The Witches Review: 4 Ups & 6 Downs

3. The Promising Social Commentary

The one major change Zemeckis' version makes to the story is shifting the setting from 1980s England to 1960s Alabama, an inspired idea which if nothing else helps distinguish this take from what came before.

And for a time, it certainly opens up some ripe avenues for dishy social commentary.

Protagonist Charlie's (Jahzir Kadeem Bruno) grandmother Agatha (Octavia Spencer) mentions early on that the witches tend to prey on poor people, and that they're heading to the Grand Orleans Imperial Island Hotel for refuge because, in her own words, "there ain't nothing but rich white folks" at the hotel.

The implication is clear - the fact it's set in '60s southern America surely being no coincidence - and though Zemeckis doesn't linger on this aspect for long, it does lend the film its own unique flavour for a time.

Furthermore, countless scenes show that the hotel's maids, handymen, and bar staff are largely black people, implying the multi-faceted class dynamics at play in a world where the poor also have to worry about being preyed upon by witches.