THE PLOT THUS FAR
When a bank heist in the city doesn’t all go according to plan, José and Tony find themselves in possession of some hostages and speeding through the mountains of Spain, hoping to quietly slip over the border. Not wanting to give up his custody days to his ex-wife, José has also brought his son along for both the robbery and the ride. Little do they know that this is only the beginning of their troubles, as they soon make a stop in a small tavern in the Basque countryside and find themselves the honored guests of a fractured family of witches who are preparing for an ancient ritual. Director Alex de la Iglesia (As Luck Would Have It, The Last Circus) serves up laughs, action and thrills in this visually inventive comedy that builds towards a jaw-dropping climax with plenty of scares and surprises along the way.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Witching & Bitching” is a crime movie about jewel thieves who get caught by a coven of witches. The guys are creeps and usual criminal scumbags. However, they get lost while fleeing the crime scene and stumble into the site of a former witch hunt. It’s not long before these hidden witches are teaching the men that they aren’t to be taken lightly. From there, it turns into a brutal horror fest with a ton of black humor.
Supernatural crime is catching up in favor among film fans. Honestly, I’m not super keen on the material, but I’m willing to give the guys that created “The Last Circus” a break. While I appreciate the horror elements, I love that the opening heist was shot with the power of a Michael Mann feature. The constant balancing act between genres might turn off some people, but I hope they can get around it. You’d be missing out on a quality film.
The DVD comes with featurettes and a trailer as the special features. The A/V Quality works for standard definition. The transfer presents rich color detail that’s unusual for standard definition. Plus, the Dolby 5.1 track really kicks in for some of the effects. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to the curious.
RELEASE DATE: 10/14/2014