Movie Review: Last Witch Hunter
Updated: May 29, 2019
I had initially planned to go and see this in the theatre with the wife back last year but I was still recovering from my pneumonia and after going for dinner and shopping I wasn’t feeling the greatest so we decided not to see the movie after all and headed home. I wanted to still see the movie but eventually had to wait for digital release to get a decent copy to watch and review and finally got my chance.
‘The last witch hunter is all that stands between humanity and the combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history.’
IMDb rating 6.0/10 Metacritic 35/100 Rotten Tomatoes 16%
Now on the surface of the movie it has a solid casting. You have Vin Diesel in the lead and Elijah Wood and Michael Caine supporting. One would think it should be pretty decent at least but that one person would be wrong. There aren’t any Oscar winning performances in this movie but we aren’t talking bad enough for a Razzie either. I hate to compare Vin Diesel to Jim Carrey but in this case I think it's warranted. Vin Diesel’s character feels like every other character he has played like Riddick, Torreto, or Xander Cage just with a little bit of a mumble. Just like how Jim Carrey plays an Ace Ventura-like character in most of his comedic roles.
The plot revolves around Kaulder, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful Queen Witch, decimating her followers in the process.
I had initially planned to go and see this in the theatre with the wife back last year but I was still recovering from my pneumonia and after going for dinner and shopping I wasn’t feeling the greatest so we decided not to see the movie after all and headed home. I wanted to still see the movie but eventually had to wait for digital release to get a decent copy to watch and review and finally got my chance.
In the moments right before her death, the Queen curses Kaulder with her own immortality. Flash forward to the modern day, Kaulder is the only one of his kind remaining hunting down rogue witches. However, unbeknownst to Kaulder, the Queen Witch is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that determines the fate of the human race.
We aren’t talking an original type plot. Good versus evil with side order of vengeance with a couple centuries to allow the vengeance to fester a little bit. Just how the director gets from the beginning to the end of the story is flat and doesn’t involve the viewer into the film and you don’t feel invested into it. You get to the end of the movie and you are almost relieved it is over cause you can get back to what you were doing before the movie so rudely interrupted you.
It had a high production quality to it and looked really good. The effects were solid and they did a great job especially in the opening scenes. There is nothing worse especially for me in a film and that is the look of bad CGI and knowing it is bad CGI. It had a good polish to it but the plot behind all those effects was just lacking. Even with the perfect casting it couldn’t have saved this film and was inevitably going to fall on its face hard and it did exactly that as the numbers will show you.
It didn’t do well in the US Box Office at all not even reaching $30 million and worldwide totals $140 million. There must have been a couple of countries that liked it for some reason. It barely covered the budget of $90 million. I hear there is rumours of a second installment I don’t understand why that would be however. It’s rare a sequel will do better than the original and if you barely covered your budget why would you even take the chance or why would the producers take a chance on something like that. Who knows maybe it is all that just a rumour?
We can only hope as much.
Would I recommend this movie to buy? Not in the slightest. There are many more movies I would purchase well ahead of this and some of them might include a couple of copies of movies I have practically worn out from viewing too much. If that gives you any indication. Would I recommend it for a rent? Maybe in a rent one get one free scenario as the freebie sure. But I am thinking you would prolly have some better selections at that point. Hey someone has to watch these horrible movies to stop others from wasting their time. I need to get out of this slump of bad flicks. Maybe I should go and watch my new shiny Force Awakens Blu-Ray to cleanse the palate a little bit or perhaps an old comedic classic like Quest for the Holy Grail or Clue.
2 Beards out of 5