HANNA : archive from 3rd August 2011.

Saw 'HANNA' last night because I thought this looked quite intriguing, has a strong cast, a proven Director in Joe Wright at the helm, and pace, emotion and gritty set pieces. The film was made for US$30M and made about US$64M at the global Box Office so not a huge success, but along the way it picked up five award wins and 24 other nominations.

The story surrounds Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) and her father Erik Heller (Eric Bana) who have been holed up in the frozen backwoods of remote Finland, ever since Erik said goodbye to his life as a CIA operative about 13 years or so earlier. Since Hanna was knee high to a grasshopper she has been trained religiously and diligently by Dad as a ruthless skilled assassin but with intelligence, an education and the smarts to survive on her own. Cut off from the outside world Hanna has not experienced music, film, electricity, the Internet or McDonald's, let alone other human contact. Hanna even has several identities all drummed into her over the years with intricate history detail that she can call upon as she travels across Europe and further afield. Erik's focus has been clear, and his mission with Hanna has been to prepare for the inevitable day when his teachings will be duly required to serve then both well.

Erik harbours a closely guarded secret and knows that the day will come when senior CIA Official Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett) will finally catch-up with him and attempt to take him out . . . unless he and Hanna can get to her first! With the day fast approaching Erik advises Hanna that she is now 'ready' and so sets in motion a chain of events that will bring those searching for them out of the woodwork all guns blazing.

A game of cat & mouse ensues across Europe as Hanna finds herself up against the authorities, against travelling tourists, against hired killers instructed to take her out, and against the wonders and dangers of everyday life that she has never experienced before, and, with Wiegler hot on her tail. With the intention of meeting up with her father in Berlin, Hanna must overcome adversity and put her particular set of skills to the test on many occasions so that she can move ahead and accomplish the mission. As the plot moves on there are a few twists & turns as you would expect, moments of tension, some intense action, and it is delivered in a gritty style that reminded me of 'Bourne' with a few truths emerging that will help piece this puzzle together.

A lot of this has been seen before in 'The Professional' but it's an interesting take on the orphan brought up to be a killing machine by a lone parent living in the middle of nowhere until the teenager can wreak revenge on the establishment. Some good set pieces and a thumping Chemical Brothers soundtrack, this alternative coming of age story is OK only, and you can easily wait for the DVD, or catch it now on TV as I did again only recently.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-