Hanna (Focus Features)
Sixteen and Deadly
Hanna is a film about a sixteen year old assassin. As such it might not be suitable for everyones taste. Saoirse Ronan is perfectly cast in the title role and performs the physical requirements as well as the dramatic needs it requires. The film has some great moments of action but also has spells of nothingness. This leads to an uneven presentation and a resultant mediocre film.
Hanna (Ronan) and her father Erik (Eric Bana) live in the wilderness at the northernmost part of Finland. There Erik teaches Hanna survival skills as well as those needed to attack and to defend herself against their enemies. Chief of these is a CIA Agent named Marissa (Cate Blanchett).
When Erik finally feels Hanna is ready he leaves her in the wilderness so she can be picked up by the CIA. Once at the government compound Hanna kills the person she thinks is Marissa but it is not. She escapes and makes her way to Germany where she is supposed to be reunited with Erik. Of course Marissa is at her heels as she travels from country to country.
Ronan has a feral look in her eyes as Hanna plans her revenge on Marissa. She also has the physicality required for the role. As she races from point to point and does battle along the way you believe every move and every action. Ronan is a very talented young actress and this action figure role just adds to her credibility as an actress who can perform in a wide range of parts.
Blanchett is also good as Marissa, but where she got that molasses dripping accent from is a mystery in and of itself. It makes Marissa more of a caricature than a believable character. Without the accent the role would have had more impact.
Bana has very little to do in the film and his role has little impact. Olivia Williams has a small role as a parent who takes Hanna along with her family on a Moroccan vacation. For such a small part she does make herself memorable.
The movie is rated PG-13 for violence and profanity.
There is just something missing from the movie which keeps it from being as exciting and enjoyable as it should be. It isnt Ronan and her character but rather just seems to be the overall pacing of the film. Director Joe Wright is one of the best but he seems a little off his game with this project.
I scored Hanna a deadly 5 out of 10.
