Secret Magic Control Agencyby Patti MartinsonReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Studio
Credits Grade: 6 Set in a fairytale universe, Gretel is a rising agent in the Secret Magic Control Agency, which places strict control over magic and magicians in the land. A king is kidnapped through magical means, and Gretel and the Agency are stumped. They turn to Gretel's brother, Hansel, a magician and charlatan, to assist. Gretel, a straight-as-an-arrow agent, is not thrilled to be forced to work with her more lackadaisical brother, and things don't improve when they magically get turned back into children.Having Hansel and Gretel as grown-up, squabbling siblings is not exactly a ground-breaking idea, but I thought it was a pretty solid foundation for all sorts of comedic and dramatic shenanigans, perfectly suited for a children's movie. We see from the beginning that Gretel is a driven individual, wanting to become the best agent in the agency, in part to live up to the legacy of their late parents. She has a strong character arc, clearly learning to value Hansel and family ties. While I kinda like the movie overall, a major fault that I couldn't overlook was the character of Hansel. Hansel's motivations and arc, however, is non-existent. We see he has a good heart, and some out-of-the-box thinking that saves the day, and he supports his sister more that his sister supports him. But we never really learn much of anything else about him, his goals, or his purpose. So he sort of just exists as the rascally foil for his stiff-upper-lip sister. By the time the end credits roll around, Gretel is better person, but Hansel is the same as he was at the beginning, so the ending didn't really satisfy me. A premise that is kinda entertaining, but didn't leave me feeling satisfied. Written: April 4, 2021
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