Secret Magic Control Agency

 

A few days before the King's (Thompson) birthday, he is kidnapped by black magic.  The guards are unable to rescue him and the Prime Minister (Mike Pollock) turns to the Secret Magic Control Agency for help.  The Secret Magic Control Agency (SMAC) covertly watches all magicians in the kingdom.  They know every spell, potion, and trick that the magic community performs.  Even they are stumped by the King's disappearance.

The leader of the SMAC, Agent Stepmother (Reilly), wants to try a new strategy: look at the crime from the criminal's perspective.  Agent Gretel (Shaw) is ordered to arrest her famous magican brother Hansel (Corda).  Gretel is a serious, by-the-books agent, working hard to become the Best Agent.  Hansel is a charlatan and con-artist, who likes a good spectacle.  Agent Stepmother asks the siblings to work together to find the King.

They reluctantly agree to work together.  Their clashing investigation methods lead to an accident with magic potions, turning them back into children.  Can the siblings put aside their animosity to find the King and save the kingdom?

The film, by produced by Wizart Animation, is based on the Hansel and Gretel fairytale.  It has all of the main points of the story, while adding a fresh spin.

The Good:

This is clearly a family film.  It is bright and colorful, not too scary, and encourages the bonds of family.  The film is a nice mix of fantasy, fairytale, and spy movie.  It keeps the story from veering into some of the darker images/themes from the classic fairytale.  There is lots of humor, without talking down to the audience or boring the adults.

The Bad:

Elvira's confectionary minions.  They have cartoonishly big eyes, speak in gibberish, and don't really contribute to the story.  The cupcakes are a cute idea (like the Despicable Me Minions), but are annoying.  The gingerbread men and licorice ladies don't really do much.

Other Comments:

-I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.  I know the Hansel and Gretel story, and I enjoyed the ways this film used the story as a template, without being a scene by scene retelling.

-The villains - Baba Yaga and Elvira - cover the main characteristics of the villain from the fairytale.  Baba Yaga is the witch that wants to eat kids and Elvira is the candy/baking witch.

-The SMCA is a great idea and gives them lots of material if they want to expand the world.

-The end of the film teases a future case, recalling another Brothers Grimm fairytale.  I would love to see their take on other beloved fairytales.

Secret Magic Control Agency (2021) 104 minutes

Director: Alexey Tsitsilin

Starring: Nicholas Corda as Hansel

Sylvana Joyce as Gretel

Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld as young Hansel

Courtney Shaw as young Gretel

Erica Schroeder as Elvira

Marc Thompson as King

Georgette Reilly as Agent Stepmother

Johanna Elmina Moise as Agent Stepdaughter