In a transfer which may depart some scratching their heads, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is heading to Paramount+ this September. The 2013 movie, starring authentic Avengers forged member Jeremy Renner and Bond lady Gemma Arterton, has carved out an notorious popularity with its abysmal 16% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Whereas Renner and Arterton may be higher identified for his or her roles in Marvel’s cinematic universe, or as a sidekick of 007, this darkish twist on the traditional fairy story didn’t fairly hit the mark with critics or audiences.
Directed by Tommy Wirkola, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters makes an attempt to reimagine the well-known sibling duo as badass witch-hunters, full with anachronistic weaponry and over-the-top motion sequences. The premise is undeniably intriguing: Hansel and Gretel, after surviving their childhood encounter with a witch, develop as much as turn into skilled witch hunters. Nevertheless, the movie’s mix of horror, comedy, and motion didn’t fairly land, leading to a movie that was as complicated in tone because it was in execution.
The film sees Renner and Arterton step into the medieval boots of Hansel and Gretel as they tackle a brand new mission: to analyze the mysterious disappearance of kids in a distant village. Their journey uncovers a darkish conspiracy involving a robust coven of witches led by Muriel, performed by Famke Janssen. As they battle their means by means of hordes of supernatural foes, Hansel and Gretel should confront their very own darkish previous and the true nature of their powers.
Is ‘Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters’ Value Watching?
Despite its star-studded cast and promising premise, the film was widely panned for its uneven storytelling, lackluster particular results, and a script that did not ship on the potential of its idea. Critics had been notably harsh on the movie’s try and mix fashionable sensibilities with a medieval setting, leading to a jarring and infrequently unintentionally humorous expertise.
Nevertheless, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters did handle to achieve a cult following, notably amongst those that recognize its campy, B-movie attraction. For followers of Renner and Arterton, or those that take pleasure in so-bad-it’s-good cinema, the movie’s arrival on Paramount+ affords an opportunity to revisit—or uncover for the primary time—this peculiar entry within the fantasy style.
So, in case you’re within the temper for some senseless motion and darkish fantasy with a aspect of unintentional comedy, mark your calendars for September. Whether or not you find it irresistible or hate it, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is certain to be an expertise you gained’t neglect anytime quickly.