Movie: Hanna (2011)

Adapt or Die

Hanna (2011) is an action-suspense thriller set in Finland and Germany, directed by Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, The Soloist).

Synopsis: A young girl, Hanna (Saoirse Ronan from The Lovely Bones) lives with her father, Erik Heller (Eric Bana) in the harsh wilderness of Finland without connections to the outside world. He raises her as an assassin with all of the skills necessary to kill his long-time rival, Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett).

This movie is a success for Saiorse Ronan who's a rising young female action star. As Hanna, Ronan displays unusual capabilities and expertise in one-on-one combats, even with men twice her size. Her lack of exposure to the outside world causes her to act like a goon in a bewildered state of mind as she travels across Finland, Morocco, Spain, and Germany. Her ability to converse in a few languages fluently is captivating. Overall, Ronan's performance is fantastic for an actress her age.

Needless to say, Oscar-winning Cate Blanchett as the icy, redhead agent Wiegler sends chills down your spine. Coldblooded and ruthless, she does everything in her will, even if she has to team up with assassins outside the boundary of law, to wipe off Erik and Hanna's existence from the face of the earth.

The winning elements of this movie are the crisply choreographed and intense action sequences coupled with an incredible score by The Chemical Brothers. The score complements very well with slow-mo and stylish yet intense fight compositions. You could feel a wide spectrum of emotions - joy, hope, fear, bewilderment, tension, etc. The soundtrack is praised for its mix of violence and innocence that brings forth the uniqueness of this movie.

My beef is with the weak storyline. It'd be much better if the back story is given more onscreen exposure compared to the cat-and-mouse game among Hanna, Erik, and Wiegler. Hanna's character needs more development, not just a few minutes of verbal explanation of who she is. We can hardly relate to her and feel her torment.

Recommended for action junkies. Saoirse Ronan is no Angelina Jolie but given another 5 years or so, she'll be the next action star.