Overview
“Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” is an action-packed fantasy and horror film released in 2013. It is a story of Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton which turns the iconic siblings of the fairy tale into professional witch hunters. Like a true fairy tale, the movie revolves around a witch who loves candy. Adding the disguise of candy houses, and a mix of steam punk, the movie shrinks the old tale of ‘brothers grim’ into a single question. What happens after this?
Synopsis & Plot Development
Childhood Encounter
The reinterpretation begins similarly to the original tale. Young Hansel and Gretel, like the original story, have a father who abandons them in the woods. Both kids come across a house that is carved from candy but are captured by a witch who intends to fatten them. Throughout the story, the kids work together to defeat the witch and are able to burn them in her own oven.
Growing up, the story takes a dark twist. Left to wander the earth alone, the duo teams up to take out the witches that have captured kids. To make things worse, the siblings find it easier to take out witches arm in arm, but get hunted down like a deer.
The Augsburg Mission
Hansel and Gretel have grown up and traveled to the German town of Augsburg, which is in the midst of a child abduction crisis. Sheriff Berringer, the town’s corrupt sheriff, is quick to accuse women of witchcraft and parades them through town to burn them alive. The town’s corrupt mayor tasks Hansel and Gretel to solve the mystery of the abducted children.
The siblings uncover a sinister plot by the witch Muriel, who is preparing to celebrate the rare event known as the “Blood Moon.” Muriel intends to use the abducted children to perform a fire immune witch sacrificial ritual that would allow witches to become immune to fire for eternity.
Allies and Enemies
The siblings also run into Sheriff Berringer and his men, who are notoriously anti-outsider and dismiss the abductions as a ploy perpetrated by the children.
Ben: A child who looks up to and adores the siblings. He eagerly devotes his energy to assist.
Mina: A warm lady, wrongfully accused of witchcraft, who turns out to be a skilled healer and a good witch.
One of the more comical yet disturbing details is that Hansel is a diabetic due to being overfed candy as a young child, and needs to inject himself with insulin regularly.
Uncovering the Truth
The siblings’ search for answers changes their perspective as they learn more information. It comes to light that Muriel was the one behind the events that led to their abandonment. Moreover, the siblings learn that their mother, has also borne the brunt of town’s wrongful judgments. Adrianna, a strong white witch, was accused of witchcraft by the town folk and was subsequently murdered. It was their father who placed them in the woods to keep them safe from Muriel, which began a chain of events that brought them to the candy house witch.
The Blood Moon Battle
The Blood Moon ceremony serves as the backdrop to the climax which merges battle and ritual in a singular setting. As the ceremony begins, Muriel and a collection of witches begin to complete a ritual, only to be interrupted by ginger-allyed siblings Hansel and Gretel who bombard them with their own crossbow, shotgun, and explosive infused witch-busting arsenal.
The chaotic tussle also includes Mina who helps in slaughtering the witches. The fight is dubbed as frantic as Hansel and Muriel engage in a vicious fight while the sisters duel each other. Gretel displays incredible determination and skill in overcoming Muriel. The duel while challenging, ultimately succeeds as the sisters manage to decapitate her which ends the witch’s control over the ritual, while liberating the children who survived.
To sum it all up, Muriel has been thrashed, the siblings learn the truth of their parents and thus they, along with Ben and Mina, form a witch-hunting found family which leads to a life full of adventure.
Cast & Crew
- Director / Writer: Tommy Wirkola
- Producers: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Kevin Messick, Beau Flynn
- Main Cast:
- Jeremy Renner as Hansel
- Gemma Arterton as Gretel
- Famke Janssen as Muriel
- Pihla Viitala as Mina
- Thomas Mann as Ben
- Peter Stormare as Sheriff Berringer
- Derek Mears as Edward, a troll who surprisingly plays a troll role in the narrative
- Cinematography: Michael Bonvillain
- Music: Atli Örvarsson
- Production Companies: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Paramount Pictures
Themes & Interpretation
1. Revenge and Justice
At its core, the film is a revenge tale. The profession of Hansel and Gretel stems from trauma personally experienced. Their quest to eliminate witches is not completely mercenary; rather, it is to ensure no child suffers as they did.
2. Corruption and Misjudgment
Sheriff Berringer’s eagerness to accuse and kill women is a reflection of the unchecked power of mass hysteria — real-life witch trials where fear, not justice, prevails.
3. Family and Legacy
The unveiling of their mother as a white witch transforms the narrative as it gives Han and Gretel new origins, turning a childhood tragedy of losing their parents to a greater struggle between the forces of good and evil magic. The tragedy of their upbringing is softened through the lens of the siblings’ resilience, and the enduring loyalty to each other, which forms the emotional core of the story.
- Steampunk Fantasy Aesthetic
The medieval European looks of the film combined with modernized weaponry and gadgets give the film an aesthetic of steampunk fantasy. This anachronistic style separates the film from other adaptations of fairy-tales and elevates the action.
Tone & Style
Quotations from the movie portray the Camp and Humor balanced with graphic violence. The R-rated action includes explosive battles and grotesque witches, designed with over the top gore. Costumes highlight the witches’ grotesque and monstrous features, pragmatically and with CGI.
To enhance the witches and magical effects, Bonvillain uses bright colors which contrasts with the muted color palette of the towns and forests. The action scenes are complemented by Örvarsson’s orchestral score and vigorous percussion.
Reception
Critically, reactions to the release of Witch Hunters were mixed. Many critics, however, appriciated Arterton’s performance alongside the film’s playful tone and absurd action. Many were divided on pacing and heavy reliance on CGI.
The film performed well internationally building a cult following. It was well loved for the blend of fantasy, gore, and humor. It gained praise for the style and genre-mashing, and has served as an example of modern fairy-tales.
Conclusion
Transforming a fairy tale into an action horror movie, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters features sibling bonding, absurd weaponry, and a world where witches are serenaded with gunfire and bombs instead of breadcrumbs.
The unapologetic embrace of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters Witch Hunters as “pulp entertainment” makes the film unique, even if it isn’t a critical favorite. The film transforms its fairy-tale heroes’ fate into not remaining passive as survivors of their harsh reality, but instead taking an active role as warriors shaped by their trauma and bonded in unwavering loyalty.
Whist the film brims with blood and humor, fantasy and wish-fulfillment, it remains a rollercoaster ride for those in the mood to revel in the absurd. The candy house was only the beginning of the tale.
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