I think looking back on films of this year Hanna will stand as one of the most interesting.
I really really liked it, it's incredibly well-made with a fantastic performance by Saoirse Ronan. Ronan has proved that she is the best young actor who can be relied on for anything. She gave the best performance in Atonement (another Joe Wright film), which also happens to be one of the best films of its decade, and she was 1 of the only 2 good things in The Lovely Bones (which was a failure). The other good thing in that film was Stanley Tucci's performance. Here in Hanna, she again demonstrated an incredible ability to portray her character to her fullest. The script is rather good, very good, even great at times. However, I don't think it's an incredibly original or insightful script, although its much better than any writing for action films these days. This isn't a brain-less film.
I think Joe Wright made the film as great as it was, because he gave it a unique tone to it. It isn't an action-packed film, but he directs the action sequences with enormous talent and passion behind them. He is able to demonstrate a subtlety at times regarding Hanna's character and thoughts, while in the action he makes us care. The film does drag a bit in the middle, but even when it does there is always something interesting to look forward to. The cinematography is quite brilliant, as is to be expected from a Wright film. Yet the film never feels over- the-top. In fact, it is quite a low-key and quiet film. I actually don't think that action film fans will be too fond of this. But I can appreciate this quiet intensity that the film has, and I personally think that it makes it unique in it's own way.
I also want go give huge kudos to the score by The Chemical Brothers. Quite brilliant, and I am sure its going to remain one of the best scores of the year. Overall, I was very impressed by the film. It managed to not become over-stuffed or messy, and was able to stay grounded and not go over-board while still being really intriguing, and despite having a standard script was able to surpass that and become original in it's own way. To me that is a huge success, although I do recognize that many may find it rather... odd. The best film of the year so far.
