This is an atmospheric and genuinely eerie take on Grimm fable, heavy with themes of abuse and power. It is gorgeous to look at, taking visual cues from 2015’s Witch, and attempting a period pseudo-accurate depiction of folk witchcraft and occult imagery. This film drips atmosphere and style in each and every frame, even when displaying some grotesque visuals. Many elements are quite horrific, but more from a sense of disquiet and eeriness than any particular frights. The fears in these movies are more along the lines of the cost of power, and the sacrifices required, delivered often with metaphorical totems. Witchcraft in film often serves as an analogue for female coming of age and empowerment, and this movie retreads familiar ground while stunning in presentation. The story is simple, but expands beyond and tangents away from the original tale with twists in the narrative and some nicely subverted tropes. The major issue is pacing, as this film moves lethargically, augmented by sequences in which time slooooows, taking lethargy into the lands of comatose. At the same time, the effect achieved is often dreamlike and this works in a number of scenes to surrealistic effect. Overall, there is a very hypnotic allure to the film, augmented by a pair of excellent performances from the leads. Overall, the movie is not quite as deep as it pretends to be, especially in the last act: sacrificing much of the building eeriness and tension in favor of spectacle even if it still moves at glacial pace. Despite issues of pacing, this is an eerie, stunning and well told story that serves plenty of creepy visuals and atmosphere where it might lack in frights.
Gretel and Hansel (2020)