The
popular Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Hansel & Gretel” has seen numerous
cinematic treatments in various interpretations, from more-or-less faithful
adaptations to portraying the pair of siblings as badass witch hunters. So what more can Hollywood do to put a fresh
spin on such a well-worn tale? Relative unknown actor-turned-writer and
director “Wizard of” Oz Perkins attempts to give us a version of H&G we’ve
never seen before in ‘Gretel & Hansel,’ only his third directorial feature.
G&H,
like most of its predecessors, is a more-or-less faithful adaptation of the
timeless Grimm classic tale. What’s
different about it – other than putting Gretel before Hansel in the title
appropriately enough – is how he chooses to tell a story we’ve heard so many
times before. Rather than regaling a
familiar tale with new characters and only sprinkling in cosmetic changes, Oz placed
the emphasis on atmosphere, mood and lingering cinematography to tell the story
of how poor Gretel and Hansel (Sophia Lillis and Sam Leakey), cast out of the
house by their uncaring mother to fend for themselves, venture into the woods
and discover the warm and welcoming hearth of the seemingly kind and charitable
Holda (Alice Krige), only to “stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil.”
Although
G&H conveyed a bold new vision to the tale, many will undoubtedly find its
slow-burning pace and tendency to dwell on quiet and picturesque still scenes
of nature quite boring and even sleep-inducing.
In fact, this film reminds me of Robert Eggers’ 2015 movie ‘The VVitch,’
albeit not quite as daring or creepy. While I applaud Oz’s indie arthouse
approach to this familiar tale, it’s just a bit too somnolent for my
tastes.
Grade: C+
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