Hansel & Gretel

Hansel and Gretel, is the story of two kids who meet a witch in a house made of gingerbread. But this version, is twisted.

The stepmother, wants to live in a house with a tv, and thinks the kids will stop her from that. So, she takes them into the woods, and leaves. Hansel & Gretel get lost, and meet the sandman, a wood fairy and the troll.

But, a "twister" blows them towards a gingerbread house, and a near-sited old woman comes out, offering them food... but, the woman is not what she seems...

This film has a great cast, and the story is great. But, there are several gags that slow down the storyline. One of which, is that the story is being told by a father telling his children. (the father is "reading" the book, but makes things up, which explains the twisted version)

This film is good, but the gags might tempt you to turn it off, before you even see the witch in her gingerbread house.

7/10

A father reads a bedtime story to his kids (Dakota Fanning). It's the story of Hansel (Jacob Smith) & Gretel (Taylor Momsen). While their father (Gerald McRaney) is away, the evil stepmother (Delta Burke) abandons the kids in the Magic Forest. They meet the Boogeyman (Tom Arnold) and a Troll (Bobcat Goldthwait). They befriend the Sandman (Howie Mandel) and a Wood Faerie (Alana Austin). They get lost in a storm and encounter a Witch (Lynn Redgrave) with her delicious house.

This is a cheap ugly looking movie. The sets are bad. The Troll and Boogeyman costumes are really ugly and cheap. I don't even know why they are needed for the movie. Howie Mandel is being a little wacky which is good. Alana Austin is sexed up with her short shorts and a gun? I don't know why the camera is lingering on her legs for this kids movie. The movie goes to Lynn Redgrave and that section is fine. Although I always thought the point of the story is that the kids got greedy.

This movie is great for the whole family to sit down together and watch. I love the jokes and references, there is just enough to keep the parents interest along with the children's. For example my favorite reference is the stepmother's comment about "Designing Women", (the stepmother is played by Delta Burke)and the kids enjoy most of them as well. What 7 year old boy doesn't thing farts and burps are funny. It's not intended to be a serious version of the classic fairy tale. It's supposed to be modern and goofy. The characters are over-dramatic and cartoonlike. Perfect for children to imitate and use there imaginations. Great cast of actors. I absolutely love it. It's fun.

This is a fun flick.

The actors do a good job. Delta Burke is excellent and Lynn Redgrave has many funny lines. The child actors did a good job as well. And while I usually don't care much about Howie Mandell, I think he struck the right note as the Sandman.

Yes, the sets are simple, but this is a fairy tale. Fairy tales are skin and bones--nighttime stories--they are not meant to be miracles of on-location production.

Maybe I'm old school, but I'll take a good story with good actors on a simple stage over fancy special effects any time. My wife and I watched Hansel and Gretel after we watched Cloverfield (with all of its special effects, including intentional shaky camera), and we thought H&G was way better.

Plus, there is no swearing, no boob or penis jokes, and no gratuitous violence. Not that I'm a prude, but I think they did a good job of preserving the message of the movie: magic resides in our dreams.

A fun film for the entire family.

A fun film. Yes, it's long. Yes, it does seem a bit redundant at times, but the modern twists and dialogue and, if you are paying close attention, a bit of Monty Python and various other more mature film lines tucked in for fun, not to mention a certain chorus from a Metallica song, Sandman.

Howie Mandell did a great job as the Sandman but the character seemed a bit off with it's stereotypical "gay lisp" and at the same time, ogling the Wood Fairy - who resembles a certain young lady from Tomb Raiders with her Fairy wands strapped to her thighs and her short shorts. Delta Burke was fun as the Wicked Stepmother. You truly wanted to see her get her just desserts in the end, but she doesn't. And even that was a nice twist on the tale. Lynn Redgrave always adds to a role. She is superb as the fiendish female version of Hannibal Letcher.

This is aimed at an older audience, not little children. The humor and the references are going to go over the heads of the younger set.