Based on Lena Kaaberbøl’s children’s book series, this disappointing adaptation is heavy on the scares but doesn’t deliver much else. It has weak dialogue and a plot that jumps all over the place – characters disappear and reappear with little explanation. that said, Wildwitch it benefits from some breathtaking scenery (it was filmed in the Hungarian countryside). But the film thrives, with repetitive cuts of Clara teaching herself how to be a wild witch akin to an endless yoga class. Lifschitz’s evil witch, Kimæra, is truly terrifying, but even her showdown with Clara feels anticlimactic.

It’s refreshing to see a predominantly female cast in a film. But their conversations sound fake, and the scenes involving Clara and her school friends seem contrived – perhaps a reflection of the fact that the script and direction were written by men. Kaaberbøl’s books have been successfully retold on the big screen before (see Shamer’s daughter). unfortunately, Wildwitch does not fall into this category.