Lately we have seen a lot of these fairy tale remakes, where they take a basic fairy tale plot, add in a lot of CGI, slightly darker atmosphere and some sex and call it a day. I still prefer the Disney version, thank you very much. At least in those films the story flows smoothly and the characters are not cardboard cutouts. That being said, this particular fairy tale movie was a pleasant surprise. For one, it didn't try to retell the same exact story we have grown up with. Rather it took the story of Hansel and Gretel and asked the question: "What if they grew up?" I'm totally on board with that question. It's something we've never seen before and frankly it's a fascinating idea. So yeah, colour me interested.

The film itself ends up being pretty much what anyone would expect. I hesitate to call it a good film, because it has numerous plot holes, nonsensical twists and its characters are somewhat bland and clichéd. On the other hand, it has a good visual style, its action is very pleasing, if a bit gore-filled (not a bad thing in this case),the two main actors are actually pretty good in their roles, and as a whole it's just plain solid fun. Yeah, it's stupid most of the time, but it's fun kind of stupid. The kind where you're just able to sit back, enjoy the scenery and laugh at the jokes.

It also needs to be remembered that this was Tommy Wirkola's first big budget film. And for a debut film, this shows a lot of promise. The style is definitely there, as is the atmosphere. The story-telling and the character development need some work, but even big name directors struggle with those every now and then. I'm looking forward to what this guy will bring us next.

And that's this film. Yeah, it's one of those so bad it's good films, but I'd still recommend this. The idea alone is worth checking out.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is a solid, unpretentious action film that entertains. diabetic Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and his sister Gretel (Gemma Arterton) are orphans who might had once been helpless in the forest but moved onto become witch-hunters after destroying a cannibalistic witch who planned to eat them once upon a time.

They now go town to town where children have been abducted and slay witches. However when they encounter Muriel, an evil witch they learn of their own childhood traumas and about white witches that reveal the real reason they might have been left abandoned in the forest.

The film has enough gory action, good CGI, low running time and some humour. It is stupid and fun.

HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS is an entirely unwieldy comic book-style movie that sees the fairy-tale characters reinvented as VAN HELSING-style ass-kickers who hunt down and kill witches in various gory ways. The film has the same bright, fantastic look as the likes of other recent fare such as RED RIDING HOOD and it proves to be an entirely superficial adventure, and also one that's completely unwieldy.

First of all, the story is all over the place. Our heroes are smart asses throughout, happy dishing out one liners but struggling when they're required to provide anything more than that. The sub-plot involving their back story is a non-starter, as is the whole 'witch conspiracy' thing. Attempts to tie the story in to real-life witch cases like the infamous Salem trials are negated by the whole steampunk technology vibe going on; realistic this ain't.

So, what does the film have to recommend it? A ton of CGI-heavy action, that's what, which is neither here nor there really. A lot of it is over choreographed and it's occasionally a chore to sit through, particularly in that overlong and repetitive final fight scene. I hated how characters seem to be randomly indestructible, like Jeremy Renner who's stabbed twice in the stomach at one point only never to mention it again! Gemma Arterton is advertised as a tough ass-kicking heroine but turns out to be a mere damsel in distress, requiring rescue over and over again. The less said about Famke Janssen's villain, the better. I don't know who gives the worst performance as a witch in 2013; it's either her or Emma Thompson in BEAUTIFUL CREATURES.

The one thing the film has going for it is the bloodshed; this is R-rated produce so we get to see various characters killed in various bloody ways. There seems to be an emphasis on people exploding which is always good fun, and the introduction of a giant troll character into the storyline is an intriguing one. Hints at an incestuous sub-plot between the siblings are interesting even though they eventually go nowhere, and the film ends up petering out completely at the end. HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS is a mess, yes, but one that's not totally without merit for those who love their B-movies.