Gretel & Hansel (2020)

Disney take notes.

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Let’s start by showing y’all the trailer shall we?

This is one of those rare trailers where I can’t even complain that much.

It actually sells the vibe pretty well.

It’s slow. It’s quiet. It’s creepy in that “something is off” kind of way instead of screaming at you every five seconds.

So for once…

The trailer didn’t lie.

I know. I’m shocked too.


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⚠️ Content Warning

This movie deals with:

child endangerment

manipulation

implied cannibalism

psychological horror elements


Nothing too graphic, but the ideas are definitely there.


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Non-Spoiler Plot Overview

This is basically the Brothers Grimm story—but not in the way you expect.

Gretel and Hansel are forced to leave home and end up wandering through the woods, eventually finding shelter with a strange woman who offers them food and safety.

And if you know the story…

Yeah, you already know that’s a terrible idea.

But instead of rushing through the usual beats, the movie slows everything down and focuses more on Gretel—her mindset, her growth, and the weird pull she feels toward what’s happening.

This is way more Gretel’s story than Hansel’s.

Which… we’ll get into.


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Pros

The cinematography in this movie is insane.

Like genuinely, this is one of the best-looking horror movies I’ve seen in a while. Every shot feels intentional. The lighting, the colors, the way everything is framed—it all feels like you’re watching some kind of dark fairy tale painting come to life.

The forest feels cold and empty, the house feels weirdly inviting but also wrong, and the whole movie has this artistic style that makes it stand out from pretty much every other adaptation of this story.

It doesn’t feel like a normal movie.

It feels like a nightmare someone carefully designed.

And that’s where this movie shines.

The villain is also great.

She doesn’t need to yell or go over-the-top. She’s calm, soft-spoken, and unsettling in a way that makes you uncomfortable without even knowing why at first. The kind of character where you just sit there like, “Yeah… something is definitely not right here.”

And she absolutely carries every scene she’s in.

Gretel’s actress—yeah, I know the casting might be debatable, especially if you recognize her from other stuff—but she does a good job.

She holds the movie together, especially since it’s such a slow burn. You stay invested in her, and that’s important because the movie is not moving at a fast pace.

And I really respect that this movie stayed PG-13.

Because horror does NOT always need to be rated R to be good.

This movie proves that.

It relies on atmosphere, tension, and visuals instead of gore and shock value, and honestly that fits this kind of story way better.

It feels more like an actual dark fairy tale because of that.


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Cons

Hansel.

That’s it.

He’s just the weakest part of the movie.

He’s not terrible, but compared to everything else going on, he’s just… there.

Not that interesting, not that engaging, and every time the movie focuses on him, it feels like the energy drops a little.

Which is wild considering his name is in the title.

This is basically Gretel’s movie featuring Hansel as a side character.

Also, the pacing is going to be a problem for some people.

This movie takes its time.

Like really takes its time.

If you’re not into slow burn horror, you’re probably going to feel it dragging in certain parts.


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Final Thoughts

This is easily my favorite adaptation of the Brothers Grimm version.

I grew up with the books, so I already knew the original story, and I like that this movie didn’t try to turn it into something loud or overly modern.

It kept that dark fairy tale feeling, but added this weird, artistic, almost dreamlike tone that makes it stand out.

It feels like a story you’ve heard before…

but remembered wrong.

And I mean that in the best way possible.


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⭐ Final Rating: 9/10

Only thing holding it back from a 10 is Hansel being the weakest part of the movie.

Everything else?

Loved it.


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⚠️ Spoiler Warning

Alright, from here on out—full spoilers.


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Spoilers

What I really liked about this version is how it shifts the focus almost entirely onto Gretel.

Instead of just being about two kids getting tricked by a witch, the story becomes about temptation, power, and what Gretel could become.

The witch isn’t just evil for the sake of being evil.

She feels like a warning.

Like Gretel is looking at a version of herself if she lets that hunger and darkness take over.

That’s way more interesting than just “witch bad, push her in oven, the end.”

The house itself also works way better here.

It’s not over-the-top candy nonsense. It’s subtle, quiet, and off in a way that makes it more unsettling. It lures them in without screaming at you.

And the way the witch manipulates them—especially Gretel—was really well done.

She separates them, feeds them, gains their trust, and slowly starts pulling Gretel in by making her feel different, special, powerful.

That’s the scary part.

Not just what the witch does…

but how she does it.

And when the movie reveals Gretel has some kind of power too, that’s where it really stands out compared to other versions.

Because now it’s not just about escaping.

It’s about whether Gretel is going to become something similar.

The ending works because it doesn’t feel clean.

Yeah, she survives.

But she’s changed.

There’s something different about her now, and the movie just leaves you with that instead of wrapping everything up neatly.

And again…

Hansel is still just kind of there.

He serves his role, but compared to Gretel’s arc, he just doesn’t stand out.


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Final Line

This isn’t a horror movie trying to scare you…

👉 it’s a fairy tale trying to feel wrong.