It’s amazing how often people never think about the consequences of past actions; the two main adults in this film are taught this very lesson.
Hanna (Roman) has been preparing her entire life to seek revenge on a research agent that murdered her mother. Erik (Bana), her father, trains her mentally and physically against many obstacles to prepare for an inevitable encounter. One day, Hanna finally makes the decision to hunt down Marissa Wiegler (Blanchett) in an attempt to end what has been a long search to kill Erik, the only person left that knows more than he should.
Erik’s secret is a twist that one would expect under the circumstances; however, it still has enough impact to startle. Concerning the direction of the movie, it seems to take a detour focusing on Hanna discovering a world unknown to her. As understandable as her confusion and curiosity may be, this deviation takes away from the flow of the story.
Cate Blanchett, while an intense actress, falls short in this role as her character is easily replaceable. Overall, the movie illustrates an excellent performance by Saorise Roman, good action sequences, and a lovely score. Roman approaches the role in a way that suggests that Hanna is a very detached young lady — a girl that, as hard as one could try, no one can easily identify with.
Ironically, while it’s hard to feel bad for a person who isn’t honest, upon hearing the score, the audience is meant to feel pity, if only for a moment, when Erik finally admits his true role in all of this.
It’s a subtle action film with a satisfying ending.
Jim’s Rating: 6.5/10