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I just saw HANNA and have only good things to say about it.
- The acting: Eric Bana, who I’m not a big fan of in general, is totally convincing here as a father who knows he can’t protect his daughter forever. He has a great presence throughout. Kind of a strong and quiet character, but Bana really sells the emotional parts. Cate Blanchett, in the villain role, is just stern and serious enough to be taken seriously as a government agent, but she also knows when to ham it up just slightly. She’s never fully over-the-top, but she isn’t afraid to have fun with the role. There are other, smaller roles that the actors shine in as well. Olivia Williams adds a bit of heart as the first real mother Hanna is exposed to and Jessica Barden is quite scene-stealing as Hanna’s first friend. The real standout, though, is Saoirse Ronan. She really inhabits her character. Throughout the film she managed to make me forget that this is the same little girl who told a lie in Atonement. She perfectly portrays her character’s ferocity, curiosity, anger, and sadness. I think it’s the best performance of the year so far (I know we’re only in April) and I suspect she’s remain in my top 5 actresses list by year’s end.
- Music: The Chemical brothers provide unusual but absolutely perfect companion music to the film. they know when the music needs to stand out a bit and when it should take back seat, but in both cases it’s lovely.
- Visuals: Joe Wright possesses insane directing abilities. Not only does he clearly excel at guiding his actors, he’s also one of the most gifted directors when it comes to visuals. Literally every location used in this film (and there are lots of them) is unusual and endlessly interesting. Alwin H. Kuchler, the cinematographer, is also to thank for the gorgeous visuals. A chase scene in some sort of Government agency building in Morocco is a thing of exciting beauty. It might be my favorite chase sequence of all time. Hanna’s childhood home in the snowy woods, a very Graffiti’d Berlin, and every other location used where all just…. well, they need to be seen in all their glory on the big screen. The visuals of this movie are really very artistic. Another aspect of Joe’s direction that’s quite thrilling is that he doesn’t feel to need to film all action sequences with quick, disorienting camera movements. Instead, he focuses on the choreography and it makes for a much more enjoyable viewing experience.
- Story: This film is a perfect combination of elements. Hanna isn’t just an action film, it’s also a coming-of-age drama, it’s a bit travelogue-esque, and there’s even a bit of fairy tale thrown in for good measure. Even though it’s ultimately a fairly serious film, there were plenty of moments where the rest of the audience and I laughed. The whole film was just really ace storytelling. There were so many little brilliant details, like Blanchett’s character’s dental hygiene fixation, or Hanna’s curiosity for music, which she can define but has never heard. The most important thing, though, is that I was really invested in Hanna as a character and I have top—notch work from everyone involved in the film to thank for that.
The other night, after I came home from the film, I thought of a few little minute details I wish had been different in the film, but I’ve completely forgotten them now. I have no qualms about calling this film a masterpiece.