Hanna

September 29, 2011

Continuing its efforts to bring alternative, less mainstream movie choices for the Filipino film lovers, this week Ayala theaters present the action thriller, "Hanna". Saoirse Ronan is a unique young actress in that all her films so far are very unusual. We knew her first in "Atonement", then in the "The Lovely Bones", both dark dramas that got Oscar Award consideration. We see a new Saoirse here in "Hanna" as this frail-looking lass as a kickass cold-blooded assassin.

The titular character Hanna (Soairse Ronan) was isolatedly 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 in order to exact revenge on the CIA, represented by the vile agent Marissa (Cate Blanchett). At first, it was hard to accept Soairse as a ruthless killer, but as the movie progressed you would see that she nails this challenge. Eric Bana has been absent from the big screen since star turns in "Munich" and "Troy." Unfortunately, he does not really make a mark in this film. Cate Blanchett plays the relentlessly evil Marissa with glee.

The action sequences are brutal, fast and cartoonish. Everyone plays it over-the-top. There are plenty of illogical scenes, like how did Hanna's postcard reach the father, among others. The counter-balancing sequences where Hanna tries to make friends for the first time were awkwardly composed and unconvincing. I think you are supposed to watch this movie only for the "cool" superhuman fight scenes. You are expected to be cold-blooded and detached to enjoy this film.