Hanna

For anyone in the business of attacking adolescent girls; do not cross paths with Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) unless you are ready to die.

The film opens with her hunting down a deer in the snow, wounding it with a bow and arrow. As she guts the deer, she’s suddenly attacked by a man from behind. Hanna holds her own as the two engage in hand on hand combat. We find later that the man, Erik (Eric Bana), is actually her father and is preparing her for what’s to come.

Hanna and her father are in hiding and confined to an isolated cabin without electricity or any of the luxuries we’re accustomed to. Raised in the forest, solely by Erik, Hanna has been trained to defend herself with deadly force – a boy-crazed teenager she is not. The girl will brandish a gun, a knife, or just use her bare hands without flinching.  

She’s an assassin factoid machine, spitting out information about places she’s only read in books and speaks several languages fluently. Although she’s dangerous, she can’t help being a girl (or human for that matter), reading fairy-tales and fantasizing about what music sounds like.

While they spar and do pull-ups, her father makes her recite a premeditated paragraph of data regarding her name, address, hobbies, friends, and pets, in-case an assailant asks before the brutal beat down. Most of the information is false but we only learn of the truth as the story progresses.

The CIA, namely Marissa (Cate Blanchett), an old associate of Erik, is eager to take him down and will stop at nothing to see him dead. She orders her foot soldiers to find him. Once danger is eminent and Erik determines Hanna is prepared to face the world, they separate to hide from their attackers – Erik’s plan, hoping to deflect attention away from his daughter.

But Marissa wants her as well. Throughout certain parts of the film we are led to think Marissa could be Hanna’s estranged mother. Further evidence clouds this theory however.

While on the run, Hanna kills grown men with ease, barely breaking a sweat. In films where little girls kick butt, most of the fight scenes are still cutesy, over-the-top, and unrealistic looking. But the action in this film is brilliant and spot-on. The seriousness of Hanna and her intimidation sells it (Hanna could beat up your dad). This is a girl who grew up playing with wolves.

Taking refuge in the van of a European family, she learns that her life isn’t normal. She witnesses firsthand how a family interacts, experiences friendship, and also what it’s like to be amongst males her age (or slightly older). These parts of the film tap into her humanity; which gives it more depth. Far from the senseless action, we’re almost forced to get used to.

Hanna is a helpless girl, trapped in the body of trained killer. This film is intense. Because Hanna possesses the power to beat me up, then make me feel sorry for her – and the movie was enjoyable throughout – this film earns 3.5 out of 4 stars.