Medieval Euro Gothicism meets 21st-century Hollywood spy gadgetry in one idiotic – but arguably entertaining – package. Hansel (Jeremy Renner) is diabetic from all that candy as a kid. Gretel (Gemma Arterton) wears a skin-tight, low-cut leather jumpsuit. Together they rid the land of the familiar coven of broomstick-riding haters, aided by Edward the Troll (actor Derek Mears, under a ton of CGI). The MPAA “R” rating notwithstanding, this is nothing more than Dario Argento dialed down for fourteen-year-olds. Costarring Peter Stormare as the corrupt sheriff, Famke Janssen as the chief evil witch, and Finnish actress Pihla Viitala as a nice, sexy witch. The direction is handled by Norway product Tommy Wirkola (maker of the Nazi zombie flick
Dead Snow), from a screenplay he wrote with Dante Harper. (88 min.)
By
Kelly Vance