Much like the dismal fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, “Hanna” is a dark film that chronicles the tale of a 16-year-old trained assassin, confronted with her most important task to date. And let me tell you, it won’t be a pleasant journey trying to complete it.
Saoirse Ronan plays the title character, a smart but noticeably naïve girl, exceptionally acquainted with the art of combat. Raised in the Finnish wilderness by her father Erik (Eric Bana), Hanna essentially eats, sleeps and breathes her role as a killer. She can rattle off fabricated backstories should anyone ask for her identity, but otherwise knows nothing of the real world.
We don’t know much about Hanna either, save for the fact that Erik has been preparing her for a mission unlike any she has ever faced: to kill Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett), a ruthless CIA agent on the hunt for Hanna. By flicking the switch of an old transmitter, Hanna alerts Marissa of her origins deep within the woods and is soon captured according to plan, thus beginning her mission.
Initially, the audience is kept in the dark as to why Hanna must kill Marissa. We also learn Marissa has an agenda of her own: to kill Erik. When we finally do understand the reason behind everyone’s desire to slaughter one another, the details are still a bit foggy. But “Hanna’s” patchy narrative does not impede on how the film illustrates Hanna’s story.
As I mentioned, “Hanna” is constructed like a fairy tale, alluding to Hanna as the heroine and Marissa as an evil stepmother archetype. Given these characteristics and a somewhat tricky plot to follow, “Hanna” sounds like a far-fetched fairy tale without much guidance, but director Joe Wright is able to skillfully craft a thriller and coming-of-age story, radiantly acted by his cast.
Although Hanna is prone to violence, Ronan brings a sense of grace and innocence to a character with whom we can sympathize. After all, Hanna is a teenage girl who has never known someone of her own age or of the same sex for that matter. So when she encounters a family of English tourists during her quest to slay Marissa and befriends their sassy teenage daughter, Sophie (Jessica Barden), the film is given an endearing and oddly humorous tone we can appreciate.
Blanchett’s cold and calculating Marissa is also a noteworthy performance. Although her eerie Southern drawl is occasionally over-the-top, Blanchett is entertaining nonetheless.
Wright knows how to construct a well-acted and visually stunning film, and “Hanna” is no exception. Everything from its cinematography to its editing impressively captures our young heroine’s tumultuous and often gruesome journey, not to mention The Chemical Brothers’ electronic original score is an aspect of the film to indulge in.
It doesn’t feature the typical merriment one would expect to find in a modern fairy tale, but “Hanna’s” remarkably grim themes and story are captivating from start to finish.
