Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexual material and language
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Tom Hollaner, Olivia Williams, Jason Flemyng, Jessica Barden, Cate Blanchett
Director: Joe Wright
As the story opens, we see a young girl hunting in the frigid woods of Finland. Her name is Hanna (Saoirse Ronan). She lives with her father, Erik (Eric Bana) in an isolated shanty as far from civilization as one could imagine. At first we suspect Erik might be a survivalist. Later, however, we see him reading to Hanna from an encyclopedia and having her memorize a false identity and fictitious background by rote. She's being prepared for re-entry into normal society. We know they're on the run, most likely from some form of government entity and have been living in the wild since Hanna was a baby. She has become a remarkably skilled fighter and can get the most out of any lethal weapon at her disposal.
Hanna believes she's ready to experience civilization. Erik isn't sure, but leaves the decision up to her. Her choice exists in the form of a beacon. Once the switch is flipped, her father explains, the government will find their way to the backwoods door. She considers it, then flips the switch...
The beacon captures the attention of Marissa Veigler (Cate Blanchett), a fiercely determined CIA operative whose pertinacity toward mission completion takes on the form of lifestyle meticulousness. Her attire, her living quarters, and even her demeanor are mannered to perfection... a reflection of her ravenous appetite toward the domination of an opponent. (When we first see her, she is brushing her teeth with unusual vigor... a predator preparing to feast on fresh meat.)
Meanwhile, father and daughter split up and agree to rendezvous at a specific location before the government bangs down the cabin door. Hanna is taken into custody, whisked away to a remote location for interrogation. She escapes after a sortie of assaults on the unsuspecting CIA agents. (Her lethality is offset by her innocent appearance.) After fleeing the scene, she hides by blending in with a vacationing family, and befriends a precocious teen (Jessica Barden).
Veigler, needing assistance from outside the CIA, hires a colorful, sweatsuit-clad former colleague and rogue assassin named Isaacs (Tom Hollander). Isaacs' presence in the story is a little head-scratching, as he doesn't seem a particularly skilled taskmaster. Instead, he comes off more like a second-rate bouncer employed by a third-rate nightclub. The assassins nonetheless keep up the pursuit, as Hanna slowly comes to an understanding of her true identity.
The truth about Hanna isn't exactly enshrouded in mystery. We're able to take the information imparted to us during the course of the story and deduce her origins with relative ease. Yet despite that, I never felt too far ahead of the plot. The screenplay by Seth Lochhead and David Farr doesn't toss a slew of red herrings our way, nor does it ply us with a cacophony of explanation at every turn. It reveals bits of information in measured doses, not just in the case of Hanna but also with Veigler. She obviously has very personal attachments to this particular case, yet the film wisely doesn't spell them out for us. Veigler is as much a mystery as Hanna.
The movie works as action, but the performances elevate it to something more. Saoirse Ronan has a tough task here, but pulls it off well. She plays Hanna as a mystery to herself that seems incapable of being solved. Her re-introduction into society is both revealing and confounding. Eric Bana's performance works as a window into Hanna's past. At one point early in the film, Hanna asks him "what does music feel like?" His facial reaction speaks volumes... at that moment we realize he doesn't fear for her safety, but for her happiness. And Cate Blanchett makes the villain role more than just colorful... she imbues it with texture and depth. Veigler's detailed approach to her work masks a personal well of self-loathing.
The movie was directed by Joe Wright, who directed Ronan in "Atonement" and helmed the Jane Austen film adaptation "Pride and Prejudice" with Keira Knightley. Switching gears from period pieces to action fare isn't as easy as it seems. (Marc Forster found out the hard way while taking on the Bond film "Quantum of Solace.") Wright employs a wicked, kinetic energy to the action sequences, yet is careful not to overdo it. There are as many thoughtful, introspective moments as rapid-fire, frenetic fight sequences. Rarely are chase pictures this deliberate in their pacing.
One can argue that the movie does end rather abruptly. The revelations were intriguing enough that it did make me long for an epilogue of some sort. But the film is content to be what it is... a smart thriller not only skilled enough to appeal to our senses, but confident enough to appeal to our brains.
* * * 1/2 out of * * * * stars
