MOVIE REVIEW: HANSEL & GRETEL WITCH HUNTERS

Fifteen years after a horrific experience in a deceptively inviting ginger bread house, an orphan Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) have become famous for ridding the countryside of witches. Despite their stellar success record, the brother and sister face a unique challenge when an extremely powerful witch. The film was directed by Tommy Wirkola. Actresses Famke Janssen and Pihla Vitala co-star. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Director: Tommy Wirkola

Cast: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal.

Release Date: Jan 25, 2013

Rated R for fantasy Horror Violence/Gore, Brief Sexuality/Nudity and Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Fantasy

Review:

If you are watching a movie called Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters then you have a good idea about what kind of film you are going to see, more so, if you are familiar with Tommy Wirkola’s previous film, the schlock fest Dead Snow. Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters has a good sense of humor about itself and never takes itself overly seriously. A generic plot, which only has a few flourishes, is pedestrian enough that you could watch this while doing other things while never missing much in terms of plot. That’s not to say it isn’t watchable, which it is, but that’s mostly because the cast seems to be having a great time. Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton make a fun duo, each fully embracing the general silliness of plot and their characters. They have great chemistry together. Famke Janssen is equally fun as the main baddie. She vamps it up from the first moment she hits the screen. The interplay and overly gory and vulgar script partnered with some solid direction keep the film moving. It’s fun and rather silly but never great. The entire film looks like it was done on a cheap sound stage which becomes more and more noticeable as the film progresses. Likewise, cheap 3D showcase shots litter the film’s 2nd half. This might have been fun on the big screen in 3D but at home it’s just wasted space and time. The biggest issue is the script which is so bland that it rarely takes advantage of the performances. It all plays out the way you think it will and rarely provides enough to fully engage the audience. For what it is, it’s disposable fun which has the good grace to keep things light and short.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: CHERNOBYL DIARIES

IN THEATERS

CHERNOBYL DIARIES



An extreme vacation turns terrifying when a group of friends visit the Chernobyl disaster site, and learn that some nightmares never die. Conceived and produced by Paranormal Activity's Oren Peli, Chernobyl Diaries gets underway as six thrill-seeking tourists hire a fearless tour guide, and travel to the abandoned Russian city of Pripyat. Back when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor was up and running, Pripyat was the place the workers called home. But 25 years after one of the worst power-plant accidents in history, the city serves as an eerily silent testament to the dangers of nuclear power. Later, after getting unexpectedly stranded in Pripyat, the tourists and their guide realize they are being hunted. Now the harder they try to flee, the faster their numbers dwindle until only a few are left standing. Only then will the unspeakable terror that stalks these deserted streets finally emerge from the shadows to launch one last relentless, terrifying attack. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Brad Parker

Cast: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Jesse McCartney, Nathan Phillips, Jonathan Sadowski, Milos Timotijevic

Release Date: May 25, 2012

Rated R for some Bloody Images, Pervasive Language and Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 26 min.

Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

The Chernobyl Diaries provides some creepy atmosphere especially during the earlier portions of the film. First time director Brad Parker does a decent job of building up his film and providing some solid, if uninventive, scares. There aren’t many surprises to the whole thing except that it’s not a found footage style film, not that it wouldn’t be easy to confuse it with those kinds of films since the shaky cam effect is in full effect. The plot, co written and produced by Oren Peli, feels like a mash up of Hostel and The Hills Have Eyes. Most of the tropes from the stupid American tourist getting into trouble they can’t handle work their way through the film. The characters are fairly bland and clichéd with some becoming much more grating than others. They are picked off in short order so you don’t have to deal with most of them for very long and you get to enjoy some decent scares.

C