Plot: Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is a sixteen year old who was raised entirely in a northern forest by her father (Eric Bana). Her father taught her four languages, an encyclopedia of knowledge, and fighting skills. Her father gives her a mission to kill Marissa (Cate Blanchett), who is a CIA spy -- perhaps a rogue spy -- we don't know. When the CIA find her, they lock her up in Morocco, but she kills some people and escapes.
Review: Hanna the character was mysterious and engaging. Hanna the movie has some outstanding images and artfully staged scenes. The chase scenes are really fun -- they are all on foot and with a Chemical Brother's soundtrack .
The movies best scenes are at the beginning in the woods, and the early scenes when she is escaping. There are a lot of scenes of Hanna running, which gives the movie a sense of motion. The later scenes with the adult actors are not engaging. There is a high body count in the later scenes -- almost like video game killing.
Hanna meets a girl her age, Sophie (Jessica Barden), who helps Hanna adjust to the world, and gets her a date. The kissing scene with the boy is priceless. The pillow talk scene is also tops.
Ronan and Blanchett's acting was servicable. Bana was empty and dull. Barden stole her scenes.
The big gapping weakness is the ending, which Hanna simply doesn't have. None of the story lines are resolved. When the ending credits roll, I felt like " Wow a great ride, Why did it end now?"
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett
Directed by: Joe Wright
Rating: 3.0 stars; Would have been 3.5 but there was no ending.
More: "I just missed your heart."
Even More: The forest scenes were in Finland where it was as cold as - 33C/-28F.
Yet More: The Brother's Grimm Amusement Park Scenes are from Spreepark, near Berlin.
Still More: See this interesting speculation on a re-write that is more true to the fairy tale theme.
