I was probably going to skip the horror movie version of the old fairy tale Gretel & Hansel. A horror movie with a January release date? Why bother? Besides, I already got burned once this past month with that awful The Turning. How much could I get out of it?
Well, I did see there were some positive reviews, and director Oz Perkins does have something of a following for somewhat cultish horror movies. Plus, it’s not even 90 minutes. Even if it’s bad, at least I won’t be there too long. Why not give it a chance?
I”m actually glad I did. Gretel & Hansel may not be for everyone, but it really hit my personal sweet spot.
After a brief, fairy tale style origin for the witch, we meet Gretel (IT’s Sophia Lillis). She’s looking for work to support herself and her kid brother Hansel (Sam Leakey). Times are tough, and their mother is starving and possibly dying. Left to their own devices, the pair wander through the woods until they come to a house with a feast inside. The old woman inside (Alice Krige) seems friendly enough, but something isn’t quite right about the whole situation.
This movie is basically a feminist retelling of the old story. Gretel is a somewhat cynical girl who knows the world is a hard place, especially for women. She could potentially get a job if she’s willing to do certain things, but she isn’t, so that isn’t a option. The only thing she wants in the world is to watch over the more naive and trusting Hansel. Likewise, the witch has a number of speeches about female power that may suggest she isn’t at first glance evil so much as she is simply operating outside of the accepted society. Furthermore, Gretel is showing signs she may be more than just a normal teenage girl. That makes the witch”s interest in her less about eating her so much as recruiting her.
Additionally, Perkins has a wonderful visual sense. The terror here is almost entirely atmospheric. Triangles and rectangles abound to create some interesting shot compositions and even the daylight scenes seem dark and murky. Visually, this is a fascinating movie.
Now, the movie isn’t perfect, and Lillis is the potential weak point. She’s the only member of the entire cast to speak her lines in an American accent. It sticks out. Now, personally, I didn’t mind it as I saw it as symbolic of her doing things in a new or more modern way compared to other characters speaking in a more old world, archaic style. Granted, that won’t work for everyone, but that’s how I saw it.
Gretel & Hansel wasn’t a perfect movie, but it was an unexpectedly engrossing film that just hit me the right way. I’m glad I went.
Grade: B
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