bmrao1980

I saw this one against the critics' recommendation at Rottentomatoes, and it was because of Amanda Seyfred, to be honest. She has those beautiful big blue eyes and blonde hair that one cannot look away from.

But after watching her in this movie, it is clear to me that she is much more than a pretty face, and she can carry a movie on her own.

I can see why the critics would hate it, though. The plot is overly simple, the cops have a cursory role, and none of the characters other than that of Amanda's are well-developed. And, the big 'confrontation' is dealt with as if the director wanted it out of the way as soon as possible.

But, to be honest, in retrospect, the film is about none of that. This is a suspense thriller, not a horror. There does not have to be a big confrontation, and there does not have to be jump shots. This is about the journey of the protagonist against all odds, and how she uses her alertness and her resourcefulness and her charm to get to the person she believes has her sister.

In this, it succeeds. I would watch this one again, and if a movie makes me think that, it has succeeded for me.

Simple yet effective. That is how I felt when I left the movie hall after watching Hanna. In this times where studios are increasing banking on probable franchises, this little gem is a refreshing original story that is also very well executed. The acting, the action, the casting, the Chemical Brothers score, the characters, their interaction, the story, and all the twists and turns it takes - all of it is very well and seamlessly done.

Ronan, who plays Hanna, is someone to look out for in the future.I will go so far as to say that she might be the next Angelina Jolie in terms of action scenes. She might even go beyond that because she is also a good enough actress, not just an action star. Cate Blanchett's performance as a villain was also refreshing, although her fluctuating accent did take away from her performance a bit. Also, all of her dialogs seem to be half-finished, whether she was talking on the phone or interrogating the family that Hanna befriended. Eric Bana's performance does feel a little wooden, but then he does not have much to do except 'unleash' Hanna onto Merissa.

The actions scenes were very well shot and did not look incredulous like the ones in Kick-Ass. I especially loved the long single-take shots that build up the tension so well.

Some of the details like the running scenes and the way Hanna's hair is never tied, depict that the director has his own unique sense of style and has used it quite effectively here. Also, the girl-girl kiss does not look gratuitous at all, but rather a good signifier of how grateful Hanna is to find a friend.

There are always going to plot-holes and unanswered questions in every movie but the pace, the acting and the action never lets those come in the way of enjoying the movie. In fact I think some of it was deliberate so as to let the individual's perception fill in the blanks.

All in all, although I might have used some exaggerated prose in here, the movie left me satisfied overall. We need more original gems like this one. I hope there is no Hanna-2 because it is perfect the way it is!