Real sorcery: Anne Hathaway rescues HBO max's 'The witches' with memorable performance

HBO Max's adaptation of 'The Witches' didn't exactly set the world on fire. However, there was one flickering flame that saved the day - Anne Hathaway, our Grand High Witch herself.

Anne Hathaway: The Grand High Witch We Never Knew We Needed

According to Mashable, Hathaway's performance in 'The Witches' was not her best, but perhaps her most memorable performance ever. She doesn't just play her role; she devours it, going beyond her usual acting prowess to crack her face open ear to ear (thanks to VFX) and swallow down the scenery whole. Swishing around in snake-trimmed gowns and belting out orders in an enchantingly odd pan-European accent, Hathaway keeps the otherwise lackluster adaptation alive.

When Magic Couldn't Save 'The Witches'

Directed by Robert Zemeckis and penned by Zemeckis, Guillermo del Toro, and Kenya Barris, the new 'The Witches' stayed loyal to Dahl's original narrative. Yet, the adaptation fell short of eliciting the same intrigue and horror that haunted Roeg's 1990 version or Dahl's beloved novel. The alterations in setting, bringing the story to late '60s Alabama, seem promising at first, hinting at deeper commentary on class and race. Unfortunately, these aspects ended up underexplored and were left hanging without proper resolution.

Despite these narrative shortcomings, it's Hathaway's captivatingly eccentric performance that makes the adaptation worth a watch. There's an undeniable charm about the way she makes the most out of a film that's essentially aimed at a younger audience.

FAQs:

What is 'The Witches' about?'

The Witches' is an HBO Max adaptation of Roald Dahl's 1983 novel. It tells the story of a child protagonist turned into a mouse by a powerful coven of witches.

Who stars in 'The Witches'?

'The Witches' stars Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch, with Octavia Spencer playing the supportive grandmother of the child protagonist.