Gretel & Hansel (2020) #462

One of the few theatrical movie releases of 2020, "Gretel & Hansel" is a dark, modern retelling of the classic Hansel and Gretel fairy tale with the added bonus of learning about the origin of the evil old witch that likes to eat children. This is the kind of movie that I'll watch only once; it was very well made but it wasn't the kind of movie I normally would sit through. As many critics have written, the movie has a serious pacing issue that will test most viewers, even with a running time of only 87 minutes. 

While "Gretel & Hansel" does have it's issues with pacing, it does have it's strengths as well. The visuals are stunning and the cinematography is of the highest quality. The color palate used is the typical dark blues contrasted with warm oranges and amber. In an attempt to look artistic or to simply distance itself from other period horror movies, the witch's house is a very modern looking house. The interior looks like it feels the time period save for the cellar which looks like it was filmed in a modern painters/photographers art studio. It is a very interesting choice to make. The sound track is also nice and eerie and helps to set the mood with all of the dead, empty space of non-action.

Sophia Lillis, best known as Beverly Marsh in "It" and "It: Chapter 2", stars as Gretel. Having already proved her ability to star in a big budget horror film, Sophia looks at east carrying the weight of this film and it's attempt to create a dark and heavy atmosphere. She alone is responsible for her young brother Hansel after they are forced to flee from their home after their mother threatens to kill them with an axe. She continues to try to protect her brother after they meet Holda, an old woman who lives alone in the forest...

Alice Krige, who stars as the witch Holda, who does an incredible job of keeping things creepy. She lives alone and has no livestock but she always has plenty of food. Her fingers are permanently stained black, making her even more mysterious. The exchanges between Gretel and Holda are tense and keep the movie grounded. Holda alone knows the history of the Beautiful Child, a young girl who was banished after people began to die after coming to hear her premonitions.