Darkmatters Review: HANNA

Hanna (12a)

Director: Joe Wright

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Teenagers today eh? Take 15-year-old Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) she’s a bit of a handful having been raised in isolation by her father Erik (Eric Bana) to harness her enhanced physical powers and become the ultimate assassin. Watch as she takes on a squad of highly trained US marines, leaving them dead or dying, marvel at how she fistfights hard-nut skinhead thugs with ease and her ability to escape from maximum security installations.

It seems that all we really need to win the war on terror (and anything else) is a bunch of cute albino blonde teenage girls. Yes Hanna follows in the pint sized ass kicking footsteps of Mathilda from Leon and Hit Girl from Kick Ass by being an under age lethal weapon.

After bog screen hits with drama and romance, Director Joe ‘Atonement’ Wright delivers his first action film and he does it with style… The plot sees young Hanna pitted against he evil creator / killer of her mum Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett) – her mission is to avenge her mother and find a way to escape the attentions of the insidious agency that is keen to wipe her and her father out.

"teen blonde on a mission"

Hanna has plenty of quality crunching action and (for a 12a) unflinching violence – the fights and chase scenes are up there with some of the best of breed such as films like the Bourne trilogy. The story cracks along at a decent pace – aided and abetted by a pumping bespoke soundtrack from The Chemical Brothers which gives the film a cool, hard edge. The cast are pitch perfect, even supporting characters such as Sophie (Jessica ‘Tamara Drewe’ Barden) – as a savvy worldly teenage brat who becomes Hanna’s unlikely pal. It is fascinating seeing the deadly but naïve Hanna trying to interact with ‘normal’ people when not facing down the many threats that are seeking to kill her. Special mention should also go to Tom Hollander who brings ruthless tracker Isaacs to tennis outfit wearing, OTT life.

"deadly but naive"

This is a beautifully realised dark coming of age tale with a difference that trails danger and thrills over and above the safe, soft tosh that we’ve been receiving recently. Wright is a great British director with a flair for gorgeous visuals, if you’re in the mood for decent action thrills – shot through an enjoyably twisted fairytale lens.

"life lessons from teen to teen"

A date with Hanna will leave you energized, shaken and stirred.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö

(5 - superb dark action thrills)...

Awesomeness ööööö – Hanna brings the noise

Laughs öö – couple of funny moments

Horror ööö – surprisingly grim in places

Babes ööö – Jessica Barden out 'cutes' Saoirse Ronan

Spiritual Enlightenment öööö – what is our purpose in life?