It's hard to know where to begin with Hanna. The movie certainly isn't what you expect and it definitely isn't what I'd call a feel-good film. At its core it's dark and edgy with a relentless soundtrack that's just a little heavy handed at times. If I had to pick any single guiding influence on this movie it would have to be Clockwork Orange, just because of the cinematography, pacing, and atmosphere. There is definitely a British feel to the movie, a lot of which can probably be attributed to director Joe Wright. Wright hasn't got a lot of work under his belt thus far, but what he has done has been good and he was definitely branching out of drama and into action going from easily recognized titles like Atonement and Pride and Prejudice to Hanna.
Hanna doesn't have any definitive problems as a film, the directing is fine, the cinematography is good and the plot, in spite of a few nagging holes, doesn't completely fall through at any point. The main thing I see as an issue for Hanna is that when Joe Wright went from drama to action, that gear shift was a little clunky. There are drama elements within the film that don't feel like they completely fit and some of the action sequences felt like they could have been much more aggressive.
One thing I would like to say strongly in Hanna's favor at this point is that although it was operating under a PG-13 rating, it didn't fail to make the most of its material. Where Sucker Punch made all these grand promises and simply didn't deliver, Hanna makes reasonable promises and delivers....... well to be honest something a little strange. From one point of view Hanna makes perfect sense and that point of view is that of Hanna herself. If you look at the entire movie from the context of someone who was raised in the wilderness with limited human interaction and no connection to the outside world, all the jarring, overwhelming and chaotic elements of the film suddenly make sense.
Just a few brief words on the cast here: Cate Blanchett is an excellent villain with a good amount of depth and substance given the amount of screen time she has, Eric Bana does well enough with the part that he has to play and our leading lady Soairse Ronan (something curious about that last name...hmm) turns in a solid performance for a part that must have been physically very demanding, if not a dramatic departure from work she's done in the past.
So bottom line: Hanna isn't for everyone, if you're looking for formula action or you hated Clockwork Orange, this isn't for you. I also wouldn't suggest this movie for younger audiences, even if it is PG-13. However, if you're up for something strange and different, Hanna might be just the trick for you.
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