Parents' Guide to Wildwitch (Vildheks)

Based on Lene Kaaberbøl's children's book series, this disappointing adaption is heavy on scares but delivers little else. It has poor dialogue and a plot that jumps all over the place -- characters disappear and reappear with little explanation. That said, Wildwitch does benefit from some breathtaking scenery (it was shot in the Hungarian countryside). But the movie plods, with the repetitive set pieces of Clara being taught how to be a wild witch resembling a never-ending yoga class. Lifschitz's evil witch, Kimæra, is genuinely terrifying, but even her showdown with Clara feels like an anti-climax.

It's refreshing to see the film's predominantly female cast. But their conversations ring false, and the scenes involving Clara and her female school friends feel contrived -- perhaps a reflection that the screenplay and direction were handled by men. Kaaberbøl's books have been successfully retold on the big screen before (see The Shamer's Daughter). Unfortunately, Wildwitch doesn't fall into this category.