Muni reviews: Hanna (2011)
This movie was some kind of awesome. From frame one, this movie completely enthralled me. It's a top-notch thriller that doesn't sacrifice its human side for the sake of explosions, chases, and fight scenes. At its core, there's a very complex character that's both interesting and sympathetic.
The story begins by showing Hanna, a physically sharp teenage girl with a mysterious past, hunting a deer. Her father eventually explains that a government agent named Marissa Weigler is searching for her. He's been training her for her entire life so that she can take on Weigler. If she flicks a switch, Marissa Weigler will know where they are, and an intensely rehearsed plan to kill her and live life without any potential harm will begin. Unfortunately, not everything goes as planned, and as Hanna tries to reach her father after she's escaped capture, the hunt begins.
First of all, let's discuss the technical aspects of this movie. After seeing three of Joe Wright's movies, it's clear that this man has a keen eye for cinematography, and I thank him for it. There are so many beautiful shots and flashy camera-techniques in this movie. All of them fit the specific moments in which they exist, but they all blend together very well. The best looking scenes are the scenes in the snow-laden forest. Of course, the cinematography would fall apart without proper editing, and they do nail it. The movie is filled with quick cuts, and they make the action scenes much more shocking than they would otherwise be. There's a scene early in the film where Hanna kills a group of guards and shoots all of the cameras in the room, and the way it's edited makes you jump with every gunshot.
The acting here is superb. Saoirse Ronan gives an incredibly dynamic performance as always. She's a great young talent that has shown us several times now that she's a force to be reckoned with. Kate Blanchett gives a great performance as well. She gives a performance that is both cold and emotional when necessary. Eric Bana gives a surprisingly good performance as Eric, Hanna's father. It's not a huge stretch for him, but he certainly does a good job. The actors playing some of the lesser side-characters also do a great job. Sophie's mother is played by the lovely Olivia Williams, brought warmth to he character. Jason Flemming makes an excellent supporting villain.
The soundtrack to the film, by The Chemical Brothers, made the film in my opinion. The music was exquisite and worked very well with the film. I believe they did a fantastic job in adding a different dimension to the film, which works. It’s made me a fan of their music for sure.
What can I say? This movie was phenomenal. I went in with enormous expectations and was completely blown away. This movie has so many elements sewn into it that fondly remind me of my favorite films. It has everything I want in a movie and more. It finds the perfect balance of honest emotion and thrilling action. The result is a knockout. This movie may very well end up on my Best of the Year list. Honestly, I haven't enjoyed seeing a movie in the theater this much since I saw Inception for the first time.
My verdict it’s a well directed smartly paced film, which has a fantastic story and great soundtrack. It got mixed reviews by both critics and “normal people” but I guess you have to make your own opinion. I’d say if you want to watch this then do, as I believe you will really enjoy it, more then you probably think.
8/10
Muni
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