Hanna

[darin]

This movie tells the story of a young girl (mid teens) with a mysterious background. From the opening scene - where Hanna arrows a reindeer and chases it down as it struggles - we see Hanna is not an ordinary teen. As she walks up to the struggling animal she says to it, quietly, "I missed your heart". Then, she removes a small pistol to finish the animal. For the next bit, we can see Hanna's rustic lifestyle. She lives with her father (Eric Bana); who teaches her academically as well as life-fighting-assassin skills. When Bana see's Hanna is 'ready', Hanna is given a transmitter with the warning "if you press the button, life changes forever" sorta deal.

Hanna pushes the button and everything swings into motion. Hanna allows herself to be captured and taken to an underground facility where she is interrogated. After a bit, Hanna believes she kills the 'villain' of the movie - a delightfully terrible CIA agent played wonderfully by Cate Blanchett. Hanna makes her way from the bunker (In the deserts of Morocco) by hitching with a British family on holiday. Through her Journey, Hanna is exposed to terrific experiences such as "music and dancing". Hanna loves music, and the actress Saoirse (pronounced 'Sersha') Ronan mastery of expression, wonder, and cautious-restraint brings Hanna absolutely to life. I must say, Ms. Ronan (also of The Lovely Bones) is a star. She's good - not upstaged in the least by the powerful performance of Blanchett. Ronan is very good.

The movie ends, somewhat predictably, with Hanna finding out about her origin - secrets Bana kept from her - leading to the final confrontation with Blanchett.

Things i LOVED about this movie:

Ronan's performance.
Cinematography - Beautiful and wonderful details. From errant phone-ringing to crazy people in the streets to the beauty of friendship. All aspects of this movie are shot wonderfully - story-telling for those who want to see beyond the subject of the scene, and into the life-moment happening in front of us. Just perfect.
Soundtrack - Techno/industrial and absolutely appropriate for the story
Ronan's performance.
Writing.

Things I didn't like so much:
The ending. You know, the part when it was over and the movie was no-more? yeah, I hated that part. This movie makes my top 10 of all time - which includes The Silence of the Lambs, Star Wars, The Beaver, Ten Commandments, among others.

[Gunny]

This movie tells the story of a young girl (mid teens) with a mysterious background. From the opening scene - where Hanna arrows a reindeer and chases it down as it struggles - we see Hanna is not an ordinary teen. As she walks up to the struggling animal she says to it, quietly, "I missed your heart". Then, she removes a small pistol to finish the animal. For the next bit, we can see Hanna's rustic lifestyle. She lives with her father (Eric Bana); who teaches her academically as well as life-fighting-assassin skills. When Bana see's Hanna is 'ready', Hanna is given a transmitter with the warning "if you press the button, life changes forever" sorta deal.

Hanna pushes the button and everything swings into motion. Hanna allows herself to be captured and taken to an underground facility where she is interrogated. After a bit, Hanna believes she kills the 'villain' of the movie - a delightfully terrible CIA agent played wonderfully by Cate Blanchett. Hanna makes her way from the bunker (In the deserts of Morocco) by hitching with a British family on holiday. Through her Journey, Hanna is exposed to terrific experiences such as "music and dancing". Hanna loves music, and the actress Saoirse (pronounced 'Sersha') Ronan mastery of expression, wonder, and cautious-restraint brings Hanna absolutely to life. I must say, Ms. Ronan (also of The Lovely Bones) is a star. She's good - not upstaged in the least by the powerful performance of Blanchett. Ronan is very good.

The movie ends, somewhat predictably, with Hanna finding out about her origin - secrets Bana kept from her - leading to the final confrontation with Blanchett.

Things i LOVED about this movie:

Ronan's performance.
Cinematography - Beautiful and wonderful details. From errant phone-ringing to crazy people in the streets to the beauty of friendship. All aspects of this movie are shot wonderfully - story-telling for those who want to see beyond the subject of the scene, and into the life-moment happening in front of us. Just perfect.
Soundtrack - Techno/industrial and absolutely appropriate for the story
Ronan's performance.
Writing.

Things I didn't like so much:
The ending. You know, the part when it was over and the movie was no-more? yeah, I hated that part. This movie makes my top 10 of all time - which includes The Silence of the Lambs, Star Wars, The Beaver, Ten Commandments, among others.

I thought this was about my granddaughter, and wondered why you left the "h" off the end.

[Jess]

Agreed, D. It was a very good movie, the young lady was superb, the plot was not the same old re-hashing and it actually was a good way to spend a couple hours.