X
  • 2020
  • PG
  • HBO Max
  • 1 h 46 m
  • 2020
  • PG
  • HBO Max
  • 1 h 46 m

Summary Reimagining Roald Dahl's 1983 children's novel for a modern audience, The Witches tells the darkly humorous and heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy (Jahzir Kadeem Bruno) who, in late 1967, goes to live with his loving Grandma (Octavia Spencer) in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some de...

Directed By: Robert Zemeckis

Written By: Kenya Barris, Guillermo del Toro, Roald Dahl, Robert Zemeckis

  • 2020
  • PG
  • HBO Max
  • 1 h 46 m
  • 2020
  • PG
  • HBO Max
  • 1 h 46 m

The Witches

Metascore Mixed or Average Based on 31 Critic Reviews
47
User Score Mixed or Average Based on 111 User Ratings
4.7
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Summary Reimagining Roald Dahl's 1983 children's novel for a modern audience, The Witches tells the darkly humorous and heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy (Jahzir Kadeem Bruno) who, in late 1967, goes to live with his loving Grandma (Octavia Spencer) in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some de...

Directed By: Robert Zemeckis

Written By: Kenya Barris, Guillermo del Toro, Roald Dahl, Robert Zemeckis

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 31 Critic Reviews
47
26% Positive
8 Reviews
55% Mixed
17 Reviews
19% Negative
6 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 31 Critic Reviews
47
26% Positive
8 Reviews
55% Mixed
17 Reviews
19% Negative
6 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
75
Oct 21, 2020
There are just enough goodies here for parents and well-prepared kiddies alike. The nifty VFX, performances, and modern updates are what make this remake an easy-enough treat.
By Blake Goble FULL REVIEW
65
Oct 21, 2020
This kiddie horror comedy will bring a bracing dollop of creepiness to your Halloween.
By Alonso Duralde FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 111 User Ratings
4.7
29% Positive
32 Ratings
31% Mixed
34 Ratings
41% Negative
45 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 111 User Ratings
4.7
29% Positive
32 Ratings
31% Mixed
34 Ratings
41% Negative
45 Ratings

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
10
Dilary
Jan 1, 2023
Es muy difícil superar la película Clásica, pero supieron como llevar la historia muy bien, si bien no logra ser tan buena como el clásico, no está nada mal.
Report
10
ameliabuf
Nov 26, 2020
The movie was fun and exciting to me. In my opinion, Anne Hathaway did a marvelous job of portraying her character. She is such a brilliant actress that is so talented. To me, the movie was very exciting and worthy of applause.
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60
Oct 21, 2020
I would love to have seen what a boldly idiosyncratic fantasist like del Toro could have done with this story. But there's plenty here for audiences looking for family entertainment that balances darkness with a buoyant sense of mischief. At the very least, it's a lively step up from Zemeckis' last two films, "Allied" and "Welcome to Marwen."
By David Rooney FULL REVIEW
50
Oct 23, 2020
It’s the same basic story recycled with slightly better special effects and a different cast. As lukewarm as I was toward the Roeg version, I was open to the possibility that Zemeckis could improve upon it – something he proved unable to do.
By James Berardinelli FULL REVIEW
50
Oct 21, 2020
Zemeckis turns this beloved, dark story into a campy, weird, yet still fairly entertaining kid-friendly story of accepting oneself. The problem is that it pales in comparison to what came before.
By Rafael Motamayor FULL REVIEW
38
Oct 23, 2020
This is a sleek-looking vehicle that’s eager to be scary but not comfortable being ugly.
By Chris Barsanti FULL REVIEW
20
Oct 22, 2020
What was weirdly but deliciously scary has grown ponderously out of scale, even for witches at their malign worst.
By Joe Morgenstern FULL REVIEW
See All 31 Critic Reviews
10
sitirafeahwdt
Nov 23, 2020
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
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6
Voodoo123
Dec 18, 2022
Another high budget adaptation of a children's book. Zemekis chooses to focus on sweeping 3d camerawork and digital visual effects throughout the movie. Sadly there is something lacking in the small changes to the setting and plot that take away from the flavour of the original book in my opinion. Octavia is fantastic throughout but Chris rock as the grown narrator felt like mis casting to me. Minor gripes aside it was a fun 'switch off' and watch film.
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6
Blueiscool
Dec 28, 2020
Okay movie with okay performances. Overall with a ploy that should be serious, the filmmakers make it really silly.
Report
3
Oz_Momotaro
Sep 25, 2021
This is a hot mess of a movie that is fundamentally rotten at its core. Firstly, the story is clearly suited to children, especially around 8-12 yo, however they have overlayed an almost horror-esque SFX take that is actively disturbing rather than suggestively scary. Then there Anne Hathaway's character - possibly the worst acting I've seen (and making me think she was entirely a CG actor... please learn how to do accents). Finally there was the overall structure of the movie... it was just cartoonish to the point of absurdity. The fact this is based on a Dahl book doesn't matter - it's a horrible movie, and one I think was more scarring to our kids in an almost sadistic and creepy way. This was a huge missed opportunity...
Report
3
bertobellamy
Nov 8, 2020
A soulless remake that may be too frightening for kids and too dumb for adults. The lack of charisma in the young actors and the overuse of CGI makes the previous film superior on every level. The only good thing about this movie is the presence of Hathaway and Spencer, whose scenes are the funniest. There's also an important racial subtext at the beginning, but Zemeckis and del Toro don't develop it further.
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Details

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Production Company Warner Bros., ImageMovers, Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC), Double Dare You (DDY), Esperanto Filmoj, Necropia Entertainment, The Jim Henson Company
Release Date Oct 22, 2020
Duration 1 h 46 m
Rating PG
Genres
Tagline Witches Are Real!
Website https://www.hbomax.com/the-witches
View All Details

Awards

Visual Effects Society Awards
• 3 Nominations
Image Awards (NAACP)
• 2 Nominations
International Film Music Critics Award (IFMCA)
• 1 Nomination

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