Directed by Joe Wright, Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, & Cate Blanchett. Hanna (2011)
What’s It About?
IMDB says:“A 16-year-old who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives.“
What We Thought:
Lindsay: Joe Wright, director of Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, brings us something a little different with Hanna. Hanna is best summed up as a coming-of-age, action fairy tale. If the sound of that intrigues you, then Hanna will definitely entertain. Wright directs some gorgeously dark yet sweet scenes and The Chemical Brothers booming soundtrack is one of the best you will hear this year. But it’s Hanna’s Hanna, played by Saoirse Ronan, that outshines everything else in the film. She is once again outstanding and is able to give a character so much dimension by committing to the role and acting subtly in scenes with no dialogue. She’s a marvel to watch as she out fights men twice her size and is simultaneously bewildered at the modern world she has never known. Other pluses include a surprising performance from Eric Bana, and an over-exaggerated but fitting performance from Cate Blanchett.
Jessica: Hanna was definitely one of the movies I had been really excited for in this lackluster year. I was hoping for a movie that had a lot of action and was very stylish. This movie delivered on both accounts, and added something I wasn’t exactly expecting: heart. Not that this movie was super emotional by any means, but it had enough for you to invest in the character Hanna as more than a kickass teenager. Watching Joe Wright’s direction is very enjoyable and you can tell in his films the care he puts into every shot. A huge high point in this movie is the score by The Chemical Brothers, and the tune attached to Tom Hollander’s character is a special treat. I have to agree with Lindsay that the best part of this movie is Saoirse Ronan’s performance. She is always provocative in her roles and has great talent.
61-89% = Really enjoyable movie. It may not be perfect in all aspects but it was worth the watch.
