In the 2013 film "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters," there is a character named Gretel who becomes a witch hunter alongside her brother Hansel. The movie is a dark fantasy action film that takes the classic fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel and adds a twist to it. Gretel is portrayed as a strong and skilled fighter who is determined to protect innocent people from the evil witches that roam the land. She is portrayed by actress Gemma Arterton, who brings a tough and fierce energy to the character. Throughout the film, Gretel is shown using various weapons and tactics to take down the witches. She is resourceful and quick-thinking, always finding a way to outsmart her enemies.
They travel from village to village, ridding them of witches.
Talking about Wirkola s pretty insane ideas for the second film, McKay said this could be one of those instances where the sequel does go further than the first one. And she does balance Renner s lazy delivery with a sharper cadence in a solid American accent although why a couple of Teutonic characters had American accents during the Middle Ages is beyond me.
She is resourceful and quick-thinking, always finding a way to outsmart her enemies. Her determination and fearlessness make her a formidable witch hunter. However, there is also a vulnerable side to Gretel.
Gretel witch huner
Movies with a bite.
Bad movies are a guilty pleasure of mine (am lately obsessed with Miami Connection, a 1987 wonder-gem of a movie discovered on Ebay by Drafthouse Films—it has karate and friendship and motorcycle ninja gangs, what more could you want?), and I have an unofficial thesis on the different levels of bad that exist in filmmaking. To date I’ve identified four levels, although I suspect there may be five—I’m still compiling data (it’s my life’s work). The four (identified) levels are: Good-Bad, Bad-Bad, Hilariously Awful, and Money Grab. The most inexcusable of these levels is the Money Grab, which is when no one is making any effort at all to make a good movie for the sake of the movie but when it’s very clearly a product created solely to fleece the unsuspecting audience of their dollars (see also: Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, still one of the most simply awful and worst-produced-on-every-level movies I’ve ever seen).
The other levels are more about whether or not the intent of the film is successfully communicated, if it meets its desired goals, and how competent is the filmmaking involved. Sometimes things look good on paper that end up not panning out on screen, but you can still enjoy it as a spectacle or piece of fluff. Good-Bad movies are B movies—you know it’s not good from a storytelling standpoint, but it’s well made enough, and fun enough, that you can look past narrative and/or poor acting flaws (see also: Road House, The Mummy). Bad-Bad movies are the ones that lack the fun factor of a pleasing B movie and are just joyless drudgery to sit through (Red Riding Hood). And then there’s Hilariously Awful, when the movie is the right combination of incompetent and insane, when it’s so bad you can’t believe what you’re looking at, but yet there’s a sense of wonder about it, a how-much-worse-can-this-get attitude that compels you to keep watching. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is hilariously awful.
It’s an indefensible movie that fails on nearly every level, but the staggering ineptness of writer/director Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow) is so mind-boggling that there’s pleasure to be had in seeing just how far into the ground he can drive the production (answer: really, really far). The basic plot sounds like it was cribbed from Highdeas.com—abandoned poppets Hansel and Gretel “many years” after their fateful trip into the woods and the house of candy that ended in murder and arson, have become famous witch hunters who kill witches until they’re dead.
Pictured: The Hansel & Gretel script, which is just a blank piece of paper. Sounds about right.
I can see the pitch now. “Dude, it’s like, what if Hansel and Gretel grew up?” The many years later tag was originally supposed to be fifteen years later, but Jeremy Renner, though largely resistant to gravity to this point, simply cannot pass for twenty-something anymore, so we’re left to assume how long we think Hansel and Gretel have been at their professional witch hunting. Judging by how hard they get their asses kicked for the first two acts of the film, I’d say about three weeks.
I can point guns and look stern in my sleep.
In fact, I am asleep right now.
The thing is, somewhere down deep in Hansel & Gretel there is a nugget of a good idea. It’s why I couldn’t write this down as a Money Grab and dismiss it entirely. Somewhere, at some time, someone was onto something with the story of Hansel and Gretel all grown up. There are hints of this development here and there—Hansel refuses to talk about their parents, spazzes completely at the sight of a cut on his sister’s face (which, as bounty hunters, you think he’d be over seeing his sister banged up by that point), and there’s a little hint that maybe Hansel drinks too much and doesn’t get laid enough, but none of that ever goes anywhere that matters. And Renner, coming off his back-to-back Oscar performances in The Hurt Locker and The Town, was practically counting his money in every scene he appeared in. “Phoning it in” is a nice way to judge his performance.
Remember that time I was a Bond girl? Me too.
Sigh.
But Gemma Arterton (Tamara Drewe, Prince of Persia) isn’t much better. She’s so beautiful, and believably badass when called on, but she remains an icy screen presence that isn’t especially interesting to watch. She’s technically proficient but devoid of any charm or ease as an actress—you are aware at every moment that you are watching Acting happen—although I’m inclined to go easy on Arterton after the Lay the Favorite debacle with Rebecca Hall. Arterton might not be thrilling to watch but she doesn’t make me want to stab my eyeballs because of her terribleness either. And she does balance Renner’s lazy delivery with a sharper cadence in a solid American accent (although why a couple of Teutonic characters had American accents during the Middle Ages is beyond me). It’s unclear which of the siblings was supposed to be older, but going by Arterton’s general air of togetherness, Gretel was the eldest.
Sure sign of a B movie:
Peter Stormare
The true joy of Hansel & Gretel, though, lies in Wirkola’s amazing artlessness as a director. Nazi-zombie flick Dead Snow was one of those movies you either liked or you didn’t, and I tolerated it pretty well while still wondering what Wirkola’s value as a director was going to be. Now I know the answer—his value as a director is to serve as a “don’t do this” compendium for would-be filmmakers. Wirkola seems most excited by finding new and ever-grosser ways to spray entrails on his cast instead of concerning himself with things like pacing and plot development, and his script is more interested in using “fucking hillbillies” in reference to a Middle Ages-ish hamlet than infusing his characters with anything resembling actual personalities. Thomas Mann (Project X) plays a Hansel and Gretel fanboy, Ben, who wants to become a witch hunter, too, but we never learn why. We know what motivated the siblings, but what does dopey Ben want with being a witch hunter?
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters started with a viable seed of an idea that turned into a twisted, malformed lump of a movie so spectacularly incompetent it defies logic. That this movie exists at all is enough to earn it a place in the Bad Movie Guide. That it is so hilariously awful and staggeringly terrible across so many levels makes it a Hall of Famer.
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Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters started with a viable seed of an idea that turned into a twisted, malformed lump of a movie so spectacularly incompetent it defies logic. That this movie exists at all is enough to earn it a place in the Bad Movie Guide. That it is so hilariously awful and staggeringly terrible across so many levels makes it a Hall of Famer.
She carries the weight of their tragic past, where they were abandoned by their parents and almost became dinner for a witch. This traumatic experience fuels her determination to rid the world of witches and ensure that no child suffers the same fate as she did. Gretel also displays a strong bond with her brother Hansel. They rely on each other for support and trust each other implicitly. Together, they make a formidable witch-hunting duo and are known for their effectiveness and success in their line of work. Overall, Gretel in "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" is a complex and multi-dimensional character. She is both tough and vulnerable, determined and compassionate. Her role as a witch hunter adds a new layer to the classic fairy tale and provides an exciting and action-packed twist to the story..
Reviews for "From Page to Screen: How 'Gretel Witch Hunter' brings the graphic novel to life"
1. John - 1 star - I was really disappointed with "Gretel Witch Hunter". The plot was extremely weak and predictable. It felt like a cheap attempt to cash in on the success of other dark fairy tale adaptations. The acting was also subpar, with the lead characters lacking any depth or charisma. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and found myself hoping the movie would just end already. Save your money and skip this one.
2. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Gretel Witch Hunter" as I am a big fan of dark fantasy films. However, this movie did not live up to my expectations. The special effects were decent, but the story lacked originality and depth. The action sequences were also poorly executed, with choppy editing and unconvincing fight scenes. The dialogue was forgettable and the characters felt one-dimensional. Overall, "Gretel Witch Hunter" failed to deliver anything new or captivating in the genre.
3. Mark - 1 star - "Gretel Witch Hunter" was an absolute disaster. The film seemed confused about its own identity, trying too hard to be both a horror and action flick. The humor fell flat, and the attempts to inject it into serious moments were cringe-worthy. The movie also suffered from a lack of pacing, with the story dragging in some parts and rushing through others. The script was lazy and the acting was wooden, making it difficult to become invested in the film. I regret wasting my time and money on this poorly executed movie.
4. Emily - 2 stars - I found "Gretel Witch Hunter" to be incredibly predictable and lacking any real depth. The characters were bland and uninteresting, and the plot felt like a recycled version of other fantasy adventures. The gore was excessive and unnecessary, adding shock value but little substance. Furthermore, the film relied heavily on CGI, which often looked fake and took away from the overall experience. Overall, "Gretel Witch Hunter" failed to provide a unique or engaging story, leaving me feeling unsatisfied.
5. Jason - 1 star - "Gretel Witch Hunter" was a complete waste of time. From the very beginning, the movie felt disjointed and poorly put together. The storyline was convoluted and had unnecessary twists that only served to confuse the audience. The acting was mediocre at best, with the lead actors struggling to bring any depth to their characters. The action scenes were lackluster and uninspiring, failing to create any sense of excitement or suspense. Overall, "Gretel Witch Hunter" was a disappointment and I would not recommend it to anyone.