Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is a 2013 action horror film directed by Tommy Wirkola. It serves as a sequel to the popular fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, but with a twist. In this version, Hansel and Gretel are all grown up and have become professional witch hunters. The movie takes place 15 years after the siblings escaped from the witch's gingerbread house. They have devoted their lives to hunting down and killing witches, seeking revenge for their traumatic childhood experience. Hansel and Gretel have become skilled fighters, equipped with an array of weapons and a vast knowledge of witchcraft.
My favorite thing about this movie is the world building. Though the timeline is never explicitly stated, it seems to take place somewhere around the middle ages. However, it also has a kind of steampunk vibe to it, using a lot of modern-day gadgets that have been made to appear more primitive. For example, at one point Gretel revives someone with a defibrillator that must be charged by hand cranking it, much like an old-school car window. These gadgets are particularly fun when they’re used to aid in witch hunting, even when you know they’re probably defying the laws of physics.
Granted, the movie s portrayal of diabetes is overly simplistic to the point of inaccuracy, but it s still really neat to see something like that featured so prominently. Mina shows up to patch Hansel s wounds, and they have sex, which I truly believe was only put in so critics didn t say that Hansel and Gretel were a little too close for family.
Hansel and Gretel have become skilled fighters, equipped with an array of weapons and a vast knowledge of witchcraft. **The main idea of the movie is to present a darker and more action-packed version of the classic fairy tale, where the once innocent children have turned into fearless witch hunters.** The plot revolves around Hansel and Gretel being hired by the mayor of a small town to investigate several missing children.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters?
Alright, so I don’t want to make movie reviews a regular thing, because normally I save those for when I absolutely can’t think of anything else to write about, but this movie was so hilariously bad I just had to tell you about it.
So everyone knows the story of Hansel and Gretel. Two kids are lost in the woods, they find a cabin made of candy and start eating it, the witch who lives there catches them and tries to make them fat so she can eat them….and the ending varies.
In this version, Hansel and Gretel are siblings whose father takes them out in the woods, at night, and just leaves them there. So they find the candy cabin, and the witch makes Hansel eat and Gretel do slavework. Gretel’s stoking the oven fire, when she steals a knife, cuts her bonds, and stabs the witch several times before, with the help of her brother, shoving the witch into the oven and turning the heat up. “Is it hot enough for you now?” Snarky last lines become Gretel’s thing. Then off the two children go, holding hands, and they grow up into legendary witch hunters.
We come back into the story as an innocent woman, Mina, is being tried as a witch by some d-bag antagonist, and the siblings show up to prove her innocence, make a minor enemy, and get hired by the mayor to deal with a rash of missing children that are clearly the work of a witch. The problem is, they show up with huge, fancily engraved and very badass guns that are extraordinarily wrong for the time period. The witch hunts in Europe were around the early 1400s, and while they might have had a few small guns, like single shot pistol type guns, they did not have huge engraved ones, and they most definitely did not have machine guns.
It is revealed that because Hansel ate too much of the witch’s candy, he now has to inject himself with medicine every few hours. I’m pretty sure they also did not have syringes back then. Nor record players, which they use to trap another witch later. I’m running out of words, so some weird stuff happens, and the siblings end up separated in the woods. Mina shows up to patch Hansel’s wounds, and they have sex, which I truly believe was only put in so critics didn’t say that Hansel and Gretel were a little too close for family. A big troll named Edward saves Gretel from the d-bag, and when asked why, says “Trolls serve witches.” PLOT TWIST.
It turns out that Hansel and Gretel’s mother was a Grand White Witch, and their father left them in the woods to save them because the townspeople found out. Gretel is a Grand White Witch too, and it’s revealed that the dark Grand Witch Muriel needs her heart, and the blood of twelve children to make a potion that will make dark witches impervious to fire. But with the help of Edward and Mina, Hansel and Gretel make it out alive and kill the grand witch in the candy cabin where it all started.
There’s an unnecessary amount of gore and cussing (I don’t think they said “fuck” back then either), but on the whole it’s not really a bad movie, so if you want a dramatic laugh I would definitely recommend this for a good bad movie night.
It turns out that Hansel and Gretel’s mother was a Grand White Witch, and their father left them in the woods to save them because the townspeople found out. Gretel is a Grand White Witch too, and it’s revealed that the dark Grand Witch Muriel needs her heart, and the blood of twelve children to make a potion that will make dark witches impervious to fire. But with the help of Edward and Mina, Hansel and Gretel make it out alive and kill the grand witch in the candy cabin where it all started.
They quickly discover that the town is under the control of a powerful witch who plans to use the kidnapped children for a ritual to make her invincible. Throughout the film, Hansel and Gretel encounter various witches with unique powers and abilities. They engage in intense battles and face numerous challenges, including their own personal demons. Along the way, they form an alliance with a good witch named Mina, who was once a victim of the evil witch's magic. **The main characters' goal is to save the innocent children, defeat the evil witch, and put an end to her reign of terror.** Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters combines elements of fantasy, horror, and action. It features exciting fight scenes, visual effects, and a dark atmosphere. The movie explores themes of revenge, redemption, and the power of sibling bonds. Overall, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters offers a modern and thrilling take on the classic fairy tale, with a focus on the titular characters' transformation into skilled fighters and their quest to rid the world of evil witches..
Reviews for "The Witch as a Symbol: Analyzing the Villains in 'Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters"
1. Samantha - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to watch "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters," but I left the movie feeling disappointed. The concept seemed interesting, but the execution fell flat. The action scenes were overly CGI-heavy and took away from the suspense and thrill of the film. Additionally, the dialogue was cheesy and lacked depth, making it hard to connect with the characters. Overall, I found it to be a forgettable movie that failed to live up to its potential.
2. Michael - 2/5 stars - "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" had a promising premise, but it failed to deliver an engaging story. The plot felt rushed and disjointed, and the characters lacked development. The film relied too heavily on action sequences, sacrificing substance and nuance. I also found the humor to be forced and rarely funny. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to create a compelling and original take on the classic fairy tale.
3. Jennifer - 3/5 stars - While "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" had some entertaining moments, it ultimately fell short for me. The action scenes were well-executed, but the story lacked depth and failed to keep me fully engaged. The film relied too heavily on gore and violence, which overshadowed any potential for a captivating narrative. Additionally, the characters felt one-dimensional and lacked emotional depth. Overall, it's a forgettable film that may appeal to fans of mindless action, but offers little substance for those seeking a more satisfying cinematic experience.