Rumpelstiltskin (2025) - Film Review

      Rumpelstiltskin, 2025.

      Directed by Andy Edwards.

      Featuring Hannah Baxter-Eve, Joss Carter, Adrian Bouchet, Colin Malone, James Dance, and Evyn George.

      SYNOPSIS:

      A contemporary reimagining of the timeless Brothers Grimm fairy tale, though with a more explicit language.

      What? Another beloved childhood story being turned into a low-budget horror film? While this may not be Winnie the Pooh, Popeye, or Mickey Mouse, it’s inspired by a fairy tale that, if one dares to read the original Brothers Grimm text rather than the sanitized Penguin Books versions we grew up with, reveals a darker and more gruesome narrative. A fitting basis for some fun, right?

      Well, somewhat, as Rumpelstiltskin presents itself as a horror film reminiscent of the Leprechaun and Wishmaster series, featuring a folkloric character transformed into a grotesque figure with creative makeup, unleashed upon unsuspecting victims to employ his magic for his desires.

      However, these films reimagine ancient demonic figures in a contemporary setting, whereas this film serves as a fairly straightforward adaptation of the original tale, placed in a medieval backdrop brimming with magic and wonder. It would have embraced that fantastical element if the budget allowed for it, but it doesn’t, leaving us with an ambitious film that struggles to realize its full potential due to financial limitations. Consequently, the script is slightly modified to incorporate some, let’s say, colorful language that may not have been entirely out of place for the period depicted.

      For anyone unfamiliar with Rumpelstiltskin’s tale, the storyline revolves around a King (Colin Malone) who desires a son to continue his lineage and selects the beautiful yet promiscuous peasant girl Evalina (Hannah Baxter-Eve) as his bride after being deceived into believing she can spin gold from straw. While imprisoned in the castle, Evalina encounters a troll-like creature (Joss Carter) who offers to spin enough gold to please the King in exchange for her first-born child.

      Things proceed favorably for Evalina when the King accepts her gold-spinning abilities and marries her, but when she delivers a son, the troll returns to claim his reward. Evalina attempts to evade the deal, but if she can guess the troll’s name, she can keep her child.

      The film remains quite faithful to the original story, and it’s important to note that both Joss Carter and Hannah Baxter-Eve give stellar performances that bring the script to life. Carter, in particular, is impressively agile as Rumpelstiltskin, infusing the film with his menacing yet comedic presence. However, to compensate for its limitations in visual effects, the dialogue is sprinkled with explicit language in what seems to be an effort to steer clear of a PG rating; aside from a brief instance of female nudity, there’s little else likely to cause significant discomfort as the film is nearly bloodless, and the CGI effects for Rumpelstiltskin's forest demon master are unlikely to rival the work of Industrial Light & Magic. While they are not atrocious for the budget, they come off as overly cartoonish to pose any genuine threat.

      Nevertheless, there are numerous positive aspects to appreciate in this film, provided you manage your expectations. Rumpelstiltskin’s design is impressive, the costumes echo a level of craftsmanship akin to Robin of Sherwood, exhibiting attention to detail that might be overlooked in higher-budget productions, and the pacing is brisk without becoming mired in the mythology that often plagues adaptations of literary works. However, by the end, after the subpar visuals, attempts at edginess in dialogue, and a final act that feels hurried and unsatisfactory, Rumpelstiltskin appears as a missed chance for a truly brutal and gritty interpretation of the material, mirroring what The Brothers Grimm would have envisioned. Ultimately, much like the film’s budget, viewers might feel somewhat shortchanged when all is said and done.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Chris Ward