Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!
Plot Summary: After a car accident, a man is lured through a dark forest to a mysterious house where the children are not what they seem.
Review: It was difficult leaving this film and "Spider Forest" off my "Top 10 Underrated Asian Horror Movies" list (which you can click and check out!), but, realistically, neither of these movies are horror. Oh sure, there are horror elements and a few light scares, however, this is pure fantasy--albeit, a dark fantasy, but fantasy nonetheless. As I stated in my original review, this may be the best Korean movie I have ever watched which is saying something considerable. From the beautiful visuals to the surreal set designs, "Hansel and Gretel" flawlessly captures the notion of a fairy tale brought to life. At the same time, the story is completely original and not simply a retelling of the titular fairy tale. If anything, numerous fairy tales are given nods throughout the story as this twisted tale takes its own, unique form. The only thing that baffles me is that this wasn't a bigger success in Korea.
I want to live there!
So...to begin things properly I'll give a brief summary of the plot. Our lead, Eun-soo, is driving to meet his sick mother when he suddenly crashes; not quite to grandmother's house we go but close enough. Eun-soo then awakens in a dark forest where he meets a whimsical-looking girl named Young-hee. This early exchange is so great they decided to put the image on the cover! Seeking help, Eun-soo follows Young-hee back to her home at the center of the forest which is a sight to behold. Here, Eun-soo meets two other children, an older boy, named Man-bok, and a little girl, named Jung-soon, as well as the fidgety parents. It doesn't take long for Eun-soo to realize things are not right since the house is filled with toys, they eat sweets and cakes for breakfast, and the parents have little control over the children. As it turns out, the children have psychic powers that border on magical due to their reality-warping capabilities; their powers were brought out by their life as tortured, molested, and neglected children living in an orphanage. Seemingly, through sheer willpower, the kids developed their abilities in a manner that fit the Hansel and Gretel story of burning a witch in the oven. Since discovering these powers and creating an imaginary dimension, the children became semi-immortal and have been seeking out someone who would be willing to be their parent for decades. As people try to escape the kids, they are dispatched with in strange ways only a kid would think up. Growing attached to Eun-soo due to his empathy toward their plight, the kids become threatened by a weird religious zealot that has nefarious plans for the children. After helping the children stop the zealot, they refuse to ever let Eun-soo leave which pains Eun-soo since his girlfriend is pregnant and his mother is dying. Realizing how much they are hurting Eun-soo, Young-hee feels sorry and explains that Eun-soo can only escape by burning the drawings the kids made of him that bind him to their world. Returning to the real world like nothing even happened, Eun-soo lives his life, marries his girlfriend, takes care of his son, and his mother apparently overcame her illness. The film ends with Eun-soo finding a notebook from the children under his Christmas tree a year or two later, and it's left up in the air if they're happy now or longing for his return.
All the kids and the fake parents.
First I want to address the technical accomplishments. The set designs are utterly mesmerizing with such attention to detail--it's impressive. You have all the little toys, trinkets, and random items everywhere. This must have been a continuity nightmare for the script supervisor! The aesthetics are equally eye-catching with this surreal depiction of what heaven would be like from the perspective of children who only experienced suffering beforehand. From the lighting to the camerawork, and everything in between, suffice it to say, the cinematography is breathtaking. There was a lot of creativity put into the production whereby everything fits together thematically...if that makes sense. The style of the house with its labyrinth-attic and the dark, gloomy forest are perfect--I couldn't imagine them doing better than what we see depicted.
As for the story accomplishments: I believe the biggest success is in successfully capturing the fairy tale sensation; this really does feel like a storybook given life. The immense sadness of the children and their longing to find someone who cares for them is especially powerful. The fact that they keep stressing that everyone wants to leave them and hates them is something that makes the kids feel sympathetic despite their actions. Furthermore, it's hard to completely blame them when they kill someone since, to them, they're in an imaginary world with no sense of consequence. This leads me to the next point: the characters are well acted and given a lot of heart. The actors deserve much praise especially from the kids since they aren't annoying at all (to me at least). Of course, the best is Eun-kyung Shim who plays Young-hee. She brings a lot of conviction to her character that makes her the most likable, and she effortlessly outshines the adult actors with nuance; this is why I mentioned that it was disappointing that she had such a bit role in "Train to Busan." Lastly, the resolution and ending are incredibly touching with the final music piece sealing the deal. We are left to wonder if the kids have ultimately found happiness or not, but we can say for sure that they still think about Eun-soo. There are some powerful emotions at work in this conclusion that's for sure.
This shot is perfect. It's seriously as if taken directly from the page of a book and given life.
Unfortunately, it's time to discuss the negatives...though there aren't a lot. The most noticeable detriment is the overly long running time. I really love this movie, but it definitely did not need to be almost two hours long! This could--no, should--have been reduced to around 90-100 minutes. It's not that there isn't enough material, however, the ideas are presented well enough that we don't need excessive scenes that neither further character development nor enhance the narrative. For example, the flashbacks to the orphanage and everything with Santa needed reduction along with the entire opening scene; just cut directly to Eun-soo driving and crashing. Speaking of Santa...the origin of the kids' powers is questionable and borders on nonsensical. Yeah, yeah, I get it, given the subject matter it's hard to ask for logic, yet, I can't ignore the notion that their belief in Santa and Christmas wishes suddenly unlocked godlike powers! Honestly, the film's shortcomings are minute and hardly deter from the overall achievements.
Jump.
Without question, "Hansel and Gretel" is a film worth seeking out for fans of Asian cinema or those just wanting to see something good for once. From a production standpoint, the film is beautiful to behold. You will be sucked into this immersive world, captivated by its attention to detail and sense of wonder, and it will stick in your own imagination long after the credits have finished rolling. The story is emotionally charged with a combination of drama, thriller, and dark fantasy to set the stage. The characters are interesting and will thoroughly invest you in their plight and pain. There is still a chance that any kid actor can annoy some audiences--so fair warning in that regard--yet I'm confident in the actors' performances. The only things you really need to keep in the mind are the running time--which the pacing eases you through anyway--and remove any belief that this is a horror from your mind. Plenty of critics and reviews claim this is a horror, but they need to lay off the blow. Or just go into this completely blind, like me, and you will come out pleasantly surprised.
Notable Moment: When Eun-soo first awakens in the forest and meets Young-hee. It's simply awesome imagery and sets the tone immediately with its whimsical, dream-like setting.
Final Rating: 8/10
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