A visceral, high-speed thriller designed to captivate your every sense. A teenage girl, raised by her father in an isolated cabin in Finland, goes out into the world for the first time on a dangerous mission. Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is separated from her father and thrust into a world she has only read about in an encyclopaedia. With the combative skills her father (Eric Bana), an ex-CIA agent, has taught her she makes her way into reality with vigour.
Ronan looks almost ethereal with her porcelain skin and free flowing blonde hair. The innocence of a child is portrayed so well through her ever perplexed face. In stark contrast to the teenage friend she makes in the form of a mouthy, little madam called Sophie, played in true comedic form by Jessica Barden. Sophie’s family, played endearingly well by Jason Flemyng and Olivia Williams, take Hanna under their wing when she happens upon them in the Moroccan terrain (full of colourful authentic, location shots) and their presence provides some light relief.
With an evil presence holding itself over Hanna throughout the film in the form of Cate Blanchett’s wicked witch of a woman who has no good intentions an uneasy intensity is built to epic proportions. Blanchett is perfect in this role from the red of her hair to her subtle Southern drawl; she raises the bar when it comes to playing someone utterly dreadful. My only criticism of this otherwise perfect film is Tom Hollander in his role as another bad guy. I didn’t find him threatening at all, and in fact I found him a little contrived with his tracksuits and bleach blonde hair. His performance was a little too hammy for my liking and with the strength and genuinely believable nature of all the other performances I didn’t see the need for his character.
Joe Wright has moved on from his past endeavours of period pieces, with his previous direction of Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, to this action packed, all encompassing cinematic extravaganza. The development of the characters (prevalent in his other films)are not lost within all the action as with a cleverly unfolding plot Wright explains Hanna’s existence, her deeds and portrays the vulnerability and naivety of a child. The action is fast paced, the hand to hand combat is meticulously choreographed and the electronic score by The Chemical Brothers fits the fast, dark tones of the film.
A simple story of revenge and coming of age is successfully brought to the screen by the strength of Ronan’s acting and Joe Wright’s sleek directional hand.