I have to say that I think Tommy Wirkola's adaptation of Hansel and Gretel looks like it has been thought out and creativity has been put into it. He seems to be making this film with care and fun. But I still am a bit worried that the uniqueness of making the characters older and have guns is just a way to make another Transformer. I think setting this fairy tale after the events of the story is the brightest move anyone has ever made with these adaptations. Now it’s really unique and can be Tommy Wirkola’s own.
While I'd like to see some kick ass action and funny lines I would also like this remake to have is six important things as well.
1. Relationship Between the Brother and Sister
Hansel and Gretel are still siblings rather you change the ages or make Hansel older or not. I want interaction between these two. I want them to be a loving brother and sister but also maybe get annoyed with each other. But I want their relationship to be healthy and a focus on the story. Maybe the conflict on their bond could be a sub conflict in the film? Like The Prince of Egypt. It was Dreamworks but they were great at portraying the relationship between the two brothers. Maybe I’m sucker for it because I have an older brother. But I think that Hansel and Gretel’s relationship should be the most important thing for any adaption. Healthy relationships between siblings are kind of rare in films so I hope the director explores this.
2. Plot
Since this story HAS to be original since the director decided to set it after the events of the fairy tale I want this new story to be good. I don't want it to be lost in the blood and shooting. i want the goal to still be there and that these characters are fleshed out and they are fighting for a REASON.
3. Hold the raunchiness please, I'm on a diet
Fairy tales may seem to be very kiddy but there are actual sexual undertones to the stories. In the original Sleeping Beauty she gets rape while being asleep. Red riding Hood also has the undertone that the wolf is actually a grown man that wants to sleep with Red. She does remove her clothes when she enters her grandmother's house and a cat tells her "You are a slut if you eat the flesh of your grandmother and drink her blood." So I expect sexual implications to present in this film. I just don't want it to BE the film. I don't want Gretel to be just the sexy woman in tight clothes or to see Hansel hamming into that blonde chick. Again it's rated PG 13 but that doesn't mean it has to be raunchy or dirty.
4. Good Dialogue
I hope the characters don't just curse because it's rated PG 13 or just have some sloppy lines. I want it to be written well.
5. Fun
I want this director to know they can have fun! Whose to say a fairy tail adaption with blood and guts can't also be witty and funny? (I'm looking at you Rupert). Of course it can still be goofy but also be scary. I mean how can we take a film about Hansel and Gretel with guns completely serious?
6. Lesson
I hope the director also ties in the lesson of Hansel and Gretel into this story. Many directors that make adaptations to these films actually make there adaptations worst when they misinterpret the lesson or take it out. The reason why Amanda Seyfried as Red Riding Hood doesn't work isn't because Amanda isn't a good actress but that the whole point of Red Riding Hood IS to be a child with a naive mind. The story was written for children to know this is what happens when little girls talk to strangers. It's not about some sappy love story. it's a story of letting "wolves" trick you into doing unspeakable things like eating your own grandmother.
The lesson of Hansel and Gretel is to NOT go into stranger's house or eat their food no matter how inviting it may be. It's very much like Red riding Hood's lesson. If you took out the symbolism of the tales The Wolf would be a child molester and The Witch would be a creepy child predator that is into cannibalism. I hope the director still puts that in there.
I hope that Hansel and Gretel will be a good film and not another cash cow that we’ve gotten in the past.
