Quickie Review: Hanna

I got a chance to see Hanna with my brother and sister the other day and thought I would offer some short, but sweet thoughts.

Plot:  Living in the middle of nowhere, Hanna is raised by her father, Erik, to be a skilled soldier in order to assassinate the woman who killed her mother.  When Hanna is ready, they activate a distress beacon and put a plan into action.  But Hanna must venture out into the real world with all its luxuries and technologies — a world she knows little about.

Pros:  Hanna is an action-packed thriller which shows why Saoirse Ronan is one of the best young
actresses in Hollywood.  She is simply brilliant in this film (with her German accent and perfectly stunned expressions when she’s shown something her character has never seen).  Cate Blanchett is equally amazing as the psychotic Melissa, and Tom Hollander (Beckett from Pirates of the Caribbean) puts on one of the creepiest performances I’ve ever seen.

Cons:  Honestly, I thought the soundtrack (by The Chemical Brothers) was lackluster and, at times, overbearing.  Half of the background noise involved annoying groaning electronic noises with drum machine rhythms.  The film really deserved a better soundtrack.

I also thought that the ending left a lot to be desired.  There’s a major twist towards the end, but it needed more development in the actual story.  Likewise, some of the action involving Bana looked forced.

Overall:  The film is entertaining.  The plot moves quickly, the characters are fascinating, and the concept is slightly science fictional — all good things for readers of this blog.

Directing: 3/5
Cast: 5/5
Writing: 3/5
Visuals: 4/5
Adaptation: N/A
Value:  $6.50
Overall: 3.75/5