Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.5

Gretel & Hansel Blu-ray Movie Review

Pretty, ugly.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III May 14, 2020

Not to be confused with whatever the hell this was, Oz Perkins' Gretel & Hansel is another bold re-imagining of classic "children's fare"...as in the scary kind, like Red Riding Hood or The Old Testament. Shot in a very unusual aspect ratio with stunning cinematography, a great original score, and what appears to be plenty of respect for the source material, it's a low-budget production that doesn't read like most modern studio remakes. The creep factor is high with this one, even if its uneven pace and (possibly studio-mandated) voice-over narration end up spoiling the party.

The inverted title carries over into its narrative, as 16-year-old Gretel (Sophia Lillis, It: Chapter Two) leads her young brother Hansel (Sam Leakey) into the woods after being banished by their mentally ill mother (Fiona O'Shaughnessy). They rely on the generosity of strangers for food and shelter, with Gretel doing much of the talking (take a drink every time she tells her brother to be quiet), and it's not long before they discover what looks like an empty house full of delicious treats. Turns out it actually has one occupant: an old woman named Holda (Alice Krige), who's happy to take them in but gives no answer to Gretel's repeated question: How is she getting all this food? In contrast, young Hansel is simply content to eat what's in front of him...but once mysterious voices are heard, the nights grow longer and more terrifying, and other pressing questions arise, Gretel begins to suspect their host has other motives.

Shot on location in Dublin, Ireland, this low-budget film maximizes its immediate effectiveness and overall impact with stylish visuals, a real eye for artistic detail, and a great original score by French composer/pop musician Robin Coudert. The locations, nameless as they may be, are quite memorable with a slight otherworldly appearance. Gretel & Hansel's palette is largely muted with occasional flourishes of bold color, aided by terrific production design that adds to the timeless (though obviously 19th century) landscape, both indoors and out. Quite simply, it looks great.

Gretel & Hansel's relatively sparse cast also makes the story and interactions feel that much more intimate, with the old woman being perhaps the most memorable of the bunch. The acting from both lead children is decent enough, save for Sophia Lillis' half-hearted attempt at an Irish accent: it regularly comes and goes, sometimes even mid-sentence, and this can be very distracting. Sam Leakey sounds more British than anything else...but it's easier to cut him some slack, since he's barely in elementary school and this is his big-screen debut. Still, both young actors have got more than enough screen presence and slightly dysfunctional brother-sister chemistry to fit snugly into the film's skewed universe, even if all the adults pretty much run circles around them. I just wish that a bigger portion of Gretel & Hansel's modest $5M budget would have been put towards a better dialect coach (or casting director).

However...the stubbornly slow pacing, combined with several elements that feel like artistic compromises, might be the bigger deal breaker. While I admire its commitment to drawn-out takes and quiet atmosphere, Gretel & Hansel clearly drags in the middle and, though it bounces back for a fairly satisfying climax, this production still feels stretched awfully thin even at just 87 minutes. Much of the plot exposition, which not only comes in the form of a narrator and Gretel herself, feels very extraneous and may have been added late in the game for "mass audiences".

Pacing and other issues aside, however, Gretel & Hansel certainly has its moments even though the entire experience still feels somewhat lukewarm. It's cinematography and original score work in tandem to create a pretty compelling world, but those other shortcomings are very noticeable and leave a slightly lingering aftertaste. Although I can see why the film didn't score well with teenagers hoping for a gore-fest or more layered, complex story, Gretel & Hansel might age a little better in hindsight. (If a director's cut surfaces someday with less voice-over narration, I'd certainly be interested.) As it stands, though, this flawed but interesting film might be worth watching for genre fans, yet only those who already love it will be attracted to Warner Bros.' Blu-ray: it's got a solid A/V presentation but no real bonus features, which doesn't make this an ideal blind buy. Sadly, a 4K edition is not being offered either.

Gretel & Hansel Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Despite a decent return on its small budget and 3.4K source resolution, the digitally-shot Gretel & Hansel has not been granted a 4K release by Warner Bros. but still looks solid in 1080p. This unusually-framed production (1.56:1 by my measurements, including an overscan border on the top and bottom as well as a prologue matted to 2.65:1) features eye-catching visuals and effective use of natural light while relying on deep shadows, heavy fog, and other elements to add to the ominous atmosphere. Compositions are frequently off-balance with a very large amount of head clearance on many centered figures and group shots, which was likely a conscious decision by the filmmakers. Colors are largely blue and orange-dominant, especially once our two leads go indoors, while outdoor scenes often feature heavy overcast skies or similarly stylized lighting. Nonetheless, image detail is fantastic when the lighting allows for it, while shadowy scenes are much flatter in direct comparison but obviously not due to technical shortcomings or errors.

Gretel & Hansel is unarguably a very stunning film with plenty of visual flourishes and memorable imagery. Thankfully, Warner Bros.' Blu-ray maintains a high bit rate and does not show any signs of excessive noise reduction, compression artifacts, or heavy banding, even if a true 4K release would have yielded even more impressive results.

Gretel & Hansel Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio isn't as immediately gripping but offers a few surprises. Gretel & Hansel is a largely quiet film with long stretches of silence and dialogue that rarely exceeds normal speaking levels, but this changes drastically during occasional jump-scares and more subtly horrific moments. The score by Robin Coudert is a mixture of droning ambient sounds, a few traditional instruments, and percussive effects that work together to establish a very off-balance atmosphere that's very effective, and one that often drifts into the rears or around the room via discrete panning effects. Dialogue is front and center, save for sporadic voice-over narration and "supernatural" whispers that creep in from various directions. LFE is somewhat muted during most of this production but is effective when it finally arrives. Like many other aspects of Gretel & Hansel, this is a restrained effort but clearly crafted with care.

Optional English (SDH) and Spanish subtitles are included during the film; these fit well within the 1.56:1 frame.

Gretel & Hansel Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release (no DVD -- you'll have to buy that separately) arrives in an eco-friendly keepcase with a Digital Copy code and a slipcover that matches its...uh, interesting cover art. The on-disc extras are very disappointing.

• Storybook (5:21) - A self-playing series of illustrations that tells a shortened version of the story. No narration is provided for on-screen text but we do get music from the film. There's some nice artwork and light animation as well, but unfortunately it moves way too fast to appreciate. Hope you have that pause button handy.

Gretel & Hansel Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Oz Perkins' Gretel & Hansel is an admirable re-imagination of the Brothers Grimm's well-known fairy tale -- one that doesn't stray extremely far from the source material or time period but nonetheless has its own voice. Although its atmosphere is bolstered by terrific cinematography and a great score, this supernatural thriller nonetheless suffers from major pacing and padding issues. It's honestly a little tough to recommend sight unseen, although anyone who enjoyed Perkins' earlier films will likely appreciate what it has to offer. Sadly, Warner Bros.' Blu-ray comes up a little short as well: the A/V presentation is solid, but the extras are disappointing and there's no 4K option either.