Hanna

Plot synopsis:
Hanna Heller (Saoirse Ronan) is a 15-year-old girl who lives with her father, Erik Heller (Eric Bana) in rural northern Finland, near Kuusamo. The film opens with her hunting and killing a reindeer.
Since the age of two, Hanna has been trained by Erik, an ex-CIA operative from Germany, to be a skilled assassin. He teaches her hand-to-hand combat and drills her in target shooting. He left the agency, going incognito into the Arctic. Erik knows a secret that cannot become public, and Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett), a senior CIA officer, searches for him in order to eliminate him. Erik has trained Hanna with the intent that she will kill Marissa. Due to her upbringing in the wilderness, she is unfamiliar with many aspects of modern civilisation despite having read encyclopedias.
One night, Hanna tells Erik that she is "ready" to face their enemies. Erik digs up a radio beacon that eventually will alert the CIA to their presence. Although he warns Hanna that a confrontation with Marissa will be fatal for either her or Marissa, he leaves the final decision to Hanna, who activates the beacon. Erik leaves, instructing her to meet him in Berlin. A CIA special forces team arrives to capture Hanna and Erik, but Erik is already gone and, while Hanna kills two soldiers, the rest of the soldiers assume Erik killed them before escaping.
Hanna is taken to an underground CIA complex where Marissa, being suspicious, sends a body double (Michelle Dockery) to talk to Hanna. While talking to the double, Hanna starts to cry and crawls sobbing into the lap of the double, which makes her captors uneasy. They send some guards to her cell to sedate her. As they enter the cell, Hanna kills the double along with some of the guards and escapes.
In a flashback, Marissa is seen firing at a car that is carrying Hanna's mother, two-year-old Hanna, and Erik. The car crashes but the trio flees. Marissa shoots Johanna, but Erik escapes with Hanna into the woods.
Hanna finds herself on the run in the Moroccan desert, where she meets bohemian English couple Sebastian (Jason Flemyng) and Rachel (Olivia Williams), who are on a camper-van holiday with their teenage daughter, Sophie (Jessica Barden), and their younger son, Miles (Aldo Maland). She stows away in the family's camper-van on the ferry ride to Spain, seeking to reach Berlin. The family is kind to her, and she and Sophie become friends, even sharing a kiss together.
Marissa hires Isaacs (Tom Hollander), a sadistic former agent, to capture Hanna. Hanna travels with the family as they drive north through France. Isaacs and two skinheads trail them and eventually corner Hanna and the family near Lille, but she manages to escape, killing one of the assailants. Marissa catches up with the British family and during interrogation finds out that Hanna is heading to Berlin.
Arriving at the address that Erik had given her, Hanna meets with Knepfler (Martin Wuttke), an eccentric old magician and a friend of Erik's, who lives in an abandoned amusement park. Hanna plans a rendezvous with her father. However, Marissa and Isaacs arrive. Hanna escapes, but overhears comments that suggest Erik is not her biological father.
Later, Hanna goes to her grandmother's apartment where she finds Erik, who has unsuccessfully tried to kill Marissa in her hotel room. Hanna's grandmother has been murdered by Marissa. Erik admits to Hanna that he is not her biological father. He once recruited pregnant women into a CIA program where their children's DNA was enhanced in order to create super-soldiers. After the project was shut down, its subjects were eliminated.
Marissa and Isaacs arrive, intent on killing them; Erik acts as a distraction to allow Hanna to escape. Erik kills Isaacs in a fight, but is shot by Marissa, who goes to Knepfler's house. Hanna is there, having just discovered Knepfler tortured to death by Isaacs. They wound each other and eventually Marissa becomes disoriented from her wound and falls down a chute, losing her pistol. Hanna picks up the gun and kills Marissa, echoing the deer hunting scene from the start of the film.

Tags: mystery, murder, flashback, psychedelic, action, revenge

Review:
Seriously, stop reading, don't watch the film and go calculate Pi or something.If, however, you have an appreciation for tightly-edited, emotionally engaging, aesthetically pleasing cinema with a brilliant soundtrack and at times breathless pacing, please allow me to take a few minutes of your time.Hanna is the story of a teenage girl who lives in total isolation with her father.
We see the world from her unique perspective as she struggles to understand non-familiar interaction, the natural ease of recreation and even the basic electrical appliances that we all take for granted.The story moves us from one location to the next, painting a rich tapestry of colour and culture, whilst simultaneously (and somewhat comically) contrasting Hanna's desperate need to traverse these territories with the bourgeoisie's seeming obsession with "experiencing" as many of them as possible.The acting is solid throughout.
The only truly great performance comes from Ronan, but Tom Hollander, Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana all turn out good performances that serve the picture well.However the true credit for this film has to be laid at the feet of Joe Wright.
Wright's mastery of both a tight, intricate plot such as in Atonement, combined with his incredible skill in making this beautiful, thoughtful, action-packed coming of age story mark him out as a director of real class.It is true that Hanna suffers from a few plot holes, but that plot is delivered in such an appealing, exciting and above-all entertaining film that anyone who isn't compiling continuity errors for some god-awful TV programme that relishes in the fact that THIS ISN'T REAL LIFE, IT'S ACTUALLY ONLY A FILM!!
Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Hanna (Saoirse Ronan), who was raised in a forest by her father Erik (Eric Bana).
One day, Hanna was sent out of the forest to assassinate Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett), the woman who murdered her mother.Joe Wright's latest feature is modern-day fairy-tale that is part revenge-flick, part coming- of-age drama.
Even this, however, is sometimes ruined with over-energetic camera-work, turning the film into a music video.Saoirse Ronan is a good action star, throwing herself into her fight scenes with zeal, but her real strength is her acting.
But to me she looked like Julia Gillard on a ruthless rampage to restore order to a chaotic world surrounded by unreliably competent underlings.The real success of this movie is director Joe Wright's ability to use every prop and every location in a highly provocative and meaningful way.
But there is no escape.I love wonderfully choreographed hand-to-hand combat action sequences and there are quite a few in Hanna – but I long for the day directors will return to holding wider shots so we can actually see the fighting take place.
Well Joe Wright has done the seemingly impossible by making his container port scene exciting and different.Look, you're not going to learn the meaning of life or even the meaning of the plot by watching this movie.
What we have is the kind of action film that comes around every once in a while that values it's characters, but also demonstrates some great action pieces.Hannah tells the story of the 16 year old girl who, after living her whole life in the woods, is set upon the world.
Beautifully shot and fantastic all the way around, the film elevates itself to art by successfully balancing Bourne-style action and a beautiful coming of age story.
In fact, I felt Saoirse Ronan's Hanna is a teenage version of The Bride from Kill Bill and Leeloo from The Fifth Element.I've seen Cate Blanchett in a couple of movies, but was impressed by her portrayal of a ruthless agent.
Columbiana with a lesser known cast (and less of a following) is the far superior film.HANNA gets an A for effort, but seriously at some level in Hollywood the people paying the bills should insist on reading the script before they start writing checks..
After the first few times falling asleep, I finally got through it (to give it a fair review).The plot-line was as cheesy-predictable-80's style as you can get, while the action sequences were perfect excuses for potty-breaks (and completely ridiculous at times); let alone the over-the-cliché-top acting, and the terribly executed themes like "i'm a teenager and i don't know who i am--waaah!"Additionally, it didn't help that it was shot on a camcorder of sorts.
It has a constant weird undertone of a fairy tale - the Story of Red riding Hood comes more than once through ones mind.The acting is really good, especially Cate Blanchett as evil cia-operative agent and her henchman, played by Tom Hollander, where a delight to watch.
(Perhaps the answer to those questions flashed by on the screen when I was fantasizing about getting up and leaving, or when I was kicking myself for not having gone to "Source Code" instead.) Anyway, these lame roles were WAY below the skills and abilities of such excellent actors as Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana.I wouldn't recommend this movie.
It's pretty exciting on that level, filmed with the kinetics we've come to expect from films in the last thirty years.In a very large way this is patterned after the "Bourne" movies, and instead of super-man Jason Bourne we have super-woman (very young woman) Hanna.
The Bourne movies are superior in every way, both with a sense of urgency, with plain old acting, and with the filming, both camera-work and editing.
Running second best to those very well made movies is still worth noticing, however, and if you like this kind of modern, heart-zipping, survive as the individual against the evil CIA agents, then this might make your night.Lead actress Saoirse Ronan does her best to be both cold (emotionless by genetic design) and vulnerable (she's a cute blonde girl that plays the innocent cliché too easily, frankly).
What?So much for a well-rounded education.Hanna doesn't know civilization, people, conversation, propriety--anything, really, beyond killing efficiently and without mercy.While Saoirse Ronan is superb in her role as an innocent(?) miscreant, Cate Blanchet--an otherwise unique and dynamic actress--struggles with the character she portrays, and one can only wonder what evil stroke of nature forced her to take the role.
They are equally clueless as to what make a good script.As, apparently, are the producers.The writing is abhorrent; the film-work, competent though visually dismal; the premise, fascinating; the execution of the premise, awful.And--the least annoying thing in a film chock full of annoying things, but indicative of the film's total disregard for reality, (and the intelligence of the audience)--why couldn't they even get the CIA's logo right?My advice: Spend your time watching something better thought-out, researched, written, and far more cerebral.The Three Stooges comes to mind..
Focus might not have wanted the movie they got out of Hanna, but I think it's terrifically entertaining.The first thing I talked about with my friends after we got out of the screening was the great job that Saoirse did of carrying the film, though she had some very entertaining supporting characters as well (the British family she meets up with is incredible).
Another thing that really worked with the film was its soundtrack--the Chemical Brothers did a great job with their songs, matching the fast pace of the action scenes and setting the mood for some of the quieter scenes.There were a few problems with the film, though, especially when it came to character development.
Hanna's father (Eric Bana) and the CIA officer trying to kill her (Cate Blanchett) are never really given purpose, so I was never able to invest emotionally in either one.That brings me to another low-point of the film, Cate Blanchett.
I'm not a casting director or anything, but it felt like they got her for her name rather than for her ability to play the character well.Overall, I would definitely recommend this movie, even with its faults; there are times when it feels like it is trying to be too many movies at the same time, there are some strange editing choices (you might feel motion sick after you leave the theater from all the spinning shots), and the script seems like it could have used a little more polishing to put some more detail into the story to make it a more complete film.
We see a new Saoirse here in "Hanna" as this wan, frail-looking lass as a kick-ass cold-blooded assassin.The titular character Hanna was brought up by her dad Erik (Eric Bana) in the wilds of Finland, seemingly with one aim in mind -- to train this girl to be the perfect killer exact revenge on the CIA, represented by the vile agent Marissa (Cate Blanchett).
All well and good, but apart from Saoirse Ronan the acting is very poor Blanchett is extremely bad, very camp and unbelievable, Bana is poor too, he's very unconvincing, at times looking like he does not want to be there, both badly cast, the hippy trippy English couple and their kids that pop up mid movie are also poorly acted, annoying and really just unnecessary fluff.
Worst movie of the year , worst plot of the year , worst acting of the year, worst director of the year , worst music of the year i still have headache , everything worst of the year , i must write ten worst lines of the year for IMDb , worst action of the year , worst clichés of the year , i really cant understand why people keep writing good reviews about this crap , save your self's and stay away from this real bullshit.There's really nothing to comment the whole thing is a cover up a childish movie transformed to an secret agent bullshit,The truth is there's no secret agents on this stupid movie don't get fooled from company people that get payed and writing good stuff about movie craps like this .
Oh my the list is just too long suffice it to say you will have to do a LOT of "overlooking" to get through this film.The score is obnoxiously booming screeching and repetitive and barely passes for techno just awful in the in the context of the movie although it MIGHT be okay if not attached to a wreck of film.The editing looks like it was done by a 5 year old clips, bits and pieces throughout the film and I know it was designed this way to give it an artsy feel, to endow its action sequences, to give the audience a feel of anxiety and excitement but it fails so miserably that you almost have to feel sorry for even the behind the scenes artists.
Now I am not going to spoil this for you just in case you have absolutely nothing better to do one day and your best friend just dumps this DVD in your lap for you to watch but the movies only salvation is the plot twist involving Hannah's mother and her being raised by Bana but you gotta endure 2 hours of this grueling film - a cliché script, a God awful score, mediocre acting, atrocious almost psychotic filming to get there but the last 15 minutes IS perhaps the one piece of solid acting by Ronan in the entire film.
In this too-wannabe-cool-for-its-own-good "film" (if you can call it that, because it feels rather like a two-hour music video), however, the effect is the exact opposite: every scene, every frame even, is overloaded with capricious extravagances, in what looks like a desperate attempt to mask how hopelessly formulaic and one-note the plot actually is, making it nigh impossible for the viewer not to be jolted right out of the narrative at every turn by the avalanche of distractions.
Hanna tells the story of a man who raises his daughter to be an assassin, when the mission comes around however will she be ready?This multi award winning critically acclaimed thriller stars Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett & Eric Bana.
Though I didn't exactly find it revolutionary it is undeniably a well made film.Solid cast, great writing and highly fitting score this is well worth anybodys time.The Good:Well scoredRonans performanceWell written piece of cinemaThe Bad:Blanchetts accentThings I Learnt From This Movie:Ronan makes everyone else look bad by comparison.
DO NOT WATCH THIS PILE OF MUCK!I will never be able to get that time back, Bana was embarrassing and his German accent was a joke.The main character had a thick Dublin accent in parts which also made me cringe.30million budget was ridiculous, I hope salaries were included in this.The fight scenes must have been choreographed 5mins before they were shot.Honestly the worst film I have seen in a long time, so much so, it prompted me to submit this review.
What i think must of happened is that the producers and the writer must of gotten the idea that because of the very warm reaction to HIT-GIRL in the movie KICK-ASS, that they thought lets go ahead and make a movie about this ,but it just doesn't work out in this case because who ever made the film, is not very good at their job.As for the good reviews on here for this film, they really do make me wonder about humanity, as in how can you put such rubbish in front of people and still make them lap it up??Anyone who gave this a good review is a mindless automaton who does not know a real movie when they see it, they need to go and become a proper connoisseur of all types of movies and then think properly about the nonsense that is Hanna..
Words fail to describe how bad this movie is, Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is a master assassin who has been trained by Erik ( Bana) to kill Cate blanchette for killing her mom.
The movie jumps around the globe with Hanna killing her way to her target, there isn't any real cohesion and so much filler in between the odd fight, it makes you wish that there was a super human director improvement program so hopefully stuff like this doesn't get made again.
This makes Hanna a very bizarre combination of genres that will likely disappoint both action flick lovers and people who enjoy more watching drama movies.Overall I would rate this movie meh (with a shrug of shoulders).
His artistic style made the movie seem more intense and kept the audience engaged even during scenes where Hanna is trying to come to understand the real world.I cannot do a review without mentioning the amazing (and in my opinion, blows Dakota Fanning out of the water) Saoirse Ronan.
The film takes you into the point of view of a young girl, Hanna(played by academy award nominee, Saoirse Ronan), who is living with her father(Eric Bana) in the wilds of Finland with no connections to the outside world.
In this movie she plays Hanna, a young girl raised by her father Erik(Eric Bana) to be an efficient and deadly assassin.
The scenes that set us up to care for Hanna and her father at the beginning of the film, cast a mystical glamour over the whole viewing experience, and acts as a foil for the rest movie.
Hanna is one of those movies that I did not expect to be this good and then after I watched the film, I came out of the theatre absolutely in love with what I just saw.
The film has a really good pace and what makes it so interesting is not the action scenes, or even the more thrilling chase sequences, but rather the characters, or should I say character itself because the film mostly does focus on Hanna and she is very interesting to watch.
There's a scene early in the film where Hanna kills a group of guards (won't spoil why or where) and shoots all of the cameras in the room, and the way it's edited makes you jump with every gun shot.The acting here is is superb.
So Hanna maybe is the most successful and perhaps one of the best films of its genre since 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum.I say this because as I said above, is not just an action movie, the drama is also present and very well located.
Joe Wright brings a wonderfully eclectic bag of tricks to this story of a 16 y.o. girl, Hanna (played superbly by Saoirse Ronan), who is brought up in the forest to be a lethal killer by her CIA-defecting father (Eric Bana).
Reasons why Hanna is the best action movie I've ever seen:*An offbeat, emotive, dubstep-like score by The Chemical Brothers*A small, yet diverse and thoughtful pool of characters and personalities*Strong, likable and unique female characters all around*Action scenes with some of the best cinematography you'll ever see.
There's even a single-shot subway fight scene.*A unique European setting, which allows for unconventional choices for characters and locations (example: a gang of skinheads as the villain's henchmen)*A same-sex kiss scene, if you like diversity in your films (and you totally should)*Contrasting dreamy fantasy motifs with some brutal and startlingly realistic violence, it manages to be both a modern action thriller and a romantic fairy tale.You might be a little disappointed by the ending, depending on how much you like those kinds of resolutions.
I think a great deal of frustration can come about trying to see this film like a modern action thriller.
If you are looking for a superbly acted, stylish, beautifully filmed, suspenseful action film with a good mystery and killer fight scenes, watch Hanna.
Well, I sat through it all in disbelief, not at the poor quality of the movie only, but the viewers who got this rating even above 4.The best of the lot must only go to actress, Saoirse Ronan who played the character of Hanna.
Having been trained, almost from birth, to be an assassin by Erik (Bana), her father, Hanna (Ronan) is now on a mission to kill CIA Agent Marissa (Blanchett).