This is a real shame, because Witchslayer Gretl(or Gretl: Witch Hunter) alongside Black Forest(similar genre, and while flawed was a better movie) had one of the better ideas in a long time from SyFy. It was a very interesting idea and could have been tolerable at least with the right execution. However, the execution didn't work for me and overall I did find it dull. For one thing, I didn't think much effort went into the set design and stuff. I didn't see much life or anything at the couple of shacks there were or the cave covered in moss. And the costumes didn't feel authentic, as far as I know these actors could've come fresh from a fancy dress party or something. The effects are cheap, even for SyFy, and I have seen some schlock in my lifetime in that aspect, and the editing has a haphazard look to it. Even worse was the story, yet another movie that had a good, no great, concept, that fell so hard on terrible execution, the action was generic(crossbows fired, witches stabbed) and didn't maintain my interest much, and the story was predictable and so sluggish that I almost drifted off once or twice. The script is anachronistic and stilted, the characters are just as lifeless as the pace and the acting is incredibly stiff, even from Shannon Doherty. Speaking of Doherty I was surprised that for a lead role how little she was in Witchslayer: Gretl until the final third of the film, where it sort of picks up but it was too late to care. The only person to inject life into her part was Sarain Boylan. Overall, rather dull and pointless at the end of the day. Loved the concept, but the execution was the complete opposite. 2/10 Bethany Cox
20 Reviews
Dull and lifeless
movieman_kev8 April 2012
It might be possible to make a good updated version of Hansel and Gretel but this trifling Syfy original is decidedly NOT it. Choosing to merely throw the hapless viewer into the 'thick' of things with Hansel now being a master witch slayer doing his thing, which I surmise is shooting arrows while poorly CGI'd fireballs come his way. It doesn't get better from there. Charectization is supremely dull when it's not downright confusing, couple that with characters I don't really give two tosses about and it's a recipe for massive boredom. I only got through it only to review, condemn and steer you clear of watching this mess. Also if you're a fan of Shannon Doherty be prepared to be doubly disappointed as she's woefully underused.
My Grade: D-
My Grade: D-
Not that good
SanteeFats26 December 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Another SyFy movie that could be so much more. Poor acting, poor dialogue with strange accents (I mean not any I recognized anyway). Hansel is a witch slayer who is accompanied by a former witch. They hunt down witches and guess what? slay them. They use several pieces of apparently magical equipment with no explanation of where they got them. The two come across a young woman (Ehren) as the witches coven is trying to capture her for the queen (an old looking Shannon Doherty) to transfer into. They save her of course and she goes with the two so she can avenge her father. I don't know where all the witches of the coven come from but a lot get slaughtered. The coven even has a warlock to make it different and I guess more powerful. Turns out the coven queen is Hansel's sister Gretl (well her body at least). If Gretl is the witch queen why is the movie's title "Witchslayer Gretl"? Anyway, Hansel finds the sarcophagus of the queen witches body which is inhabited by Gretl's spirit. He drives a knife into her heart after some internal conflict. The queens spirit takes over Ehren's body and Hansel has to kill her too. So the queen is dead long live the warlock!! Of course Hansel must return so help Ehren, but she doesn't need it as the warlock really screwed up and returned her to her full powers. She kills the warlock and the remaining coven and who ever is left lives on. They leave an ending that could lead to a sequel. Lord I hope not!!!!!!!!!!
Let's make fun of the Hansel and Gretel
gurubesar1 July 2012
Most people have read the story of Hansel & Gretel during their kindergarten time. It seems that now is the time to make a different version of the fairy-tales. They have done several version of Snowhite, why not Hansel & Gretel now.
The first impression, it is either bad players who don't know how to act properly or a mediocre director who can see that the acting was very bad. This is not something you watch from a movie, but more from a high- school play. The acting was awkward most of the time and on top of that a very low quality costumes and low cost setting.
The story-line takes on the time when Hansel has grown-up and he is back to the place where he lost his sister. A little magic here and there to spice up the performance, but overall a very clumsy warlock in on the scene most of the time and trying to kidnap girls (this is another silly Hollywood recipe...., you have to sacrifice women and not men in order to do something magical....). Of course they have to show that there is magic..., when the witches are killed, their body is instantly disappeared...
My overall rating is 1, that is for making this horrible movie and spending the money to finance it, but don't waste your time to watch it. You will regret it......
The first impression, it is either bad players who don't know how to act properly or a mediocre director who can see that the acting was very bad. This is not something you watch from a movie, but more from a high- school play. The acting was awkward most of the time and on top of that a very low quality costumes and low cost setting.
The story-line takes on the time when Hansel has grown-up and he is back to the place where he lost his sister. A little magic here and there to spice up the performance, but overall a very clumsy warlock in on the scene most of the time and trying to kidnap girls (this is another silly Hollywood recipe...., you have to sacrifice women and not men in order to do something magical....). Of course they have to show that there is magic..., when the witches are killed, their body is instantly disappeared...
My overall rating is 1, that is for making this horrible movie and spending the money to finance it, but don't waste your time to watch it. You will regret it......
Sixth Rate Sorcery of a Shoddy Kind
zardoz-1324 January 2013
Warning: Spoilers
"Witchslayer Getl" ranks as an abysmal broth of sub-par special effects swirled with a sorry thesping. This reimagined Grimm's fairy tale about an adult Hansel searching for his long-lost sister who he believes has been killed is hokum. The way that "Stargate: Atlantis" actor Paul McGillion lets his mouth hang open makes him look a little like actor Jason Bateman; okay, McGillion looks like a bearded, middle-aged Jason Bateman out there slaying witches without a qualm. The cast appear to have appropriated their wardrobe from the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Indeed, they wander alternately through real woods and then ersatz wooded sets wearing Renaissance Era attire and utter forgettable dialogue. Despite all these yesteryear trappings, our hero and heroine come equipped with necklaces featuring ear-buds which enable them to communicate over vast distances. Occasionally, a synthetic gargoyle flaps its way out of the wild blue to menace them. Poor Paul McGillion straddles one of theses supernatural beastie at one point and whacks it with a wand. It seems that an evil witch has taken possession of his sister body. Shannon Doherty of "Heathers" plays Hansel's sister. Wow, has she gone to seed. The Angela Mancuso & Brook Durham story/teleplay is both predictable and humorless. This original SyFy Channel presentation is incredibly egregious. If you've read this far, you're probably wondering why I let myself suffer through this ghastly nonsense. I spotted it in at a local Redbox and thought I'd prepare myself for the forthcoming "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters." Mind you, I sat through it once simply because I shelled out the loot to rent it. Anybody who bewitches themselves into watching this so they can compare it with the Jeremy Renner & Gemma Arterton epic is wasting their time. Yuck!!!
Which Witchslayer Is Which?
wes-connors30 September 2014
The 1800s story of "Hansel and Gretel" (from the Brothers Grimm) receives a confusing sequel with "Witchslayer Gretl". The original ending seems to have been ignored; probably, we are to assume other events occurred in the intervening years. In what appears to be about 30 years after the famous brother and sister cooked the old witch's goose, we find adult Paul McGillion (as Hansel) is a Witchslayer. He kills witches (violently) with help from recovering blonde witch Sarain Boylan (as Lara). They pick up and reform younger blonde witch Emilie Ullerup (as Ehren). Hansel is attempting to discover the fate of his sister Gretel, who is adult Shannen Doherty (spelled Gretl)...
Early on, Ms. Doherty appears only in shadows - probably, this is because we would all say, "A-ha! That's his sister Gretl" - okay, there is no reason for the shadows. There is also no reason to call this TV Movie "Witchslayer Gretl". Doherty's "Gretl" is not the Witchslayer. That title belongs to Hansel. Still, you have to forgive director Mario Azzopardi and folks who named this story, for not knowing the Witchslayer - it is a difficult movie to sit through, even (obviously) for the people who created this poorly titled "Witchslayer Gretl". Also in the cast is warlock Jefferson Brown (as Abyss), who has issues with Ms. Boylan and the Queen Witch. He also has great sideburns.
** Witchslayer Gretl (2/25/12) Mario Azzopardi ~ Paul McGillion, Sarain Boylan, Shannen Doherty, Jefferson Brown
Early on, Ms. Doherty appears only in shadows - probably, this is because we would all say, "A-ha! That's his sister Gretl" - okay, there is no reason for the shadows. There is also no reason to call this TV Movie "Witchslayer Gretl". Doherty's "Gretl" is not the Witchslayer. That title belongs to Hansel. Still, you have to forgive director Mario Azzopardi and folks who named this story, for not knowing the Witchslayer - it is a difficult movie to sit through, even (obviously) for the people who created this poorly titled "Witchslayer Gretl". Also in the cast is warlock Jefferson Brown (as Abyss), who has issues with Ms. Boylan and the Queen Witch. He also has great sideburns.
** Witchslayer Gretl (2/25/12) Mario Azzopardi ~ Paul McGillion, Sarain Boylan, Shannen Doherty, Jefferson Brown
For fans of Hawk the Slayer and Kull...
GrahamGibby2 March 2012
If you finished the title of this review without thinking, you're familiar with the flavor of "Gretl: Witch Hunter."
Saturday afternoon matinée sword 'n sorcery at it's middlest. The anachronisms might cause you to throw your (empty) beer at the screen, but in mock anger, much like the actors.
The conditions I watched this under weren't the best, so I won't speak to cinematography, but the FX match up with the latter episodes of Xena, though not quite to Legend of the Seeker or certainly Game of Thrones, but, well...
If you have a few hours, a few beers, and maybe a good friend to laugh with, it's not time completely wasted.
Saturday afternoon matinée sword 'n sorcery at it's middlest. The anachronisms might cause you to throw your (empty) beer at the screen, but in mock anger, much like the actors.
The conditions I watched this under weren't the best, so I won't speak to cinematography, but the FX match up with the latter episodes of Xena, though not quite to Legend of the Seeker or certainly Game of Thrones, but, well...
If you have a few hours, a few beers, and maybe a good friend to laugh with, it's not time completely wasted.
What a breathtaking rubbish!
mango624 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Don't watch this people! The movie is an overwhelming nonsense! The idea of watching this is probably based on a wish to see magic, to see a new version of a nice fairy tale, to see Shannen Doherty... Well, the plot is complete rubbish, a good character, a pretty girl is being killed by main character for no particular reason, another good character loses her powers with no clear explanation why, the main character behaves so unfair you kinda want him to be killed by the end. Special effects, graphics and decorations are really bad. There's a lot of mangled bodies, blood and unreasonable violence. Actors are not good as well, there's a load of screaming, wild eyes, clumsiness and awkwardness. You get kinda uncomfortable watching them failing their job. Well, this doesn't apply to Shannen Doherty, because despite of all the awkwardness of the movie she acts good. She doesn't look very good though. So in case you wanna watch it just because of Shannen - don't bother, it doesn't worth it.
Shannon gets her perdition.
JoeB1314 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Shannon Doherty, I consign thee to the perdition of direct to Cable Hell. Not the first level of DTC Hell, which is the Lifetime Channel,but the lowest level of damnation, the SyFy Channel. May you suffer eternally for the sin of not realizing you've hit middle age! Shannon actually doesn't have more than a few cameos in this steaming pile of awfulness, but she is the title character, so she gets mocked. Sorry.
A witch-hunter who happens to be the grown up half of the Hansel and Gretel team rescues a blacksmith's daughter from being the next host of the Witch Queen. They spend the whole movie developing this character only to kill her pointlessly at the end. Because I don't think the scriptwriter was tasked with anything more than, "We have some CGI and Shannon Doherty, please write a story around it for the five losers who might watch this on SyFy." This movie has not point... just actors and technicians collecting a paycheck from SyFy.
A witch-hunter who happens to be the grown up half of the Hansel and Gretel team rescues a blacksmith's daughter from being the next host of the Witch Queen. They spend the whole movie developing this character only to kill her pointlessly at the end. Because I don't think the scriptwriter was tasked with anything more than, "We have some CGI and Shannon Doherty, please write a story around it for the five losers who might watch this on SyFy." This movie has not point... just actors and technicians collecting a paycheck from SyFy.
Very very bad
grantss1 February 2020
Pretty good
jmbaldwin-474232 November 2021
It doesn't get any worse than this
johnzappulla23 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers
How can anyone in the movie industry show their faces in Hollywood if they were associated with this complete failure.The screenplay had to have been written by an autistic child of around 7 years of age. No, a 7 year old autistic child could have dome much better. Let's talk special effects. Nothing special about these effects. Terrible and pure 100% amateur. There was a main character of some sort of dog like dragon that was completely animated in a Sims game and screen captured to appear in this disaster. It was so poorly done. Everything about this is poorly done. Looks like they did the entire movie on a budget of $25.00 and spent it all on craft services. 90% of the film takes place in a forest and 10% in what is supposed to be a cave. SO don't look for any mouth watering landscape to fill this turd out. Back to special effects; all the fighting scenes were so poorly scripted and unrehearsed they were actually painful to watch. There were supposed to be all these fancy weapons that just stopped working 1/2 way through the film so they actually stopped putting them in, but the characters were still acting as if they had these weapons in their hands. That had to be the funniest part of this trash. And this was not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination. Then there was the lack of actors. Paul McGillion plays Hansel and he really needs to give all the money his mother spent for acting lessons back to his mother. She wasted her money, I guarantee he never went to the lessons. His entire performance was at the same boring level of a man who just lost his cat. It was that exciting. And sorry, but horse-faced Sarain Boylan was just as painful, trying to ad lib an empty script. Shannen Doherty was given twice her normal daily allotment of Oxycontin and fell asleep at least 4 times while mumbling her lines. Why oh why did you people continue on this complete waste of time? The best part of this tragedy was the end credits.
Not as bad as the other reviewers claim
pavelsamec16 July 2012
I watched this movie only because of Shannen Doherty. I love her as an actress. That's why I was thrilled to watch another movie starring her. The movie itself isn't like the best movie ever, but neither is it the worst! Of course the special FX aren't as good, and the story itself isn't my cuppa tea either, but nevertheless the acting was pretty decent and I enjoyed watching it. I wouldn't watch it again however, nor recommending it to anyone. If U like Shannen (as I do), check this movie out, even though she isn't the leading role as I would like. I hope she'll make some new fantastic movies in the future! Overall rating: 7 out of 10
Just above OK *Spoilers may be included*
pearsonl14930 October 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I have to first say I am not a major fan or many TV movies because of the lack of depth or funding they use to create theses films. This movie didn't reach too far above the average either.
The first problem I'm addressing is the plot of the film because I am not starting on the idiocy that is the title just yet. The idea behind the film was brilliant. They did a film on something others have attempted before, taking those old fairy tales we are told of when we're young and turning that into a film which is much darker and more realistic. But the storyline was rushed and poor. You would have suspected more conflict and head butting between Hansel (played by the wonderful Paul McGillion) and Ehren (played by the fabulous Emilie Ullerup) but instead they got on well far too quickly.
The character depth for some was under developed. I wanted to see Ehren become tougher and bad-ass but instead she kept missing the target and looked like a silly girl with an undeserving gift. Lara (played by Sarain Boylan) I wanted to see more of her background and her being a bit more hesitant to walk away from someone with answers to her past, see some strains but on her and Hansel's relationship (whatever that is). Even then when Ehren died, she accepted it far too easily for someone whom was her tutor in magic. There should have been an outburst of anger and sadness aimed at Hansel saying something like he should have given her more of a chance, blaming him for her death (of course he should have told her he killed her to get it to that). I did like the characters of Gretl and Hansel. They were as you'd expect in their situations. Hansel always on guard and distant from others, Gretl with the witch inside her as powerful but graceful, in control and over confident.
Something I missed was the depth into Lara teaching Ehren about magic. They moved out far too fast and needed to go into a depth of Ehren learning about her abilities and us getting to know the character so that at the end you actually felt something when she died. Another thing I would like to have seen would have been an exploration into Hansel's abilities. They could have spun it so that they said that Hansel actually was a witch (or as this film calls male witches 'warlocks') but one of defensive abilities instead of offense. They could have added in that extra character who knows that little bit more than Lara to say that actually he is a witch just of a different kind and to teach him about his abilities. They could have had both characters on a journey to learn more about their abilities to prepare them for the fight against the crescent moon coven.
That was also a bother. I mean come on the film was surely building up to one big magical weapons and magic battle. But instead we got the odd rough and tumble to spice it up a bit. But seriously if the film is suppose to be about survival against these witches they you have to feel as though they are in danger in the first place which you don't. It just seems they are killing witches for fun and it just so happen this one coven's leader is Gretl taken over by an evil witch who supposedly has a lot of power.
And finally get back to the title. Seriously! Witchslayer Gretl! She wasn't even the witch slayer, Hansel was. Or they could have twisted the film to be about witches hunting witches.
The first problem I'm addressing is the plot of the film because I am not starting on the idiocy that is the title just yet. The idea behind the film was brilliant. They did a film on something others have attempted before, taking those old fairy tales we are told of when we're young and turning that into a film which is much darker and more realistic. But the storyline was rushed and poor. You would have suspected more conflict and head butting between Hansel (played by the wonderful Paul McGillion) and Ehren (played by the fabulous Emilie Ullerup) but instead they got on well far too quickly.
The character depth for some was under developed. I wanted to see Ehren become tougher and bad-ass but instead she kept missing the target and looked like a silly girl with an undeserving gift. Lara (played by Sarain Boylan) I wanted to see more of her background and her being a bit more hesitant to walk away from someone with answers to her past, see some strains but on her and Hansel's relationship (whatever that is). Even then when Ehren died, she accepted it far too easily for someone whom was her tutor in magic. There should have been an outburst of anger and sadness aimed at Hansel saying something like he should have given her more of a chance, blaming him for her death (of course he should have told her he killed her to get it to that). I did like the characters of Gretl and Hansel. They were as you'd expect in their situations. Hansel always on guard and distant from others, Gretl with the witch inside her as powerful but graceful, in control and over confident.
Something I missed was the depth into Lara teaching Ehren about magic. They moved out far too fast and needed to go into a depth of Ehren learning about her abilities and us getting to know the character so that at the end you actually felt something when she died. Another thing I would like to have seen would have been an exploration into Hansel's abilities. They could have spun it so that they said that Hansel actually was a witch (or as this film calls male witches 'warlocks') but one of defensive abilities instead of offense. They could have added in that extra character who knows that little bit more than Lara to say that actually he is a witch just of a different kind and to teach him about his abilities. They could have had both characters on a journey to learn more about their abilities to prepare them for the fight against the crescent moon coven.
That was also a bother. I mean come on the film was surely building up to one big magical weapons and magic battle. But instead we got the odd rough and tumble to spice it up a bit. But seriously if the film is suppose to be about survival against these witches they you have to feel as though they are in danger in the first place which you don't. It just seems they are killing witches for fun and it just so happen this one coven's leader is Gretl taken over by an evil witch who supposedly has a lot of power.
And finally get back to the title. Seriously! Witchslayer Gretl! She wasn't even the witch slayer, Hansel was. Or they could have twisted the film to be about witches hunting witches.
A twist on a classic fairytale...
paul_haakonsen30 December 2016
It was with very little expectations that I sat down to watch the 2012 TV movie "Witchslayer Gretl". Why? Well, take a look at the synopsis and the cast ensemble, it just doesn't bode well.
But still, it could be a surprise and actually turn out to be an enjoyable movie. But no, that was not the case. I managed to last probably halfway through this movie before I finally dozed off and fell asleep. And let me say that it had already been a struggle up to the halfway point to stay awake, because the movie was just boring and didn't offer much of anything interesting.
The characters in the movie were two-dimensional and had nothing in terms of being memorable or particularly likable.
And the fact that the storyline was just as predictable as it was uninspiring, just didn't help in favor of the movie.
I awoke to the end credits and I must honestly admit that I have no intentions of returning to finish the last half of the movie, because I saw enough in the first half, and I can pretty much figure out the rest just by guessing, as the movie was that predictable.
The special effects were adequate, although they were on the cheap side of the scale, and that didn't really work out so well for the movie, especially since a fantasy movie should have some believable effects, if not have effects that bedazzle the audience.
For hardcore fans of fairy tales, then I am sure that there is something worthwhile on this alternate approach to the classic tale. But for a regular movie enthusiast, not so much.
But still, it could be a surprise and actually turn out to be an enjoyable movie. But no, that was not the case. I managed to last probably halfway through this movie before I finally dozed off and fell asleep. And let me say that it had already been a struggle up to the halfway point to stay awake, because the movie was just boring and didn't offer much of anything interesting.
The characters in the movie were two-dimensional and had nothing in terms of being memorable or particularly likable.
And the fact that the storyline was just as predictable as it was uninspiring, just didn't help in favor of the movie.
I awoke to the end credits and I must honestly admit that I have no intentions of returning to finish the last half of the movie, because I saw enough in the first half, and I can pretty much figure out the rest just by guessing, as the movie was that predictable.
The special effects were adequate, although they were on the cheap side of the scale, and that didn't really work out so well for the movie, especially since a fantasy movie should have some believable effects, if not have effects that bedazzle the audience.
For hardcore fans of fairy tales, then I am sure that there is something worthwhile on this alternate approach to the classic tale. But for a regular movie enthusiast, not so much.
Embarrassing fantasy flick from SyFy
Leofwine_draca10 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
WITCHSLAYER GRETL is another junky SyFy Channel TV movie filmed in the Canadian woods, this time with a fantasy setting. The story posits itself as a kind of sequel to the classic Hansel & Gretel fairytale, set 20 years after the events of that story. Hansel is now a full-time witch hunter while Gretel, after becoming estranged from her brother, is now a witch herself.
The film itself is clearly copied from HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS, which was itself only middling, but this is much worse. There's a lot of larking around in the woods and a lot of bad CGI used to depict magical attacks and various familiars belonging to the witches. The acting is very wooden, especially from the main actor, and the only one who seems to be trying is Shannen Doherty who got the job on the back of her role in the popular TV show CHARMED. It's still embarrassingly poor.
The film itself is clearly copied from HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS, which was itself only middling, but this is much worse. There's a lot of larking around in the woods and a lot of bad CGI used to depict magical attacks and various familiars belonging to the witches. The acting is very wooden, especially from the main actor, and the only one who seems to be trying is Shannen Doherty who got the job on the back of her role in the popular TV show CHARMED. It's still embarrassingly poor.
cheap
SnoopyStyle30 May 2020
A grown-up Hansel is hunting witches with his assistant Lara. He rescues Ehren from warlock Abyss but he fears her magic. He would rather kill her but Lara convinces him otherwise. Abyss' queen turns out to be Hansel's long lost sister Gretel (Shannen Doherty) who was taken by a witch and assumed killed.
I only know Paul McGillion as the affable Dr. Carson Beckett from Stargate: Atlantis. This is a completely different role and doesn't fit him. He's not that dark. As with many Syfy shows of that era, this looks cheap and the CGI is cheap. The premise is interesting and there is good potential with these characters. In the end, this is a cheap TV fantasy movie.
I only know Paul McGillion as the affable Dr. Carson Beckett from Stargate: Atlantis. This is a completely different role and doesn't fit him. He's not that dark. As with many Syfy shows of that era, this looks cheap and the CGI is cheap. The premise is interesting and there is good potential with these characters. In the end, this is a cheap TV fantasy movie.
Witchhunters fighting a coven of witches in the forest
Wuchakk5 May 2019
Presumably a sequel to the 1812 fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm about a brother & sister and their run-in with a witch in the forests of medieval Germany, Hansel and Gretl (SIC) are now in their late 30s or so. Hansel (Paul McGillion) desperately searches for his sister who was apprehended by a witch queen when they were kids; he teams-up with a former witch, Lara (Sarain Boylan), and the vengeful daughter of a blacksmith, Ehren (Emilie Ullerup). Shannen Doherty is on hand in a vital role and Jefferson Brown plays a warlock.
"Witchslayer Gretl" (2012) was SyFy's knockoff of the big budget "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" (2013), which debuted eleven months later. There were a couple of other mockbusters: The Asylum's "Hansel & Gretel" (2013) and Lionsgate's "Hansel & Gretel: Warriors of Witchcraft" (2013). Witch-themed films were trendy at the time with "Beautiful Creatures" (2013) and, later, "The Last Witch Hunter" (2015), these two being the only ones I've seen before viewing this one.
McGillion looks miserable here, but this can be defended on the grounds that his character demanded an air of grave determination in a life-or-death situation. Doherty is quite good in a double role. Meanwhile Sarain Boylan is spirited and Emilie Ullerup is fetching. You KNOW at least one of these characters is going to be dead by the end and I was quite surprised with who buys the farm; kudos to the writers for having gonads.
I love the sylvan locations and there's a lot of forest action, along with several sequences at a witch grotto, but the movie struck me as cheesy from the get-go. It's like a second-rate meshing of "Grimm's Snow White" (2012), Robin Hood and "First Knight" (1995). (I realize the first one was an Asylum movie, but it was actually quite effective for its low-budget and lousy CGI; and IMHO better than the film it knocked off, "Snow White and the Huntsman"). On the positive side, the spirited Lara won me over by the end and I enjoyed the heartwarming relationships of the protagonists.
The film runs 1 hour, 28 minutes and was might have been shot in Canada since it's a Canadian production (I can't find any info).
GRADE: C/C- (4.5/10)
"Witchslayer Gretl" (2012) was SyFy's knockoff of the big budget "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" (2013), which debuted eleven months later. There were a couple of other mockbusters: The Asylum's "Hansel & Gretel" (2013) and Lionsgate's "Hansel & Gretel: Warriors of Witchcraft" (2013). Witch-themed films were trendy at the time with "Beautiful Creatures" (2013) and, later, "The Last Witch Hunter" (2015), these two being the only ones I've seen before viewing this one.
McGillion looks miserable here, but this can be defended on the grounds that his character demanded an air of grave determination in a life-or-death situation. Doherty is quite good in a double role. Meanwhile Sarain Boylan is spirited and Emilie Ullerup is fetching. You KNOW at least one of these characters is going to be dead by the end and I was quite surprised with who buys the farm; kudos to the writers for having gonads.
I love the sylvan locations and there's a lot of forest action, along with several sequences at a witch grotto, but the movie struck me as cheesy from the get-go. It's like a second-rate meshing of "Grimm's Snow White" (2012), Robin Hood and "First Knight" (1995). (I realize the first one was an Asylum movie, but it was actually quite effective for its low-budget and lousy CGI; and IMHO better than the film it knocked off, "Snow White and the Huntsman"). On the positive side, the spirited Lara won me over by the end and I enjoyed the heartwarming relationships of the protagonists.
The film runs 1 hour, 28 minutes and was might have been shot in Canada since it's a Canadian production (I can't find any info).
GRADE: C/C- (4.5/10)
Dull
TurtleLakePirate19 March 2024
As a person who loves "so bad that it's good genre", I have a very high tolerance for cheaply made, low budget, badly acted garbage that are so often spat out, especially for straight to TV scene.
This one is pretty dull even for this "genre" though. The best words to describe it are probably dull and uninspiring. The thing that usually saves this kind of movies is sense of fun, which is nowhere to be found here.
The story is very loosely based on old German folk tales and I would want to say... "tries to capture the spirit of fairytale adventure or sword and sorcery tropes" but unfortunately I can not. It seems quite opposite. It seems the production team didn't even try.
Action scenes are very badly made, even for this level of production, story makes little sense and the scenery in which the story unfolds practically doesn't change at all. It's like the whole movie was made on one small location, in someone's backyard.
The acting is not worse than it should be for such a film and all the female actresses look good. Costumes are okey, but all the other props and "cgi" is laughably bad.
Overall, you won't be able to enjoy it even if you're a fan of bad movies.
This one is pretty dull even for this "genre" though. The best words to describe it are probably dull and uninspiring. The thing that usually saves this kind of movies is sense of fun, which is nowhere to be found here.
The story is very loosely based on old German folk tales and I would want to say... "tries to capture the spirit of fairytale adventure or sword and sorcery tropes" but unfortunately I can not. It seems quite opposite. It seems the production team didn't even try.
Action scenes are very badly made, even for this level of production, story makes little sense and the scenery in which the story unfolds practically doesn't change at all. It's like the whole movie was made on one small location, in someone's backyard.
The acting is not worse than it should be for such a film and all the female actresses look good. Costumes are okey, but all the other props and "cgi" is laughably bad.
Overall, you won't be able to enjoy it even if you're a fan of bad movies.
Three out of five stars
daleday-4004619 March 2017
A whole lot of running through the woods with everyone trying to figure out who they are and what they're supposed to do. Acting so-so and the dialogue is a bit on the boring side.
Scenery is fine but it's kinda on the dark side inside the Witch Queen's lair. Her familiar as a bit on the Klutzy side and not very believable.
Okay to watch for free but I wouldn't put up a dime otherwise.
Scenery is fine but it's kinda on the dark side inside the Witch Queen's lair. Her familiar as a bit on the Klutzy side and not very believable.
Okay to watch for free but I wouldn't put up a dime otherwise.
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