The Witches (2020)

The Witches (2020)

3/10

Starring

Anne Hathaway

Octavia Spencer

Stanley Tucci

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

The first movie had an ending that wasn’t perfect in any sense, but it was a happy one. This time, they decided to switch it up by giving us a not-so-perfect ending but trying to make it feel like everything worked out for the best. Honestly, if you can’t make it better, don’t bother changing it at all.

This remake of The Witches is streaming on HBO Max, and it’s a letdown—boring and lacking any real excitement.

The original 1990 film has a cult following, with Anjelica Huston’s performance as the Grand High Witch earning high praise. For this version, Anne Hathaway steps into those iconic shoes. The movie initially caught my attention because of Hathaway (she’s a great actor), the amazing Robert Zemeckis as director, and Guillermo del Toro as co-writer alongside Zemeckis. Oh, and let’s not forget it’s narrated by Chris Rock. With such a lineup, how could I not watch? Unfortunately, the movie was a dud.

This version starts a little differently than the original. Set in Alabama, we’re introduced to Charlie, a young orphan living with his grandmother. After a strange incident at a shopping center, his grandmother tells him about witches and their hatred for children. Concerned for his safety, she decides they need to leave town for a while.

They end up at a hotel, which, coincidentally, is hosting a witches’ conference where the Grand High Witch is sharing her plan to turn all children into mice.

Charlie overhears the witches’ plan while hiding but gets caught by the Grand High Witch and turned into a mouse. Now, he must team up with his grandmother to stop the witches from carrying out their evil plan.

This remake makes significant changes to the original story, moving it from its British setting to Alabama with an all-Black cast. Unfortunately, the changes don’t breathe new life into the story. Instead, they add more reasons to feel bored.

The boy actor’s performance was underwhelming, which made things worse when compared to the 1990 version. Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of the Grand High Witch also fell flat. Her exaggerated accent and meandering dialogue didn’t hold a candle to Anjelica Huston’s performance in the original.

Another issue was the witches’ appearance. The redesign felt more like special effects showcase than something that captured the quirky, childish fun of the first movie.

In the end, this remake missed the mark. It tried to update and expand the story but only succeeded in making it less engaging.