Secret Magic Control Agency

Secret Magic Control Agency (also known as Hansel & Gretel) is a 2021 English-language Russian computer-animated spy fantasy adventure comedy family film. The film is produced by Wizart Animation, CTB Film Company and QED International. Written by Analisa LaBianco, Vladimir Nikolaev, Jeffery Spencer, Aleksey Tsitsilin and Alexey Zamyslov and directed by Aleksey Tsitsilin, the film is based on the story Hansel and Gretel by Brothers Grimm. 
The film was released on 18 March 2021 in Russia by Sony Pictures Productions and Releasing (SPPR). Netflix acquired global rights to the film and released it on 25 March 2021 on the streaming service. The film performed well at the streaming rankings for Netflix reaching the top ten global viewership charts in the first week of its release. The film received generally positive reviews from critics especially noting the stellar animation.
== Plot ==
In a fantasy kingdom all magic is regulated by the Secret Magic Control Agency. A few days before the King's birthday, the King is abducted by sentient food enchanted with black magic. To keep the rest of the kingdom out of panic and chaos, the Prime Minister agrees to keep the abduction confidential and have the S.M.C.A. investigate. The agency assigned Agent Gretel to follow a ringmaster, but when Gretel finds he abducted magical creatures, he ends up as a false lead. She frees the creatures and she's given a special necklace from a mermaid and a feather from a phoenix. She is later assigned by Agent Stepmother along with Hansel, Gretel's disowned brother to track down the missing King, believing Hansel could use his magical abilities and knowledge of thievery for the mission, unaware that he is simply a con artist with no real magical abilities.
The mission starts as they identify a local pastry shop has a pantry behind a fireplace with sentient baked goods in it. Furthermore, Gretel discovers a potion room within the pantry, which includes a beaker of enchanted vanilla extract. Hansel and Gretel are turned into children after an ill-fated chase with a dog-shaped cookie destroyed the potion room. Unable to get help from the S.M.C.A., as no one believes that the children are Hansel and Gretel, they seek the assistance of Baba Yaga, a witch rumored to eat children. They learn that the enchanted vanilla extract came from the swamplands. 
After escaping from Baba Yaga's, the siblings find their way to the swamplands, where mermaids live. However, the Lake Witch, Queen of the Mermaids, mistakes them for spies for Ilvira, the witch of the Gingerbread House and the former chef of the King. They are sparred from being turned into fish when her daughter recognizes Gretel as the one who saved her from a previous altercation. Hansel and Gretel discover that the mermaids have imprisoned more of Ilvira's goons. No one is able to get any information from the cookies because they speak in gibberish. Gretel frees the goons. The cookies lead them to Ilvira's secret Gingerbread House and ultimately to the kidnapped King. Ilvira managed to feed the King cookies infused with a love potion to force him to marry her, which would make her Queen. She captures the children and sends them into the cake-like oven.
In the oven, Hansel and Gretel argue with each other; Gretel is disappointed in her brother's occupation as a con artist while Hansel is saddened that Gretel prioritized her career as an agent over her own family. Hansel reveals to Gretel that while their parents did advocate for their children to be honest, their jobs as agents for the S.M.C.A. were not enough to fund Gretel's education and that Hansel had given up his chance at an honest life to pay for Gretel's tuition, which he told Gretel was a scholarship from the King. Gretel realizes how much Hansel had sacrificed for her. They make amends with each other and escape the oven.
The siblings prepare an antidote with the phoenix feather from earlier on and head off to the wedding on a dragon statue, following the beacons Hansel left behind throughout their journey. Gretel manages to give the King the antidote but the marriage gets sealed before they could stop Ilvira. Everyone else in attendance are under Ilvira's control, having also eaten her love potion-infused cookies. Before Gretel could pour the antidote into Ilvira's cookie-making machine, Ilvira takes the antidote back and shoves the children into the batter to be baked into cookies. However, using a gadget of S.M.C.A. equipment Hansel stole from the agency, Hansel and Gretel manage to escape and get the antidote back, dropping Ilvira into the cookie batter. She gets blasted into the air and lands on a doughnut Kolobok that attacked Hansel and Gretel earlier.
Having saved the King and the kingdom from Ilvira, Gretel is awarded the title of "Best Agent" by the S.M.C.A. and Hansel is given an official license to perform magic, which he declines since he is incapable of using real magic. Gretel decides to work with her brother on all of her future assignments.
==Cast==
* Sylvana Joyce as Gretel, sister of Hansel, an agent at the Secret Magic Control Agency 
** Courtney Shaw as young Gretel
* Nicholas Corda as Hansel, brother of Gretel, a famous fraudster who pretends to be a wizard
** Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld as young Hansel
* Erica Schroeder as Ilvira, the witch of the Gingerbread House
* Marc Thompson as the King/Circus Worker 
* Georgette Reilly as Agent Stepmother, the head of the Secret Magic Control Agency
* Johanna Elmina Moise as Agent Stepdaughter, an inventor at the Secret Magic Control Agency 
* Mike Pollock as the Prime Minister
* Mary O'Brady as Baba Yaga
== Concept ==
=== Animated film ===
Within the context of the adaptations of the source material Hansel and Gretel, the creators of the film is adapting a 2021 animated Brother Grimm's fairy tale. They chose the gingerbread house fairy tale Hansel and Gretel as their focal point for their script that will be based on an animated film. 
However the animated version will not be limited to plot collisions, locations, and characters from the original literary source. The characters Hansel and Gretel in the film will be much more active than in the fairy tale who will become participants in comic situations. The creators of the film stated the production will be based on three components - an entertaining story for all audiences, high-quality animation, and well-produced visual effects and background. They noted the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale has parental qualities associated with the story that revolves around the siblings Hansel and Gretel. The film's main audience will be the family.
The creators of the film did accept the original story has elements of horror. They retold the archetypal horror tale in a way that it can be appealing to all the audience by adding elements of comedy. Director Aleksey Tsitsilin remarked the film won't be a remake, "We wanted not to remake, but to rethink. Leave the logic of the narrative and string some additional details. The story begins to play with new colors, it becomes different, but at the same time you realize that it is all the same Hansel and Gretel."
== Release ==
=== Theatrical and streaming ===
The release of the fairy tale animation movie Secret Magic Control Agency was confirmed by the press service of Sony Pictures on 27 January 2021. The press emphasized the audience will be able to comprehend a new look to the classic fairy tale of Brothers Grimm. The fantasy spy film will involve espionage conceptualized by the Department of Magical Security. The film will explain the effects of fraud and the concept of gentleman thief conceptualized by the character Hansel. The character Gretel is described as the leading spy for the Secret Magic Control Agency. 
Secret Magic Control Agency released in Russia through Sony Pictures Productions and Releasing on 18 March 2021. The Netflix team promoted and localized the film for international distribution. On 25 March 2021, the movie released under the Netflix Original brand.
== Reception ==
=== Streaming analysis ===
Top Netflix Daily Chart
Country 	Peak
rank	Notes 	Refs
United States 	2	5 days	
Brazil 	1	2 days	
United Kingdom	4	4 days	
Mexico 	1	3 days	
France 	1	5 days	
Canada 	4	2 days	
Germany 	2	5 days	
Australia 	2	1 day 	
Argentina 	1	1 day 	
Spain 	2	1 day 	
According to streaming aggregator FlixPatrol, in the first week of release the film topped the global viewership charts of the streaming platform Netflix. On 27 March 2021, a few days after the film began streaming in Netflix it went to the top ten charts worldwide. The film became the second most popular film in Netflix as it overcame and bypassed the ratings of Hollywood and worldwide blockbusters that included Fast and Furious. In the United States the Hansel and Gretel film became third most popular film seen in the Movies section and top sixth overall. In the United Kingdom the film reached the sixth position in rankings. In Germany the film reached third position and tenth overall. Overall on that day it was the top film in countries of Greece, Denmark, Finland, Cyprus, Sweden, Norway, Luxembourg and Jamaica.
On 28 March 2021, Secret Magic Control Agency was second in rankings worldwide. In the US where it was released it moved up to second most popular film in the Movies section and top fourth overall. The film maintained its previous lead in the Scandinavian nations and Greece while the film moved up the top position in France. Previously at second position the film has managed to surpass many major films for the best film in the Movies section and top third overall. In Germany the film continued to be at the second position. The film also attained top position in Poland and Brazil.
According to a IndieWire report, by 29 March 2021 the film in Netflix went to Number 2 position in rankings. In the US the streaming rankings were the same as the previous day. In France the film continued to maintain the lead at first place in Movies section and third overall. On 30 March 2021 the film was second in worldwide rankings. In Netherlands the film De Geheime Dienst voor Magie started from third in rankings in the end of March to top overall for one day on 2 April 2021.
Secret Magic Control Agency broke its own record from March in Netflix during the opening month of April. Secret Magic Control Agency managed to become the top rated movie in the Netflix platform for two days subsequently after which it went to second in rankings after Sky High (2020) was released. 
The film has received significant coverage in Mexico and France. In the first week of release, in Mexico the film is one of the top watched film. The film was part of the top ten listings in the Netflix Spanish catalogue. According to FlixPatrol, in the first week of release the film was the most watched in Netflix for five days in a row in France. EcranLarge report from France noted "Hansel and Gretel, Secret Agents is shaping up to be another successful cartoon on Netflix, available since March 25." In Philippines and Greece the film was part of the compilation of recommended shows to watch in Netflix. In the second week of April the film continues to be in the top ten rankings in Netflix in certain countries. The film could become one of the Top 25 most popular movies in Netflix in 2021 whose total points now stand at 67.
=== Critical response ===
Russian-speaking critics note the film is aimed at children, but is an entertainer for adults as well. Boris Grishin stated for a review in Kino Mail, the film is suitable for adults also, "A fascinating, dynamic, witty cartoon, a real adventure detective, whose intrigue will be interesting even for adults to follow. So for family viewing - a really good option. Ksenia Reutova for the review in Kinoafisha wrote notes in terms of the pace and action of the script: “From all these scraps, the authors of the animated film manage to weave a canvas that looks quite soundly. The threads do not stick out, the action does not sag.”
Common Sense Media review says the film is ideal for siblings who may want to "learn about each other and themselves in the process of working together to save the kingdom." The film also focuses on character development when "the siblings argue then come to some realizations and a new understanding of each other and their shared history, offers a bit of depth and a nice contrast to the nonstop action." Lights! Camera! Mom! review states, "A royal kidnapping is nothing new, but taking familiar characters like Hansel and Gretel and writing a completely new background story creates a great family film."
Critics have affirmed the music for the film is a spectacle. ABC Entertainment review pointed out the music has "grandiose symphonic sweeps that we’ve come to expect from other feel-good family films." UnificationFrance review noted, "The music of Brad Joseph Breeck and Gabriel Hays is fun to listen to." Common Sense Media states, "the action is often set to inspirational music."
Cam's Eye View reviews states in terms of animation, "Animation-wise, it looks solid! It's still not up to par with most animated features from this or the previous decade, but you can tell from their first film to their most recent that Wizart is getting better at their craft." The review pointed out the story could be even more compelling if the script had "proper execution." The animation quality crescendoed at the final set pieces that was noted by the review from The Upcoming: "the art and animation is beautiful and is Pixar-like in its finish." A Netflix review at Blockbuster01.com by Shimato stated the Japanese dub for Gretel by Rie Kugimiya is commendable: "This work is worth seeing by itself." Furthermore the review pointed out the main premise of "two people who have been estranged for a long time" who must "cooperate [and] inevitably, the lost bond between the brothers and sisters returns" was exemplary character development.
Robledo Milani wrote for Papo de Cinema review that the confidential organization Secret Magic Control Agency is "more like a police force whose aim is not to regulate, but to curb magical practices." The reviewer's impression from the film is that in context to the other Hansel and Gretel adaptations such as "João and Maria: Witch Hunters (2013) or Maria and João: The Tale Of Witches (2020), which invested in adrenaline or terror", Secret Magic Control Agency "starts from a more original principle, although less ambitious."
Unification review from France by Isabelle Arnaud noted "Aleksey Tsitsilin's direction is superb" through which the film's staging "does not give the impression that 1h45 has passed." With a four and a half stars out of five stars Arnaud noted the screenplay "presents in an original way the characters from the books of the brothers Grimm." Tooncanoe review stated the film is a "rollicking spy adventure that gives enough winks and nods to the original to keep the inspiration from feeling like an afterthought." The review particularly like the "fun denouement with the Brothers Grimm themselves" that was intended to remind the audience the original creators of the fairy tale but also was framed to "hang on a small lampshade on the overall secrecy of the [Secret Magic Control Agency]."
==References==