Which witch is which?

Rating: Null/10 (31 January 2013)

Predictably the prelude shows H&G as kids going into the witch's candy house in the familiar classic tale, with a twist that they end up killing the witch and going on to be professional witch-hunters. One little hook is left till the later part of the movie: why did their father take them into the forest to leave them there? Obviously this is part of the plot. And there is a little hint: there are black witches and white witches. But, which witch is which? Apologies for this juvenile jest, but I've now got it off my chest.
All the various ingredients (and there are quite a few) you usually see in similar movies (conspiracy, romance and the rest of them) are here, but the movie makers have managed to effectively assembling them into a serviceable plot, as a platform for sequence after sequence of enjoyable action scenes. Yes, farcical at times but that makes them even more enjoyable. The other function of this plot is of course to showcase the latest intelligent-macho-man icon Jeremy Renner as well as two beautiful women. Gemma Arterton is alluring as ever, pouting lips and all, while Famke Janssen is one classy villain the likes of which I haven't since Charlize Theron in the re-imagined Snow White. And you have to give credit to these two femme fatale for allowing themselves to appear also in an unflattering guise: Janssen as how a black witch really looks like, and Artherton with bloods, cuts and bruises galore in some beaten-up scenes. There is one more beautiful woman, Finland's Phila Viitala in an important support role.
This movie is enjoyable no-brain entertainment, with an ambition to being a pilot of a franchise. That much is so painfully obvious. I might not even mind watching just one sequel, but not more.