Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

best movie i've ever seen.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

When I first heard of this movie, I was expecting something exactly like the book. But this wasn't a replica, this was an adaption. This was a very well made adaption, even though it didn't get really good reviews. I would consider this to be a highly underrated motion picture. Of course, it could have been made much better, but considering the cast picked, and the way they adapted the characters; that's why I say that it could have been better. Besides all of that, this is a really good film.

I really tried to give this movie a chance after reading other people's reviews. I haven't seen it as a kid, so I have no fond memories clouding my judgement so to speak. I coudn't even sit through it, though I generally love 80's and 90's family fantasy films. This one is an unwatchable mess, especially if compared to the quality of acting and directing seen in other films of the same genre in that era. Better acting could aid the film maybe somewhat; the actress who portrays Grandma is so awful, it breaks the disbelief dramatically. The narrative is very uneven and contradicting: some parts are overly dragged out or simply nonsensical (the runaway stroller scene does not advance the plot none), other parts which are supposed to be mysterious and magical (Grandma telling Luke the story about the little girl spirited away or the famous witch convention scene) are not scary in a good fun spooky sort of way, but more in a high fever delirium way, which is needless to say not appropriate for children and quite honestly unsettling for an adult. It seems as if the writers couldn't not decide on the genre of the film. It watches like a horror mystery at times akin to The Shining or Omen, for example when Grandma says to the parents of the "fat" kid turned into a mouse: "I got your son in my purse here, he was altered a bit", or when witches catch Luke and feed him "the formula", the mood of the scene is just unnecessarily surreal and creepy in the general framework of the story. At other times you are sitting there just annoyed at non funny repetitive jokes about the "fat" kid eating all the time because that is the only character definition he gets, people being constantly driven to the heights of panic over pet mice or the hotel manager rolling out of the towel closet with the maid (really?). Anjelica Houston is great for the role, but unfortunately the part does not give her acting ability justice. Overall it seems to be a very weak effort overall, do not waste your time on this one, watch The Addams Family (with aforementioned glorious Anjelica Houston) or Hocus Pocus (with really cool witches and great children actors) instead.

Overall: I known 4/10 seems quite low but in Gods honest truth, I didn't enjoy this movie half as much as some other Dahl movies. Entertaining? yes; worth a watch? Yes; 100% Rotten Tomatoes? I think this is a stretch. I would recommend a one time watch with this movie but just don't think about it at all.Good: The effects would have been good for it's time but do feel quite dated today. The music and cinematography is excellent and miles better than expected. It entertains you from start to finish and I was never bored purse. The pacing is decently done. They definitely made the witches look revolting even by today's standards.Bad: As stated above, the effects are sub par today but that can't be helped. The characters aren't interesting nor is the sub par acting that lifts them of the page. An absurd number of plot holes and inconsistencies that I actually lost count while watching. The ending was clearly done last minute and was just done to make it all nice and happy. It doesn't feel like it knows what it's doing; the concept of magic and evil witches could be good for children but the content is more suitable for older audiences who wouldn't be interested.Best Part: The grand and disturbing unveiling of the witches beneath their masks.4/10

The Witches The most utilized potion in a witch's repertoire must be the starchy brew used to get their hats so pointy.However, the hags in this fantasy are more interested in a new concoction that turns children into mice.On his birthday, recently orphaned Luke (Jasen Fisher) heads to the shore with his ailing grandmother (Mai Zetterling).Checked-in at the same seaside resort as a convention of witches, Luke's exposed to a new serum that transforms him into a mouse.While the Grand High Witch (Anjelica Houston) and the rest of the coven try to exterminate him, Luke hatches a plan to give them a taste of their own medicine.Based on Roald Dahl's book, The Witches contains his trademark dark wit and an imaginative narrative, all of which are accentuated by Jim Henson's witch designs.Furthermore, with their surplus of brooms, the witches can clean hotel rooms for free board.Green Light vidiotreviews.blogspot.com