By: Keaton Marcus

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 14, YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR PARENTS IF YOU ARE ALLOWED, IF THEY SAY NO…IT MEANS NO!

gretel-hansel-Sophia-Lillis-and-Sammy-Leakey-star-in-GRETEL_HANSEL_rgb.jpg — 72/100 “sweet/sour”

Finally, a different horror movie, a fright fest that stands out from the massive crowd of run-of-the-mill films from this genre. This savior is Oz Perkins' take on the classic grim fairy tale, now dubbed Gretel & Hansel. This adaptation goes deeper into Gretel's character and plays as a wickedly dark coming-of-age story in some moments, just with some witchcraft added to it. I get it, this is a Hollywood movie released in January, the month where the film industry dumps a lot of trash in. However, this gorgeously filmed movie is an extremely creepy, if not terrifying, well-acted and visually impressive production. There's a lot of flaws to it as well, with it feeling remarkably slow, even over just 87 minutes, and the ending feels a little too immediate to close out the terrific build-up. So it does feel like a lot of eerie imagery and not a lot of screenplay, though you'll be scared enough to perhaps forgive it.

The film is solidly faithful to the original story, though it does add a few changes. In this adaptation, Gretel (Sophia Lillis) and Hansel's (Sammy Leakey) father had already died, and their struggling mother is forced to kick them both out of the household. The two then wander off into the outside world, first meeting a hunter (Charles Babalola) who directs them to possible work. However, while they are walking in the woods they stumble upon a mysterious house home to a strange woman named Holda (Alice Krige) and later find that it's a nexus of terrifying evil. There are basically only three big characters, Gretel, Hansel, and the Witch, with all of them having terrific performances. Although there's not much going on story-wise.

The cast is possibly one of the best parts of this film, with it being led by the star on the rise Sophia Lillis. Lillis is making quite a career for herself, starring in the hit Stephen King adaptation It and this year's show I Am Not Okay With This, both "sweet" on the Lemonradar. In her newest performance, she takes control as Gretel, giving a remarkably strong outing and bringing new life to the iconic character. They play her role as a bit of a female empowerment play as well as a coming-of-age story of sorts. A lot of it is about Gretel finding who she is and learning how to grow up. Notwithstanding Lillis's solid performance, Alice Krige portrays the Witch devilishly good. Krige is on a level of creepiness that most horror villains fail to achieve and she delightfully delivers a more-than-satisfying performance in what could have been the laughing stock of the year.

What's really special about this film though is that it wants to stand out from the crowd. The whole affair feels very indie and small, with only three significant characters and one foremost setting, the Witch's house and a little around it. A pretty impressive factor is that these guys only had five million dollars to make this movie, and they made it hella creepy, that's for sure. It's a very atmospheric, visually incredible creation tied together with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. The screenplay and story feel a tad fatigued, though for the eyes it's a real treat. The characters aren't very developed either, which can be an issue, though, besides scattershot backstories, the actors thrive in their roles. Director Oz Perkins also has a significant style, one that works with this dark spin on the fairy tale. Unregarding the lack of intelligence, see this film for the sheer visual creativity and scares. Trust me.

The final opinion is: Oz Perkins' Gretel & Hansel is a hauntingly beautiful if tiredly written piece of visually impeccable cinema that benefits from strong performances and a creepy, isolated setting.

Buy for $14.99 in SD and HD on Prime Video

By: Keaton Marcus

Box Office Info:

Opening: 6.1M

Domestic Total: 15.3M

Worldwide Total: 21.2M