Hanna

Hanna is quite a peculiar film. Initially, I didn't know what to make of it at first, but as the story unfolded, my initial satisfaction started to fade with each revelation. It bothered me that the filmmakers seemed to think I was an idiot, judging by some of the scenes. At one point, Hanna has what seems like an almost orgasmic encounter with a lightbulb, and struggles to turn off a kettle, but shortly after, she's casually surfing the internet in a Berlin café. It felt a bit off. There were more illogical moments like that, but I seem to have a soft spot for genetically modified assassins. If the screenwriter had chosen a mutant boy as the main character, I likely wouldn't have given it more than one star. / Lesson learned: Tell me how heavy the deer was, and Eric will tell you who you are. (07/07/2022)

Insane. Fans of the American grand style and posing can watch Bourne or Mission Impossible 3. They are similarly “kinetic” films, but they are clear, linear, and much easier to grasp. Hanna’s problem is that it is sometimes on the verge of a paranoid thriller, which often turns into a hard-hitting action film interspersed with sci-fi elements. It has a British feeling, which I don't really like deep down. (10/28/2011)

As a fan of Joe Wright, a huge weight has been lifted from my heart. After the surprisingly average Atonement, he finally proves that he doesn't have to have British history on his side and that he can also bring a "made-to-order" script to the screen with elegance and powerful impact. Hanna can be cold and distant like the Finnish wilderness, but within seconds can switch and suddenly become completely personal and filled with tension. When combined with the teenage perfectionist Saoirse Ronan and the rhythm of the Chemical Brothers soundtrack, he creates an experience that is hard to replicate. (07/13/2011)

An interesting way to create a film. I had the feeling that someone had come up with a very smart story, sent it via “Chinese whispers” through several morons and then they filmed the result. The border between genius and idiocy can be very thin sometimes and this film steps on both sides of it throughout. It is superbly made, but all too often I shook my head at the stupid things happening on screen (and yet it would be enough to correct the script a little). By the end I laughed out loud several times. Also, the way the final chase with the two female protagonists is put together is nonsense and confusing. PS: Mild thumbs up only for Blanchett’s character – that’s how a charismatic villain should look like. 5/10 (06/07/2011)

An art-action film about a hit girl searching for her own female identity. I'll probably never understand how someone could push a script like this past the studio bosses, but I won't hide the fact that I loved it. There probably won't be many conquerors of this film in the "weird" box this year. In any case, it's clear that one box is very small for Wright. The chemical music is great, and Saoirse is an excellent actress, but Cate should ditch the negative roles. The Soviet agent has been replaced by an American, the black hairstyle by a red one, but the tragedy is the same. 4 ½. (06/22/2011)