The Last Witch Hunter
                            
Director: Breck Eisner
Year: 2015
Rating: 5.5
I am just surprised that this film hasn't become a franchise yet - not that it is that good but it seems that everything Vin Diesel touches turns into franchise gold - Fast and Furious, Riddick, Guardians of the Galaxy, Xander Cage - it is really quite amazing and all of them are fairly good on a simplistic entertainment level. The ending of this one was certainly set up with a sequel in mind. We seem to be in a world where us stupid human are living among wizards, vampires, werewolves, demons, assassins, witches and witch hunters and are not even aware of it. We live in a one-dimensional world missing all the darkness around us. Or so many films over the past number of years would make us believe. Not sure if it all started with Harry Potter but it has caught on. If only the world really had magic.

 

In this one, there are witches among us - but fortunately there has been a treaty between the Axe and Cross (Christians) and witches that they can practice their magic but not against humans. Leaving children's parties, I guess. If they break this treaty, they get the Witch Hunter Kaulder (Van Diesel) to punish them. He seems to be the only Witch Hunter on earth but has been around for 800-years killing witches because when he killed the Witch Queen - a rather ugly wench - he became immortal. The wonderful Michael Caine plays his Dolan - his handler and friend - kind of like Alfred to Batman. He is the 36th Dolan - they are not immortal, but he has been doing this for 50-years and wants to retire. His successor is Elijah Wood who has the annoying habit of wearing turtleneck sweaters.

 

Anyway, witches will be witches and Dark Magic is just so much fun and there is a plan to bring back the Witch Queen to lay the land low. with a pestilence. Only Kaulder can stop this and he picks up the help of a cute witch (Rose Leslie - Game of Thrones) who is a Dream Walker and owns a witch bar where witches can all hang out practicing spells. As expected, this is loaded down with CGI and as expected it goes overboard at times. But all in good fun. Just happy to see Michael Caine. Clearly, the Witch Queen was able to unleash Covid before being smitten by the Witch Hunter.