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Life's a Witch

Halloween may be over but Vin Diesel's "The Last Witch Hunter" is still worth checking out for anyone on the lookout for a solid Friday night bucket-of-popcorn-and-feet-up-on-the-seats trip to the local cinema.  There's nothing artistically groundbreaking here, but director Breck Eisner ("The Crazies") has a solid approach that effectively balances full-tilt action sequences with smaller character-based moments, and if he doesn't exactly put a new coat of paint on the age-old story of good vs. evil at least he's manages to touch up the trim.  "Witch Hunter" is something of a mélange, with elements of horror stories and fairy tales, and it's also a mystery and a bit of a revenge tale.  There's always something to look at here, and Mr. Diesel, as titular witch hunter Kaulder, provides a strong center for the kaleidoscope of action to revolve around.

A run-in with the vengeful Witch Queen (Julie Engelbrecht) some 800 years earlier has cursed Kaulder with immortality, and he's made the best of this unhappy situation by becoming a sort of supernaturally-focused enforcer/detective.  He helps to keep the peace between witches - yes, they exist - and the modern human world by tracking down those who break a worldwide prohibition against spellcasting.  He's got a squire of sorts in Dolan (Michael Caine), who helps with research, keeps a historical record of Kaulder's adventures, and gently reminds his world-weary boss not to lose touch with his humanity.  It seems that Dolan's not really a name, it's more of a position, and as Mr. Caine's Dolan 36 is about to retire, Dolan 37 (Elijah Wood) is preparing to step up.  But peaceful retirement isn't in the Tarot cards, and when 36 is attacked by a mysterious assailant, Kaulder and 37 are on the case...and this time it's personal.

Well, yes, it is personal, but "Witch Hunter" isn't self-conscious enough to put that sort of a spin on the proceedings - and that's actually a plus.  There are no puns or quips for Kaulder, just a dogged dedication to his mission, and a never quite extinguished ache for the wife and child he lost when he became immortal.  Mr. Diesel is a solid choice for the role of Kaulder: he deftly maneuvers the many, occasionally chaotic action sequences without ever being overwhelmed by the wall-to-wall CGI, and he's got a surprisingly good handle on the mix of bravado and world-weariness one might expect of an 800 year old crusader who's pretty much seen it all.  He's also got a boatload of charisma, which certainly helps.

The entire cast of "Witch Hunter" is better than you might expect, and they help to alchemize what is ostensibly Saturday serial fare into something of greater worth.  Mr. Caine has a characteristic twinkle in his eye as Dolan 36, and some of the same energy he brought to his turn as Alfred in Christopher Nolan's "Batman" saga.  In his mid-30s Elijah Wood remains fresh-faced enough to ably essay the ingénue role, and his backstory as Dolan 37, though briefly mentioned, adds an unexpected twist to the proceedings.  Rose Leslie rounds things out as Chloe, a sorceress who teams up with Kaulder after she's compelled to help him dream his way into some hidden memories from his former life.  She's strong-willed enough to be a believable foil for Mr. Diesel's Kaulder, and she continues to display the plucky, off-kilter charm that made her a fan favorite on "Game of Thrones".

Mr. Eisner has a knack for keeping things moving so big set pieces never weigh down the proceedings.  He also helps his cast to elevate potentially preposterous material without overplaying it.  He pulled off much the same trick in 2010's "The Crazies", where leading man Timothy Olyphant remained heroically believable whether skittering away from a buzzing bonesaw or fighting off a madman wielding a pitchfork.  It's no surprise that "Witch Hunter" ends on a note that more or less telegraphs a sequel, and if the same team assembles for Kaulder's next adventure, the idea of a "Witch Hunter" franchise might not be a bad thing at all.