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Tis the weekend of female heroines. This past Friday, both Hanna and Your Highness opened nationwide, and both feature leading ladies -- Saoirse Ronan and Natalie Portman, respectively- who know a thing or two about kicking ass. Now, I do believe in the theory of if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all, so I won’t be dwelling long on Your Highness.
A big scolding goes out to Natalie for choosing this embarrassingly awful “comedy” as her follow up to Black Swan. Her bow and arrow wielding warrior woman was a half-assed parody, although considering all the performances (especially you, James Franco, shame on you!), she fit right in.
The only redeeming quality -and unintentionally genuine comedic moment- was found in Zooey Deschanel’s adorably inaccurate attempt at a British accent. Danny McBride I suppose also deserves a shout out for being the only one dedicated to the cause. If anything, wait for the DVD so you can turn it off and happily continue on with your life without worrying about ticket expense. I, unfortunately, will never get the moments of my life back that Your Highness stole from me.
Luckily, my weekend was redeemed by Hanna, the first thoroughly engaging film of 2011. 17-year-old Saoirse Ronan stars as Hanna, a young girl who’s spent her entire life training in the woods with her father (Eric Bana) to become an assassin. Hanna has finally made the decision to leave the woods, find, and kill a mysterious agent Marissa -- the chilling Cate Blanchett -- who is on a hunt for her as well.
What ensues is a globe-spanning game of cat and mouse between Hanna and just about everyone else, and if you think for a second that this seems to be an unfair match, it’s those hunting Hanna who should be afraid. Directed by Joe Wright (Atonement), Hanna is not only emotionally compelling but visually stunning, proving that a movie can be captivatingly beautiful without flashy special effects and CGI.
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The strongest point in Hanna is undoubtedly the young Saoirse Ronan- not to mention her stunningly icy eyes, which deserve an entire credit in themselves. It would be easy for an actress to turn the titular character in to a mindless killing machine, but Saoirse seems to not only understand Hanna, but live inside of her to the point where she’s not only thoroughly likable, but relatable. Of course, Saoirse didn’t come out of nowhere. She was nominated for an Oscar for her creepily compelling performance in Atonement, and has received rave reviews for her performances in such films as The Lovely Bones and The Way Back. Saoirse Ronan’s performances offer depth, maturity, and truth beyond what most actors of any age deliver today, and the recognition she receives is 100 percent deserved.
Cheers also to Jessica Barden, who plays Sophie- the young daughter of a family who takes Hanna in. Jessica provides virtually the movie’s only comic relief as a fast-talking, entertainingly naive teenager whose relationship with Hanna is one of the most touching parts of the film. I didn’t expect to audibly laugh in a movie about a disturbed teenage assassin, but thanks Jessica, I certainly laughed more than I did in Your Highness.
The adult leads are also on top of their game, especially Eric Bana, whose performance as Hanna’s father is particularly touching. Cate Blanchett has mastered the art of villainy as Marissa, although her character may be considered a bit one-dimensional.
I also cannot possibly review Hanna without commending the brilliant soundtrack provided by The Chemical Brothers. Within twelve hours of owning it, I’ve already listened multiple times, and I still can’t seem to stop.
Hanna may seem like an action film, but it’s also simply a coming of age movie about a teenager trying to understand the world around her. It’s tragic, beautiful, and hard to shake off after witnessing. So if given the choice, dear readers, do save yourself the trouble of Your Highness and check out Hanna. You won’t be disappointed.
