HANNA

“Sometimes children are bad people too”

            When I first saw the preview for Hanna I thought that I would just be watching a young girl with dark origins kick some major ass. This premise is the surface but the deeper plot is a standard “coming-of-age” story. From a toddler Hanna is hidden deep in the cold woods by her father, Erik (Eric Bana). For years Hanna is trained by her equally bad-ass father to be a weapon of revenge. As Hanna sticks to Erik’s plan she is submerged into a new world, one that fills the emotional and social needs that have been so lacking in her cold world. Who can blame her? At sixteen her social circle was daddy and the arctic moose.

            Hanna’s only connection to her mother is a photo booth sheet of pictures and her Grimm’s Fairy Tales book. At first I thought this was only chosen because of the family’s German origins but the core of Hanna unfolds like a true Grimm Tale. (The brothers would have been clapping at the end of the movie.) A gruesome revenge story that includes a Southern Witch, Marissa whose flawless appearance masks her true nature.  Like a Grimm tale the plot isn’t realistic but the story is more about the characters and their actions. That’s why director Joe Wright should kiss whoever casted the movie because the acting was top-notch. Saoirse Ronan, who plays Hanna, is very convincing as the sheltered wild-child. Even her fair unearthly looks set her apart. I also really enjoyed Cate Blanchett’s Marissa because the villain wasn’t super evil with no fear or emotions. Marissa is smart, manipulative, and a nasty perfectionist. But when she first witnesses what Hanna is capable of Marissa’s face is full of shock and horror, along with deep awe and pride at what has been created.

            The pace and the action of the film was nice and even, with enough ups to keep the audience always entertained but the needed downs to give us a breath too. The tension could have been thicker but I’m afraid something of value probably would have been traded. The downtime focused on Hanna’s interactions with an English family on vacation. Even though the family is odd in their own right they are a strong contrast to Hanna’s childhood experience. And provide comic relief which gets a thumb’s up from me.

Random bits:

-       Marissa was a great villain but her lead henchman, Mr. “I’m-too-evil-for-pants”, is winning the race for creepiest creep of 2011 so far (for all my Pride and Prejudice fans he played Mr. Collins!)

-       I loved Hanna’s friend Sophie, the English teen. I’m pretty sure some of her lines will be quoted soon.

Verdict: Great acting, good action, but not a complete plot. I believe its worth going to the theaters but if you are not completely sold defiantly catch Hanna at the dollar theater.

I am Number Four

Warning: There will be a few Number puns in this Review.

‘Allo Everyone! Holidays and a lacking at the box office have kept me from writing any reviews. Recap: Gnome and Juliet was cute but there’s definitely better animated movies. The Mechanic was actually a lot better than I thought it would be…no really. And Blue Valentine was pure Gosling Awesomeness.

It’s a trend with Movie releases that January-February tends to be movies that aren’t expected to make the big bucks. In the winter months people are more apt to stay home so studios don’t want to ‘waste’ possible hits on slow months. But then March comes around and the snow starts to melt (well figuratively for Florida) and the theaters have their own March Madness. I am Number Four has jumped the gun a bit and hopes to be the first big hit before anybody can claim that spot. Is it the hot new number for spring?

Nope.

Here’s the problem: this movie was meant to start a franchise, targeting teens with action, two hotties in love and teen angst. The plot was predictabe and I wasn’t surprise to find out that one of the writers of Smallville wrote I am Number Four. I felt like I was watching a glorified version of an episode. But honestly those two elements wouldn’t have been so obvious if the acting was better. Everyone has seen the story about the kid at school that has a secret. This hottie angst-y teen (Alex Pettyfer) is four of nine special aliens who escaped their home planet as babies before it was destroyed (uhhh……that sounds familiar). Apparently the baddies who destroyed their planet really want to make sure the job was done. Thus the first three are killed and now Four’s number is up! (Yes. I know. Awful.) There was just never a point that I felt wowed, I’ve just seen parts of this movie before.

Some things I did like: The two human characters, Sarah (Dianna Agron) and Sam (Callan McAuliffe) held more of my interest than the aliens. I usually don’t like females in teen movies, at least not how they’re portrayed but there was just something about Dianna Argon that makes her so distant but likable at the same time. McAuliffe character seems to be there more for Four to have a laughable sidekick, but the kid is so adorably geeky that I started to root for him.

The lady who saved the day (and my interest) was Teresa Palmer, who comes swinging in as Kick-Ass Six. Where the other eight choose to run and hide Six plans on finding Four and kick some Baddie Alien tushy! At first I wasn’t sure about Six because her first scene had a dumb slo-mo ‘walk through fire’ bit. Palmer’s abrasiveness (much needed throughout the film) is what made the fifth act for me. If the studio ends up making a sequel I hope its I am Number Six and from her point of view which could actually make the “franchise” more exciting.

So granted this movie is geared towards middle/high age so I might be out of touch and too old (apparently I am since all the teens who come into my work call me ma’am and look like I’m about to lecture them about some wrong-doing) but I think more thought and energy could have been put into the movie since this is suppose to be the next “big thang” (which I highly doubt).