The Witches
Directed by:
Robert ZemeckisCinematography:
Don BurgessComposer:
Alan SilvestriCast:
Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Octavia Spencer, Chris Rock, Jahzir Bruno, Codie-Lei Eastick, Charles Edwards, Angus Wright, Simon Manyonda, Anna Devlin (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
In Robert Zemeckis’ re-imagining of the classic Roald Dahl story, an orphaned boy (Jahzir Bruno) comes to live with his Grandma (Octavia Spencer) in Demopolis, Alabama in 1967. The boy and his grandmother come across some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical Witches, so Grandma wisely whisks our young hero away to an opulent seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway) has gathered her fellow Witches from around the globe to carry out her nefarious plans to rid the world of children. (HBO Max)
(more)Reviews (3)
Robert Zemeckis and his remake of The Witches is a fantasy horror film for the little ones, and I think 10 year olds would be scared just like we were in 1990. The duo of Octavia Spencer and Anne Hathaway do a decent job, the whole thing is nicely colored and visually pretty, the make-up effects of the witches are creepy. I’m not the target audience anymore, but as future horror fans, I'd be happy to give it a watch, and the parents would be entertained by the nostalgia. Story***, Action>No, Humor***, Violence>No, Entertainment****, Music****, Visuals****, Atmosphere**, Suspense**. 5.5/10.
()
If it weren't for Anne Hathaway's fantastic portrayal of the witch, I'd be fuming about the waste of time Robert Zemeckis has served up here. This is the same Zemeckis who has directed some of my all-time favorite films, the ones I keep going back to. The concept is clearly aimed at kids, but it completely ignores the adult audience, even though the themes seem more suited for grown-ups. The film feels oddly split into two parts: the first is all about setting the scene and showcasing Hathaway's brilliance, and the second shifts to a mouse's perspective, which drastically changes the tone. By that point, I was just counting down the minutes until it ended. An absolute mess — hard to believe Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón had a hand in producing this.
()
The original The Witches with Anjelica Huston is almost a horror fairy tale, with make-up effects and mouse characters contributing to its creepy atmosphere. Robert Zemeckis's remake certainly didn't skimp on the CGI, which has its bright and shady sides. The animals – mice, cats, chicken, etc. – looked very artificial. I think even a Stuart Little from the late 90s looked more realistic. That said, as far as the visuals of the witches are concerned, I didn't mind the CGI and it even enhanced their creepy look. Octavia Spencer is incredibly likeable and Anne Hathaway, even though she was overly theatrical at times, definitely enjoyed her role. Story-wise, the film doesn't have much to surprise, but it was nice to see that this version differs from the original in a few moments. All in all, a weak three stars!
()