whenever Anne Hathaway's on screen, the film comes to life; there's enough zip and zest to make it a fun Halloween treat, and the notion that there are sinister witches among us remains an effectively spooky one
the special effects are first-rate and the performances are way over the top yet entertaining, but "The Witches" is far too disturbing for young children and not edgy enough to captivate adults
still Zemeckis has done a fine job with the film on the whole, which was a much-needed win after the dreadful "Welcome to Marwen". It's not going to be as iconic as Roeg's, but it should provide some nice family entertainment at home for Halloween
Robert Zemeckis and Anne Hathaway are clearly having great fun with this magical, maniacal tale. The perfect Halloween treat, with just the right amount of trick in the mix
Roald Dahl reboot fails to cast the original's magic spell; Robert Zemeckis's retelling of the wicked children's story feels more grumpy than scary, while its comedy veers between frantic and strained
HBO Max's remake of 'The Witches' with Anne Hathaway nails the camp, but fails to scare; Maybe it's aimed at younger children than the original (and certainly the book), but Zemeckis, a co-writer of the script, sweetens the story too much
colorful and faithful, "The Witches" will surely enchant and frighten young viewers, though their parents might wish for more padding within the story; "The Witches" can charm fans of the source material, but it ultimately doesn't offer anything new
bewitching enough; Robert Zemeckis' mostly captivating remake; The energy level could be more consistent and the climactic action and ending less rushed, but there's sufficient charm and invention to make it work