HANNA

Hanna, a 16 year old girl who is living in the forest and is being trained as an expert assassin by her father, finally decides to stop hiding and takes control of her destiny. 

It doesn't get much more simple than that. One of the problems I had with this movie was the fact that the story IS so simple. The way the story is told is almost insulting to the audience because you are strung along as if you're learning incredibly complex things about the characters when in fact it is easy to guess several of these 'revelations'.  Also, we have already been introduced to the child girl assassin in the film 'KickAss', making Hanna seem even less original. It is going to be hard to review this movie because even with glaring plot holes, completely unrealistic stunt scenes, and characters simply vanishing from the film without explanation, I still kind of liked it.

Hanna is played by Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones, Atonement) who delivers a mind-blowing performance filled with extended close up scenes that even seasoned professionals can't handle. She fills her eyes with this dead and unknowing presence that only a trained killer could have but then they sparkle with wonder and excitement when faced with the new and strange world she has never known outside the forest. Cate Blanchett plays the CIA operative at the end of, and on, Hanna's trail. She obviously does an excellent job, I don't think I've seen a bad performance by her, but I don't believe she was the best person to play the role. There was something missing from her character, a general fear of Hanna I think, and I'm not sure if it was in the writing or the performance. Eric Bana plays Erik, surprise, Hanna's father and side plot of the film. He receives a few great fight sequences, one in a subway platform which is probably my favorite fight from the film, but on the whole, fizzles as a real character. There is no real emotional bond created with him and it is hard to introduce him back into the story in the later scenes.

As for the movie's entertainment value, it was great. The cinematography was nothing special, but the pace of the movie and the soundtrack (The Chemical Brothers) were excellent. It was humorous at times and even suspenseful at times. I don't feel like I wasted my money but I don't expect 'Hanna' to win any awards for best screenplay or story.  However the redeeming factor for this movie was definitely Saoirse Ronan. She held the movie up when it was dragging and played several scenes so excellently that you can't help but smile when the other characters realize they're getting their butts handed to them by a 16 year old girl.

One more thing. Title Cards.  'Hanna' is book-ended with title cards (when the title of the movie is flashed on the screen at the beginning and then immediately after the final line of the movie). I find this a brilliant and refreshing way to begin and end a movie. It made me appreciate this movie a little bit more. But I'm just weird like that.

Hanna gets 6.5 Child Assassins out of 10.

"And Then...."  "NO AND THEN!"