Hanna: Perfect Movie

If you love watching good movies, then you should do whatever you must do to watch Hanna. I have very rarely watched a film three times within 24 hours, but I did with this rental. If I had the power I would give it just about every Academy Award applicable to it.

The three main stars give dazzling performances: the absolutely gorgeous Saoirse Ronan as the mesmerizing young heroine who first appears to be raised in a very odd and backward manner but who becomes superhuman; Eric Bana as her father, a former incredibly skilled CIA agent who shows total love and commitment to his daughter; and a frightening Cate Blanchett as a powerful and vengeful CIA operative. But even the actors with smaller, supporting roles are incredible.

The British director Joe Wright has created a contemporary masterpiece in every possible cinematic aspect of film making. The scenes are shot and framed, camera work, editing, music and everything else you can think of is sheer perfection. The locations in four countries offer fantastic examples of what you would be lucky to experience as a tourist. Your eyes and mind lose their freedom to do anything other than stay super glued to the screen. The plot unfolds in totally creative and unpredictable ways. The action scenes are at lightening speed and I never got the feeling that stunt stand ins were uses.

Peter Travers was dead on: "The gifted British director Joe Wright excels at knocking you off balance and forcing you to rearrange his puzzle pieces in your head."

I love what Roger Ebert said about Hanna: "Hanna is a first-rate thriller about the drawbacks of home schooling. A cross between a fairy tale and a high-tech action movie."

Richard Roeper also got it right: "Grade: A! 'Hanna' is a kinetic, vibrant, sometimes completely insane adventure. A great thriller!"

I don't think anyone who appreciates the very best films could possibly watch Hanna just one time. Trust me. Find Hanna. Be prepared for a memorable experience.