The Mafic Misfits Series is a collection of young adult fantasy novels written by J.A. Hunter. The series follows a group of misfit teenagers who discover that they possess supernatural powers and are destined to save the world. The main protagonist of the series is Aidan, a young boy who has always felt like an outsider. When he turns 13, he starts developing strange abilities such as controlling fire and speaking to animals.
How did you created the various FX for the witches?
There were many different witch effects in this movie.
One of the first things we began work on were the wand effects. Each witch had a unique wand look when casting spells.
We went through an R& D phase to come up with the overall wand effect idea and then tailored it to each witch to represent her dark or light characteristics.
It may or may not mean anything that Dante Harper was acknowledged as a co-scripter during production and all the way through the movie s long release delay, but only Wirkola receives onscreen writing credit. Kane and I have been friends for a long time, and BJ McDonnell, who directed Hatchet III , is a buddy of mine, and Adam Green is a super-good buddy of mine, and it seemed like the right time and the right project to actually pull the trigger on that.
When he turns 13, he starts developing strange abilities such as controlling fire and speaking to animals. This leads him to the realization that he is a Mafic, a person with the ability to manipulate the elements. Aidan soon learns that he is not alone in his powers and joins a group of other Mafics, including Lily, a quiet and mysterious girl with the power to control water, and Devin, a joking and sarcastic boy with the power to manipulate air.
Review: HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS
The best thing in Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters isn’t Hansel or Gretel or the witches—though they have their moments—but a character with the deceptively genteel name of Edward. He doesn’t have a big part, but he makes a big impression.
Edward is a troll played by Friday the 13th’s Derek Mears in a very impressive animatronic outfit by Spectral Motion, whose prosthetic work throughout bespeaks an admirable ambition to keep things old-fashioned on the FX side. Hansel & Gretel itself varies wildly in tone and approach, veering from the traditional to the modern, from serious menace to snarky comedy (the latter coming as no surprise once you note Will Ferrell and Adam McKay among the producing credits). And the movie announces its grab-bag approach early: Following a prologue that retells, with a horrific straight face, the Brothers Grimm fable of the preteen brother and sister who turn the tables on a cannibalistic witch and roast her alive in her own oven, and a nifty animated main-title sequence, we arrive “many years later” with a sight gag straight out of Mel Brooks.
Instead of men in tights, however, we get siblings in leather and armor: Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) are all grown up and devoted to exterminating witches. Their rep is such that when they arrive in the village of Augsburg, they are met by a young groupie, Ben (Thomas Mann) who keeps a scrapbook of their achievements. He’s at first a distraction and eventually a collaborator in their mission, which involves the disappearances of young children from the area, evidently at the hands of evil sorceresses. Mayor Engleman (Rainer Bock) welcomes Hansel and Gretel’s assistance, while sneering Sheriff Berringer (who else but Peter Stormare?) bristles at this threat to his authority.
AdvertisementThe resulting conflicts and adventures are pitched by director Tommy Wirkola with the same tongue he kept in his cheek in his breakout Nazi-zombie movie Dead Snow. Witches zoom on broomsticks and hurl deadly whammies at the heroes in energetic action setpieces, while Hansel and Gretel respond with weaponry and other equipment that’s determinedly anachronistic. So is their frequent use of four-letter dialogue, which might have shocked back in medieval times but doesn’t really get a rise in this day and age. Hansel and Gretel don’t really need it; as played by Renner and Arterton, they cut more than capable action-hero figures—not superhuman, but able to bounce back from any assault and work together to defeat their foes.
There is, of course, more to the backstory that forged them as witch hunters than initially meets the eye, though the ultimate revelation isn’t all that surprising, and requires another character to explain it during a lengthy, flashback-accompanied speech. In general, Hansel & Gretel’s attempts to go anywhere beneath the surface of the characters don’t come to much, in part because there just isn’t time. Running only 88 minutes (including lengthy end credits), this is yet another film that feels like it was sliced down to the bare minimum in the interest of pacing, and at the expense of any depth that may or may not have been in the screenplay. (It may or may not mean anything that Dante Harper was acknowledged as a co-scripter during production and all the way through the movie’s long release delay, but only Wirkola receives onscreen writing credit.)
AdvertisementAmong the characters who could have been more fleshed out is Edward—kinda ironic to say, considering how physically imposing he is. Still, he’s a lot of fun to watch during the screen time he does have. Famke Janssen, as evil witch Muriel, has a few good moments of menace in and out of prosthetics, but isn’t given enough opportunities to really get under the skin of her character’s evil. As if knowing he’s got limited time to grab the audience’s attention, Stormare mercilessly chews the scenery before graphically becoming part of it, and Pihla Viitala adds just a bit of romantic respite as a village girl who bewitches Hansel.
Wirkola plays the 3D to the hilt, hurling weapons and severed body parts in the audience’s face, and goes pretty graphic with the gore. His unrestrained approach results in a number of jumpy-fun moments, and the anticipation of them helps keep you watching through a scenario that overall doesn’t maintain the same interest. There’s a running joke in the movie in which Hansel, having gorged on sugar at the candy house of the witch he and Gretel defeated as kids, now has to inject himself with medieval insulin on a regular basis to give himself boosts of energy, and it feels like a metaphor for the film itself.
Together, they form a team known as the Mafic Misfits. Throughout the series, the Mafic Misfits face various challenges and dangers as they discover more about their powers and the prophecy that foretells their role in saving the world. They encounter other supernatural creatures, such as witches and demons, and must learn to work together as a team to overcome these obstacles. The series is filled with action, adventure, and friendship. It explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the power of teamwork. The characters in the series are relatable and well-developed, each with their own unique strengths and flaws. The Mafic Misfits Series is a captivating and exciting fantasy series that will appeal to readers of all ages. With its engaging storyline and lovable characters, it is sure to keep readers hooked from beginning to end..
Reviews for "Unlocking the Geologic History of the Mafic Misfits Series"
1. Sarah - 2/5 - "I have to say, I was really disappointed with the Mafic Misfits series. The characters were cliché and one-dimensional, and I found it hard to connect with any of them. The plot was incredibly predictable, and there were no real surprises or twists to keep me engaged. The writing style was also lacking, with a lot of tell instead of show. Overall, I just didn't find anything that stood out or made this series memorable for me."
2. Mike - 3/5 - "I was initially intrigued by the concept of The Mafic Misfits series, but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. While the world-building was interesting, the plot felt disjointed and rushed. The pacing was off, with certain events happening too quickly and others dragging on for too long. The dialogue was often cheesy and unrealistic, and the characters lacked depth. There was potential here, but the execution fell flat for me."
3. Rebecca - 2/5 - "I struggled to finish The Mafic Misfits series. The writing was overly descriptive, with too much unnecessary detail that bogged down the story. The characters were frustratingly inconsistent, and their decisions often didn't make sense. The romance felt forced and lacked chemistry. I also found it hard to suspend my disbelief at times with the way certain magical elements were portrayed. Ultimately, this series just wasn't for me."
4. Alex - 1/5 - "I can't believe I wasted my time reading The Mafic Misfits series. The plot was filled with plot holes and inconsistencies, and the world-building was poorly developed. The characters were flat and lacked any real growth or development. The dialogue was cringeworthy, and the overall writing quality was subpar. I couldn't find any redeeming qualities in this series and would not recommend it to anyone."
5. Emily - 2/5 - "I had high hopes for The Mafic Misfits series, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the plot didn't have enough excitement or suspense to keep me engaged. The characters felt stereotypical and lacked depth, and their motivations were unclear. The writing style was also quite simplistic and didn't captivate me. Overall, I found this series to be underwhelming and forgettable."