                Thomas Mann
                Zoe Bell
Rating:    **

Release Date: Out Now


Gemma Arterton is one of the finest young British actresses around at the moment (along with Sheridan Smith), so every part of my being wants to give this film a raving review and commend her for her beautiful performance and range; but alas I cannot. What we have here is a hot mess of a movie, it features awful over the top performances, awkward CGI, and a bizarre concept that just doesn't work. Maybe they were going for this zany kind of a movie, but unfortunately it turned out to be a disaster.

Famke Janssen

Hansel and Gretel (Renner & Arterton) have grown up to be strong independent adults; long gone are the days of breadcrumbs, gingerbread houses, and evil stepmothers. Along with their adulthood has come a deep-rooted hatred for witches (which I guess is justified), so they spend their days and nights hunting these cackling crones, and joyously executing them with their array if homemade weapons. Of course comes the day when they face their biggest foe to date, Muriel (Janssen) the grand witch, and to fight her the must risk, their lives and fight the hardest they ever have.

Do you see what I mean when I say this film is a bizarre concept, it sounds like it should be a SyFy TV movie, it's that bad. Arterton gives a convincing American accent and I guess does what she can with the script provided, and Renner suffers a massive blow to his ego; especially after the glory days of last years Blockbuster, Avengers Assemble. The script is cheesy and dated, the acting is hammy (especially Janssen), and the visual effects look like they have been done by a high school student in an ICT lesson. All in all it's a cinematic disaster, but my love for the lovely Ms Arterton has given it an extra star.

Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters - Trailer