The Last Witch Hunter

Story: In days of old, when magic filled the air, a battle took place between witch hunters and witches. During that battle, a hunter named Kaulder (Diesel) was ‘cursed’ with eternal mortality by the Witch Queen. In the present day, the threat of witches has not vanished, and he finds himself on a mission to destroy the Witch Queen (Engelbrecht) who is bent on wiping out humanity.

Review: In the modern world, witches are allowed to go about their business on one condition – that they do not harm humans. Kaulder has been hunting witches for centuries – 800 years, as he keeps reminding us – and is aided by his wise priest partner, Dolan the 36th (Caine). The two could not have made an odder pair. The sagely Dolan speaks with a quiet confidence, dishing out advice and witticisms to Kaulder.



However, Dolan gets bumped off by a powerful sorcerer named Belial (Ólafssron), and so, Kaulder gets a new partner, by the name of Dolan the 37th (Wood), who comes across as a bit if a bumbling oaf at first, but soon picks up on the tricks of the trade.

Kaulder is out to avenge Dolan the 36th’ by taking out Belial, whose main mission is to resurrect the decidedly diabolical Witch Queen. Kaulder also partners with an absinthe-swigging ‘dream walker’ named Chloe (Leslie) and together, Kaulder, Chloe and Dolan the 37th form a kind of ‘dream team’.

Vin Diesel and subtlety don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand. Accordingly, there are acrobatic battles with flaming swords, blazing shotguns and CGI ghouls aplenty. Caine and Wood dial in their performances but it’s Rose Leslie who is in form here; her character could have been explored in greater depth. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets End Of Days and add a bit of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and the end result would probably come close to what Witch Hunter is somewhat about. That aside though, the special effects are noteworthy and then of course, there are Vin Diesel’s heroics, which comprise the two reasons why you’d probably watch this one.