Hanna
Directed By: Joe Wright
Written By: Seth Lochhead and David Farr, Story by Seth Lochhead
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Jessica Barden, and Olivia Williams
Director of Photography: Alwin H. Kuckler, Editor: Paul Tothill, Production Designer: Sarah Greenwood, Original Music: The Chemical Brothers
Rated: PG-13 for some intense in-your-face violence, a little language and a suggestion of sex
Watching Hanna I realized how much two of director Joe Wright’s previous films now felt anarchronistic to his taste. While his adaptations of Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice and Ian McEwan’s Atonement were reserved and flowing with the veins of their literary authors, his latest film, the action thriller Hanna, couldn’t be more radical in style. It comes as a surprise that neither of those two films featured rapid editing, pounding techno scores, or sheer intensity (Atonement did have a 7 minute tracking shot on the shores of Dunkirk, a show stopping moment in the often restrained film).
So why hasn’t Mr. Wright done an action film before, as Hanna proves he is certain capable, if not extremely unique as an in-your-face director that doesn’t just shove you into the story, but throws you face first into the mud. A twisted coming-of-age tale mixed with a Jason Bounre-like narrative, Hanna is an intense if silly action ride, but kept together by its lead performer, the loveable Saoirse Ronan.
