I don't know what to really say about this movie. I've been composing my thoughts for this review as I was watching the movie and since it's been over. This is not by any means a complicated movie to review. It's just an interesting movie to review, that's the one thing it's got going for it. It is by no means a great movie, but it is highly entertaining. And it does the one thing, the over-the-top, big budget, ultra popcorn, and, basically, every movie Bruckheimer's produced the last 10 years or so doesn't do: it's not overlong and doesn't try to be something more than an over-the-top, ultra popcorn movie. This movie doesn't overstay it's welcome. It basically blows in, blows up, and blows out in about an hour and half. It doesn't waste time trying to be something it's not. In fact there is no time wasted at all in this movie. It knows exactly what it is and that is a popcorn, action movie. It swims and baths in that knowledge like most popcorn movies seem to want to avoid. Not this movie. And let me tell you it's all the better for it. That honesty is the driving force behind how good and entertaining this movie is.
I liked this movie.
It's that honesty of being what it was that made me like it all the more. This movie kind of reminds me of the television show Hercules: The Legendary Journeys starring Kevin Sorbo. It's got that same kind of cheek and off ball humor that Hercules managed to weave into every episode. It also has enough over-the-top action scenes, complete with all out gore on gore action, to help move everything along with great pace and fun. While at the same time it had me laughing out loud at the total insanity of everything they were doing. It was a lot like Van Helsing, only shorter and more focused. The only thing this movie didn't have that Van Helsing did have was a very hot Kate Beckinsale, she alone was worth watching Van Helsing for. The thing I really liked about this movie was how the witches were portrayed. They seemed to be like some kind of amped up zombies or vampire, only with magical powers and they came in all kinds of sizes and flavors. Once all of the witches were on screen it was an even more highly entertaining movie than before as they had all kinds of colorful appearances, various hair styles, weird eye make-up, and just plain craziness woven into unjustified, intense detail. But then again maybe it was justified because they were fun to watch when they all appeared on screen and ramped the zaniness of the movie up a few RPM's.
The two actors playing Hansel and Gretel - Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton - did a competent job of portraying them with just the right amount of seriousness and silliness. I could tell they knew they weren't in a serious film, or a Jerry Bruckhiemer film, they knew what kind of film they were in and they played it just right. Mixing in just the right ingredients of seriousness and silliness too make this movie all the more entertaining. The one question I do have, "Is why did Gretel get the crap beat out of her in about every fight scene while Hansel pretty much remained untouched, or at least he didn't get beat up as much as she did?"
Honestly, I wouldn't mind a sequel with the same amount of running time and insanity. I think, then, the only thing to make it perfect would be a trilogy to cement everything together.
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