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Saoirse Ronan is brilliant in the action thriller “Hanna,” and delivers a vengeful-yet-innocent performance. She is complimented by the extraordinary Cate Blanchet, who turns in a cold-hearted performance unlike any in her career.
Joe Wright (“Atonement”) thrives as the director, mixing a wild story and outstanding cinematography that involves a mix of colorful characters and intense action.
The blending of all of these components makes “Hanna” a treat of a film.
Ronan plays the titled character Hanna, a girl that is coming of age despite her unique upbringing. She is bred as a warrior in a North Finland forest by her father (Eric Bana), kept isolated from the outside world of technology and society.
Curiosity gets the better of her though, and she quickly realizes that she is part of a government plan run by a woman named Marissa (Blanchett).
Marissa holds a grudge against children and feels no pity, while forcing Hanna back into the government-run program.
What follows is a wildly mature look at the peacefully surreal world of a child within a mad hunting and revenge movie.
Hanna barely has time to enjoy the scenery of Europe before she is nearly subdued by her enemies.
As Hanna grows up without her father, she meets her very first friend, first possible love interest, and really, the first human beings besides her father. While these scenes are touching, watching a young girl take her first step into the real world and awkwardly placing herself within it, there is plenty more that “Hanna” has to offer.
Car chases, fight scenes, bullets everywhere, and violence balance the otherwise innocent Hanna.
This is also one of those movies where one feels as if they are reading a novel; there are subtle yet present uses of rhetoric-like symbolism and foreshadowing. This makes the movie even stronger in its presentation.
The characters are astoundingly perfected. Marissa has a tendency to keep her teeth clean; this is highlighted during one of the more intense moments of the villain’s life as she brushes her teeth so hard her gums start bleeding. Side villains creepily resemble clowns as they dance around scenes, whistling eerie tunes before they kill someone.
“Hanna” is violent, dark, and full of vengeance. That does not stop the movie from touching the audience’s hearts, nor does it retract from the film’s nearly flawless storytelling.
Standing next to “Rango” and “Source Code”, “Hanna” is one of the best films of the year. While it may be disturbing for some, the uniqueness of the film will set itself apart from the other mostly lackluster movies coming out this season.
It’s hard to give it an exact grade, but this movie is deserving of high praise.
