The official first studio promo for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters has arrived.
Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton star as the classic fairytale pair who, as children, had an ill-fated run-in with a witch in her gingerbread house. Ill-fated for the crone, that is, as she ended up a witch flambe in her own oven.
Nothing was written about how that affected the titular twosome, so writer DW Harper and director Tommy Wirkola have followed them into adulthood, where they roam the world tracking and killing witches wherever they find them. Naturally, their latest mission turns out to not be quite as easy as they think.
The jury’s out on this one: while Wirkola brings some faith having made Dead Snow and has been allowed to play with R-rated action again, the film was shoved back from release this year and looks like it could fall on either side of the fun / failure line. Arterton and Renner certainly know how to make material like this work, but we’re haunted by the spirit of Van Helsing in the style, effects work and some of the tonal issues. Still, this is just the first trailer, and the word on this gives us reason to hope. The movie itself arrives on March 15.
Not excited, not interested, not even with Renner on board. This looks like a run-of-the-mill action bombast along the lines of 'Van Helsing' and the Resident Evil franchise. The weaponry is jarring and uninteresting, and the make-up effects for the witches makes them all look like members of a Death Metal band. Is that all they could come up with? There is zero imagination in this thing.
For a better take on battling fairy tale characters, watch Terry Gilliam's 'The Brothers Grimm.' It's no More
Posted by HighwayJoe at 12:57 on 09 September 2012 | Report This Post
Trash
This does actually look like utter trash. In the crap style of Van Helsing ( but not the underrated Abe Lincoln Vamp Hunter). No way I will watch this in the cinema. Maybe watch it when I'm completely bored and it's on Sky! More
Posted by dannyfletch at 17:14 on 07 September 2012 | Report This Post
Not another trip to the mad house
I didn't realise "The Asylum" were signing up such well known stars these days. At least thats what it looks like. The anachronistic dialogue actually stinks like a stinky thing and the acting looks risible on this evidence. Have to agree about the "High tech" weapons too. How do they transport this stuff around for example. Just dumb looking, but you never know. More
Posted by ericcoyle at 13:16 on 07 September 2012 | Report This Post
Posted by spideed2 at 13:07 on 06 September 2012 | Report This Post
what is it with the high tech weaponry??!? whatever happened to axes/stakes/hatchets/swords/crossbow/bow and arrow/sword etc.... this may be a minor bug in a story about witch hunting and gingerbread houses, but it irks the shit outta me. More
Posted by a_man_and_his_monkey at 10:38 on 06 September 2012 | Report This Post
Posted by burtbondy at 15:43 on 05 September 2012 | Report This Post
utter tripe
so apparently hansel and gretel were american?? looks godawful. Van helsing/abraham lincoln vampire hunter/brothers grimm all rolled into one. More
Posted by hglazier at 15:43 on 05 September 2012 | Report This Post
Well personally, I'm very much looking forward to this - looks as though it's gonna be good, trashy fun, which is always a good thing. & I can't wait to see Famke J (bloody love that woman) vamping & camping it up as the Queen of the Witches! More
Posted by Ali H. at 13:13 on 05 September 2012 | Report This Post
If it's on ITV4 in a few years
and I'm really bored, I just might watch this. More
Posted by jimizero1 at 09:36 on 05 September 2012 | Report This Post
Posted by badsanta at 08:16 on 05 September 2012 | Report This Post
Sooo, Brothers Grimm then. Peter Stormare, the almost-identical setting, children being abducted... only thing different is that this doesn't look as fun. I'll probably end up giving it a watch though More
Posted by Guinevere at 01:11 on 05 September 2012 | Report This Post
RE: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters Trailer
I think it looks like fun. DOesn't anyone appreciate some good, cheesy fun now and again any more? More
Posted by doubtlesswonder at 00:33 on 05 September 2012 | Report This Post
What a turd...
"you gotta be kidding me"? No shit, Gemma Arteton. More
Posted by Porter at 21:03 on 04 September 2012 | Report This Post
