Hanna Review

Saturday on the 23^rd of April my cousin Blake and I went to see the new action thriller, Hanna, at Carmike Cinema. Because it’s rated PG-13, I entered the cinema expecting a childish action flick starring the pretty blue eyed girl from Lovely Bones, Saoirse Ronan. I left considering Hanna a very entertaining and artful film that I’d be glad to see again.

The film begins with teenage Hanna and her father Erik surviving in the snowy wastes of Finland. Hanna is expected by her father to fend for herself and train regularly, preparing for the day that she is finally allowed to leave on an unspecified mission that remains vague throughout the entire movie. Locations later change to other areas in Europe like Morocco and very prominently, Germany.

The soundtrack of the film is from The Chemical Brothers, and it really is phenomenal. The strange noises, loud throbbing, and low drum beats would seem very out of place in any other movie, but Hanna makes it work with intense escape and action scenes. It’s not what most people at Lake Hamilton probably find appealing by itself; it’s not rap or pop and there are no vocals. Nonetheless it fits perfectly in the movie.

This movie would appeal to anyone at Lake Hamilton. For the action lovers and thrill seekers, a good portion of the film is nicely choreographed lethal action. German Klub students will appreciate that there are a lot of German characters, a good portion of the dialogue is in German, and that Berlin, Germany is a major setting. Art students will enjoy the aesthetics of the film, including the cinematography and colorful scenes.

My cousin liked the movie, even though he thought it was a bit strange. But like me, he thought Hanna was unstoppable. He also thought that the beginning was generic but said that throughout were unexpected twists and turns both in screenplay and story, and that it was a movie he would see again. I would love to see it again because of some memorable and fantastic scenes that I remember, one of a Berlin playground with wrecked dinosaurs scattered around. Once I saw that towards the end of the movie I knew I would be in the theater again.

These are only two testimonies, so I want you to see this film for yourself. It’s not in 3D, and just as well. Disregard the notion that 3D makes a film better: this one is 2D and excellent. Maybe we can see it together?

Westan Lakey