RBR: Hanna

This one totally caught me off guard and in a good way, which rarely ever happens. This is a engaging and well-made thriller that feels fresh even if the set-up isn't entirely new. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as Hanna, a young girl who has lived her entire life in the wilderness with her father, played by Eric Bana. Out in no man's land, she learns how to hunt and fight, which come in handy once the government begin hunting the two of them down. As Hanna gets chased, the film doubles as a action film and a coming of age story. In both the fight sequences and the quieter moments director Joe Wright is very clever with the way he lets the scenes unfold. A soundtrack by The Chemical Brothers also energizes the film. The shots are brought to life even more by some terrific performances, particularly by Blanchett and Ronan. The ending is disappointing, however, for a couple of reasons. It doesn't really answer all of the questions that were posed throughout the film and the twists and reveals that are given are not really that surprising. Still, this is likely a movie that went overlooked by many when it was in theaters and it would be worth your time to seek it out now on home video. I was pleased to see that my reservations about the film were unfounded. I'm not surprised often by the quality of a film, so when I am, I appreciate it even more. Rating: ****