A 'Hanna' Movie Review

"Hanna" takes viewers on a thrilling ride involving one teenage girl whose father named Erik trained her to be an assassin. She is multi-lingual, great at hunting and highly skilled in self-defense. After entering the real world, Hanna quickly learns that she is unlike anyone else while being chased across Europe by a brutal intelligence agent named Marissa with secrets to hide. The intensity of this Focus Features release builds from scene to scene as answers about Hanna's existence are revealed throughout the movie.

The entire cast in "Hanna" made this movie convincing at every turning point. Saoirse Ronan gives a gripping performance in Hanna that makes audiences connect with her early on and attach themselves to the cause as she and Erik battle their enemies for dear life. Cate Blanchett's character is not likable by any means, especially when she proves to be a cold-blooded murderer out for her own interests just when audiences have a chance to sympathize with her. Marissa is another reminder of how well Blanchett can play strong roles.

Eric Bana encompassed all of the characteristics of a hero in this film playing Erik, even though "Hanna" is not his show. He had enough compassion to be a father, the survival instincts of a soldier and all of the wisdom to make a great leader. Bana's external conflicts were fierce, yet still seemed to be less of a burden than his internal conflicts regarding Hanna and Marissa.

The sharp editing in "Hanna" is commendable, as it focuses on the main points of each scene but nothing else. This is what contributed to keeping the audience's attention on "Hanna" by helping the story flow with visual appeal. The movie also features a heart-pounding soundtrack that adds to the suspense without distracting the audience from any action or dialogue taking place on-screen.

Hanna's father is forced to face the fact that he can no longer protect her from the past or future. "Hanna" is a well crafted and executed movie, thrusting audiences into the main character's minimalistic but rather active forest life before continuing on a deadly mission full of discovery, survival and despair. It features explosive action and could be akin to a type of "Kill Bill" in the jungle.