Hansel e Gretel

"Hansel and Gretel" was inspired by an old fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm – it tells of a brother and sister who go out in the forest. On their way they find a candy house. The house is inhabited by a kindly old lady, but in truth she's a witch, and what she has in store for them....

"Hansel e Gretel" (Never Hurt Children) by Giovanni Simonelli – Italy 1990, is, what we could call, a modernization of the fairy tale - Hansel and Gretel are going home through the forest, and on their way they are kidnapped by a gang that sells body organs to the rich in need of a transplant.

The children are taken to a clandestine clinic, and there they die after the operation. Hans and Gretel are buried in a shallow grave, but they will come back from the dead and take grisly revenge on all those who took direct or indirect part in their murder.

The story is good but it's not well developed. The film is a mixture of slasher and horror film, with rights to sentimentality, "moral indignation" (!) and tastelessness. The ghosts of Hansel and Gretel will kill and kill and kill, and they also have supernatural powers to boot. The killing scenes follow each other closely, and some of them will satisfy the gorehounds.

"Hansel e Gretel" (Never Hurt Children) lacks tension, but those that have a sense of humor will have their fun, and in its own way the film is entertaining.