Marvel’s Jeremy Renner Stars in a Excellent and Brutal Fairytale Thriller; Now it’s Free to Stream
This September, Stephen King will be partnering with the late Maurice Sendak for a reimagining of the Brothers Grimm fairytale Hansel and Gretel. Sendak’s illustrations, originally conceived for a Humperdinck opera, will serve as the inspiration. Previously, Stephen King worked on the children’s book Charlie the Choo-Choo: From the World of the Dark Tower. The Hansel and Gretel news is especially exciting, especially considering just how often the story is adapted with darker undertones.
Oz Perkins, who is currently in the midst of a career renaissance on account of Longlegs and The Monkey, previously helmed Gretel & Hansel in 2020. There’s Hansel vs. Gretel, which is exactly what it sounds like, and the classic that is Hansel & Gretel Get Backed. One of my personal favorites, however, is Tommy Wirkola’s (Dead Snow, Violent Night) Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters. In honor of Stephen King, you can now catch Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters streaming free on Pluto TV now.
Per Pluto TV: Get ready for a twisted take on the classic tale as Hansel and Gretel have turned pro, coping with the trauma of their childhood captivity by slaying witches for hire.
Remember how great things were back in 2012 when a movie like Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters could not only secure a wide release but also make considerable bank at the box office while in theaters? Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’ $226 million haul is nothing to scoff at, especially considering the film’s restrictive R-rating. It’s deserved, too, since in terms of last decade’s action-heavy horror riffs (Dracula Untold, The Mummy), Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is one of the best.
The cast, including Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner, is fantastic, and Wirkola demonstrates the same chops he’s done elsewhere to cement his status as a horror-action underdog. Our original review of the film was negative, though it did nicely conceptualize the overall tone. At the time, we wrote, “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is really just a Syfy movie on steroids.” It is, really, in some key ways, but that’s not always a bad thing. Personally, I like a little effervescent, violent pulp with my more serious genre fare, and in that sense, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters delivers.
What do you think? Do you remember Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters? Any plans to check it out now that it’s streaming free on Pluto TV? If you give it a shot, let me know what you think over on Twitter @Chadiscollins.
User Review
( votes)Categorized:News
