Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

"We learned a couple of things while we were trapped in that house. One, never walk in to a house made of candy. And two, if you're gonna kill a witch, set her ass on fire." - Hansel

release year: 2013
genre: action/fantasy
viewing setting: home Bluray, 1/29/14

synopsis: After fighting and killing a witch as children, a brother and sister grow up to be great witch hunters.

impressions: While this is the sort of movie whose trailer causes everyone to groan and joke, it was actually a pretty fun movie. It had a solid plot, tons of violence and funny lines, and good special effects. The variety of witches is great, and while their exact powers and weaknesses are never fully explained, it still works. The settings are kind of medieval, but some of the weapons and lines are anachronistic.

acting: Jeremy Renner is Hansel, and Gemma Arterton is Gretel - both are tough and have attitudes. Famke Janssen is the evil head witch. Pihla Viitala is a good witch. Peter Stormare is a real jackass of a town sheriff, who fortunately gets what he deserves.

final word: Good grim fairy-tale action.

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