July 5, 2014 - Analyzed Review: Hanna
Joe Wright's Hanna is an exercise in escapism, purely because it plays more like a fairy tale than an action film. Its fantastical elements feel grounded in reality, probably because this film is seemingly also a perverse metaphor for growing up. Hanna is essentially three films in one: an artsy action flick, a fantasy-like metaphor for becoming an adult and modern-day fairy tale. Wright blends all three so effortlessly that it makes for an exhilarating, multi-faceted, three-dimensional film.
Bellmore, Kate. "I just missed your heart." Digital image. Reel Club. N.p., 29 May 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
In the beginning of the film, Hanna is shown in an icy, snowy landscape, carefully stalking a dear. She's in her full snow gear, as pictured above. She shoots the dear with an arrow and chases it out onto a frozen lake. When the deer falls, Hanna says arguably one of the most important lines in the whole movie, "I just missed your heart." Hanna then proceeds to shoot the deer and the word "HANNA" flashes on the screen in big white print. What makes this line so important? We'll get to that later.
Hanna is now seen back in her home/cabin in the arctic circle with her father, Erik (played by Eric Bana). Her father is teaching her about various things when Hanna asks, "What does music feel like?" Music plays a very important role in the film and is mentioned several times. Keep this in mind for later. After this interaction, Hanna is shown flipping through a book of fairy tales. This is the first time we get any mention of fairy tales but certainly not the last.
Hanna is now seen back in her home/cabin in the arctic circle with her father, Erik (played by Eric Bana). Her father is teaching her about various things when Hanna asks, "What does music feel like?" Music plays a very important role in the film and is mentioned several times. Keep this in mind for later. After this interaction, Hanna is shown flipping through a book of fairy tales. This is the first time we get any mention of fairy tales but certainly not the last.
The Switch. Digital image. Crash! Landen's Crash! Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
In the picture above, Erik has pulled out the switch that when flipped tells Marissa Wiegler, played by Cate Blanchett, where they are. You still don't know who Marissa is or why she's so important but you presume that Hanna knows of Marissa's actions in the past and understands why that is why her father wants Hanna to kill Marissa. It is revealed that this is what Hanna has been trained by her father to do. The fact that Hanna accepts to kill someone because her father wants her to shows how blindly loyal she is to her father. This is because her father is all she's ever known. This shows how Hanna is heavily influenced by her father and is still innocent in many ways. It's demonstrating that she's still just a child.
C, Michael. "My Name Is Dr. Burton. Would You like to Talk to Me?" Digital image. The Film Experience. N.p., 26 Dec. 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
As part of the plan, Erik leaves the cabin so when the CIA, which Marissa works for, picks up the signal sent out by flipping the switch, they will find Hanna and Erik will have already left. Marissa is shown for the first time and she is shown brushing her teeth. The shot of her teeth is a very important shot but we'll talk about it later. The CIA do pick up Hanna and she's taken to holding where she is questioned by Dr. Burton. He says, "Can I get you something? What do you like? Music, magazines..." then proceeds to list other things but the fact that he asks her if she would like to listen to music and she responds with, "I would like to speak with Marissa Wiegler," tells us that Hanna's duty to kill Marissa takes priority over everything. Hanna is thought of by her father as a human weapon and she subconsciously accepts it.
A woman posing as Marissa Wiegler comes in to talk with Hanna but Hanna thinks it is the real Marissa. Hanna kills the fake Marissa and then, along with killing around ten other people, escapes. The picture below shows Hanna killing the woman posing as Marissa Wiegler.
A woman posing as Marissa Wiegler comes in to talk with Hanna but Hanna thinks it is the real Marissa. Hanna kills the fake Marissa and then, along with killing around ten other people, escapes. The picture below shows Hanna killing the woman posing as Marissa Wiegler.
Tomas, Rollo. Hanna killing the fake Marissa. Digital image. FilmBook. N.p., 20 Dec. 2010. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
Joe Wright then fluidly transitions to more of an action film when Hanna escapes the facility. Here is where he starts to blend action into his story which so far has been mostly a metaphor for growing up, thinly veiled as an action film. The escape sequence is very stylish while never sacrificing the film's artsy tone.
As Hanna escapes through a desert landscape, she meets a girl her own age named Sophie, played by Jessica Barden, who begins asking Hanna questions about herself to which Hanna replies with all the information her father told her to say when asked about where she came from. This is Hanna's first interaction with anyone her own age and her interaction with Sophie represents Hanna's first stages of becoming her own person and growing up.
As Hanna escapes through a desert landscape, she meets a girl her own age named Sophie, played by Jessica Barden, who begins asking Hanna questions about herself to which Hanna replies with all the information her father told her to say when asked about where she came from. This is Hanna's first interaction with anyone her own age and her interaction with Sophie represents Hanna's first stages of becoming her own person and growing up.
Hanna looking through the bushes. Digital image. 1337X. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
Hanna, after meeting Sophie and her brother Miles, walks through the desert, making it to a small Moroccan town where she watches woman cleaning their clothes and singing through the bushes, as shown in the picture above. She's seeing this world for the first time and is fascinated by it, much like a young child would be.
She checks into a hotel where she carries on a conversation with the hotel manager. He then gives her their best room and this is the first time Hanna is really introduced to electricity. While being distracted by all the electricity, Hanna makes a mistake. The hotel manager asks where she is from and she replies with, "The forest." Hanna, after being taught extensively not to give any details like that away, wouldn't do something like that on purpose. It was a mistake, showing that this lethal weapon of a child isn't perfect. She has her flaws much like every human.
Erik has since come to Europe and is seen in a hotel room, opening a letter from Hanna. The letter reads, "The witch is dead." Referring to Marissa as a witch is another mention of fairy tales in the film and also suggests that Marissa is symbolic of some fairy tale villain. One interpretation is that Marissa represents a general witch, one commonly found in fairy tales but the only piece of evidence I see that supports this is that she is only referenced to being a witch this one time. I think that this letter was only meant to suggest that Marissa represents a fairy tale villain, not necessarily a witch. I believe her character is meant to represent the Big Bad Wolf, but I'll get into that later.
She checks into a hotel where she carries on a conversation with the hotel manager. He then gives her their best room and this is the first time Hanna is really introduced to electricity. While being distracted by all the electricity, Hanna makes a mistake. The hotel manager asks where she is from and she replies with, "The forest." Hanna, after being taught extensively not to give any details like that away, wouldn't do something like that on purpose. It was a mistake, showing that this lethal weapon of a child isn't perfect. She has her flaws much like every human.
Erik has since come to Europe and is seen in a hotel room, opening a letter from Hanna. The letter reads, "The witch is dead." Referring to Marissa as a witch is another mention of fairy tales in the film and also suggests that Marissa is symbolic of some fairy tale villain. One interpretation is that Marissa represents a general witch, one commonly found in fairy tales but the only piece of evidence I see that supports this is that she is only referenced to being a witch this one time. I think that this letter was only meant to suggest that Marissa represents a fairy tale villain, not necessarily a witch. I believe her character is meant to represent the Big Bad Wolf, but I'll get into that later.
Hanna at dinner. Digital image. Newurdumaza. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
Hanna meets up with Sophie and her family in this Moroccan village she's come to and is invited to dinner with them, as pictured above. Her family is talking to her, asking her about herself when Hanna brings up her mother's death very honestly, much like a young child would. When Sophie's parents asked her how her mother died, Hanna very honestly responds with, "Three bullets." Earlier in the film, it is explained that Marissa had tried to kill Erik, Hanna and Hanna's mother but only ended up killing Hanna's mother.
Hanna then follows the family to Spain by sneaking into the trunk of their camper. When Sophie learns that Hanna has followed them to Spain, she says she won't tell her father that Hanna sneaked into their camper if she agrees to go on a double date with two Spanish boys and it is through this experience that Hanna becomes more of an adult. She faces her first experience with the opposite gender which is always very awkward. It is shown perfectly when Hanna and her date are sitting next to each other. Hanna will look at him but when he looks back at her, she turns away immediately. It's another instance where you see Hanna growing up. In the picture below, Hanna has tackled her date after he tries to kiss her.
Hanna then follows the family to Spain by sneaking into the trunk of their camper. When Sophie learns that Hanna has followed them to Spain, she says she won't tell her father that Hanna sneaked into their camper if she agrees to go on a double date with two Spanish boys and it is through this experience that Hanna becomes more of an adult. She faces her first experience with the opposite gender which is always very awkward. It is shown perfectly when Hanna and her date are sitting next to each other. Hanna will look at him but when he looks back at her, she turns away immediately. It's another instance where you see Hanna growing up. In the picture below, Hanna has tackled her date after he tries to kiss her.
Hanna tackling her date. Digital image. MICHU4U. N.p., 5 July 2012. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
Previous to this, we've learned that Marissa has hired a hit-man like character named Isaacs, played by Tom Hollander, that is followed around by two other goons. They have followed her to Spain and when searching the campground Hanna and Sophie's family are staying on, Isaacs walks into Sophie's brother Miles's tent. Miles half-asleep, half-awake says, "Sophie?" and Isaacs whispers, "It is the Sandman." The Sandman is a piece of northern/central European folklore so here is our third mention of fairy tales, this fairy tale specific to the region the film is taking place at that moment in time.
Hanna, Sophie and Sophie's family continue to travel to France and on the drive, Sophie's mother asks Hanna what she believes in. Hanna stays silent but looks at Sophie's mother as if pondering the question, "What do I believe in?" Sophie's mother takes Hanna's silence as, "I don't believe in anything," so Sophie's mother laughs and says, "Nothing!" I don't think that Hanna stayed silent as if to say she didn't believe in anything but she was silent because she was having a small internal struggle with what she did believe in. Hanna has now been exposed to a lot of the world and has learned much more since being set out to kill Marissa. She's learned a lot about human relationships and the way people interact with other people and all of these discoveries have led to feelings of independence. She now feels a little bit more confident in her decision making skills and has grown up quite a bit.
Hanna, Sophie and Sophie's family continue to travel to France and on the drive, Sophie's mother asks Hanna what she believes in. Hanna stays silent but looks at Sophie's mother as if pondering the question, "What do I believe in?" Sophie's mother takes Hanna's silence as, "I don't believe in anything," so Sophie's mother laughs and says, "Nothing!" I don't think that Hanna stayed silent as if to say she didn't believe in anything but she was silent because she was having a small internal struggle with what she did believe in. Hanna has now been exposed to a lot of the world and has learned much more since being set out to kill Marissa. She's learned a lot about human relationships and the way people interact with other people and all of these discoveries have led to feelings of independence. She now feels a little bit more confident in her decision making skills and has grown up quite a bit.
Hanna Container Park Chase Scene. Digital image. Insightfully Unorthodoxx. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
While in France, Isaacs and his goons corner Hanna and Sophie's family but Hanna leads Isaacs and his goons to a container park where Wright begins mixing in more action paired with a powerful, electronic score by The Chemical Brothers. She kills one of Isaacs goons while escaping and jumping into the water. Isaacs loses her and Hanna makes her way onto a barge in the canal she jumped into.
Part of Erik's original plan was for Hanna and Erik to meet at a Grimm's Fairy Tale style house in an abandoned amusement park where Erik's friend Kneplfer, played by Martin Wuttke, lives. Hanna makes her way to the house, pictured below.
Part of Erik's original plan was for Hanna and Erik to meet at a Grimm's Fairy Tale style house in an abandoned amusement park where Erik's friend Kneplfer, played by Martin Wuttke, lives. Hanna makes her way to the house, pictured below.
Alexander, Niall. Grimm house. Digital image. The Speculative Scotsman. N.p., 10 June 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
The end of the film, as it nears towards its exciting climax, gets a lot more fairy tale symbolism. Hanna is seen entering the Grimm's Fairy Tale inspired house which is yet another reference to fairy tales. Hanna enters the house and meets Knepfler, a friend of Erik's and Kneplfer entertains her, who asks her if she likes music. Here is another reference to music but now, Hanna is able to fully experience it. Kneplfer puts on the orchestral record and dances to it but things are interrupted when Marissa and Isaacs arrive on the scene, preventing Hanna and Erik from rendezvousing at the Grimm house.
Hanna escapes, realizing that she did not kill Marissa Wiegler but only escapes after she overhears a conversation that explains that Erik is not her real father. A plot point earlier on in the story was Hanna took the information collected from her blood samples when escaping from the CIA facility. The results read, "ABNORMAL," and Hanna has been pondering what this could mean throughout the film.
After doing some research at the library on the CIA, her father Erik and genetic mutation, she runs to her grandmother's house which is not far from the Grimm-inspired house. Here is another subtle reference to fairy tales because in Little Red Riding Hood because Little Red Riding Hood is always trying to make it to her grandmother's house but the Big Bad Wolf keeps getting in her way. As I said before, I think Marissa represents the Big Bad Wolf but I'll explain more of that later.
Erik has gone to meet Hanna at the Grimm-inspired house but after looking through a window, finds Isaacs practicing with a bow and arrow. Marissa tells Isaacs that they're leaving and Isaacs says, "To grandmother's house we go." This is a bit of a reference to "Little Red Riding Hood" but also to an American song from 1844, "Over the River and Through the Woods."
Hanna escapes, realizing that she did not kill Marissa Wiegler but only escapes after she overhears a conversation that explains that Erik is not her real father. A plot point earlier on in the story was Hanna took the information collected from her blood samples when escaping from the CIA facility. The results read, "ABNORMAL," and Hanna has been pondering what this could mean throughout the film.
After doing some research at the library on the CIA, her father Erik and genetic mutation, she runs to her grandmother's house which is not far from the Grimm-inspired house. Here is another subtle reference to fairy tales because in Little Red Riding Hood because Little Red Riding Hood is always trying to make it to her grandmother's house but the Big Bad Wolf keeps getting in her way. As I said before, I think Marissa represents the Big Bad Wolf but I'll explain more of that later.
Erik has gone to meet Hanna at the Grimm-inspired house but after looking through a window, finds Isaacs practicing with a bow and arrow. Marissa tells Isaacs that they're leaving and Isaacs says, "To grandmother's house we go." This is a bit of a reference to "Little Red Riding Hood" but also to an American song from 1844, "Over the River and Through the Woods."
Eric Bana as Erik Heller in Hanna (2011). Digital image. Theiapolis Media. N.p., 15 Mar. 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
Hanna and Erik meet at Hanna's grandmother's house where they have a big fight. This fight shows that Hanna is now thinking for herself and is not as heavily influenced by her father as she used to be. Her father is everything she has known for sixteen years and to find out that he isn't her real father feels like betrayal to Hanna. The scene shows that she doesn't subconsciously accept that she is a weapon to her father but now realizes she's justified to think she's more than just a weapon. Hanna leaves in anger and Erik follows her and in the picture above, he's saying, "I tried to prepare you." Hanna shoots back, "You didn't prepare me for this."
Erik sees that Isaacs and Marissa have followed him so he yells at Hanna to run. She subtly nods and flees the scene, leaving Erik to fight Marissa, Isaacs and Isaacs' goon. This moment feels like a sort of subtle reconnecting between the two (Erik and Hanna). The audience gets another reference to fairy tales here when Erik is running away while Isaacs is chasing him in a car and Isaacs yells, "Run little piggy!"
Erik then runs onto a playground where he kills Isaacs' goon, fights Isaacs and kills him. When he kills Isaacs, he puts him on a merry-go-round and swings him. Marissa then arrives and holds a gun to Erik's head. Marissa asks, "Why now Erik?" Erik responds with, "Children grow up." Here is another reference to how Hanna has completely changed from the person she first entered the "real world" as to now. Marissa kills Erik but Wright does a very smart thing. You see Hanna running and hear a gunshot and although you know it was probably Marissa's gun going off, killing Erik, you don't know for sure because you're not shown that on screen. Instead, when you hear the gunshot, Hanna stops running and falls to the her knees because she knows what has happened. Something happens inside of her when that gunshot is fired. She feels what it is like to have someone you love killed and she realizes she doesn't want to do that to people anymore. She evolves so much as a person in that one moment.
Erik sees that Isaacs and Marissa have followed him so he yells at Hanna to run. She subtly nods and flees the scene, leaving Erik to fight Marissa, Isaacs and Isaacs' goon. This moment feels like a sort of subtle reconnecting between the two (Erik and Hanna). The audience gets another reference to fairy tales here when Erik is running away while Isaacs is chasing him in a car and Isaacs yells, "Run little piggy!"
Erik then runs onto a playground where he kills Isaacs' goon, fights Isaacs and kills him. When he kills Isaacs, he puts him on a merry-go-round and swings him. Marissa then arrives and holds a gun to Erik's head. Marissa asks, "Why now Erik?" Erik responds with, "Children grow up." Here is another reference to how Hanna has completely changed from the person she first entered the "real world" as to now. Marissa kills Erik but Wright does a very smart thing. You see Hanna running and hear a gunshot and although you know it was probably Marissa's gun going off, killing Erik, you don't know for sure because you're not shown that on screen. Instead, when you hear the gunshot, Hanna stops running and falls to the her knees because she knows what has happened. Something happens inside of her when that gunshot is fired. She feels what it is like to have someone you love killed and she realizes she doesn't want to do that to people anymore. She evolves so much as a person in that one moment.
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Not Hanna. Digital image. Xoxoxo E. N.p., 10 Apr. 2012. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
Marissa then proceeds to chase Hanna back into the abandoned amusement park and here is where Joe Wright begins blending all three of his elements into one climactic moment. This chase scene is the action film component but some very strong fairy tale imagery happens at one point. Marissa and Hanna meet on a train track and Marissa emerges from a large wolf's mouth, as pictured above. Throughout the film, you've been given many shots of Marissa's teeth and the Big Bad Wolf's teeth are a big part of his character. Here, she is coming out of a wolf's head that seems to be staring Hanna in the face, further evidence that Marissa is meant to be the Big Bad Wolf. Not to mention that Cate Blanchett allows little humanizing qualities into the character of Marissa, much like the Big Bad Wolf. They're both villains with very little to sympathize with. Further links between the Big Bad Wolf and Marissa are that the Big Bad Wolf killed Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother and Marissa killed Hanna's grandmother. This could also suggest that Hanna represents Little Red Riding Hood (a deadly one at that). In this picture, Marissa and Hanna are also shown meeting in the forest, where the Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood meet.
Marissa begins to talk to Hanna and Hanna says how she doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore. This is the aftermath of the change that happened to her when her father was shot by Marissa. Marissa shoots Hanna with her gun in the waist and Hanna shoots Marissa with an arrow in the stomach. Hanna then chases Marissa through the tunnel that Marissa emerged from, so in other words, through the wolf's mouth. This could be a reference to how in the Grimm version of Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf ate Little Red Riding Hood.
In this tunnel, she finds a deer. I think this is meant as foreshadowing as to the very end of the film. Remember in the very beginning of my review how I told you to keep in mind how Hanna kills the deer? This is clever imagery that serves as a hint to the end of the film.
Marissa begins to talk to Hanna and Hanna says how she doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore. This is the aftermath of the change that happened to her when her father was shot by Marissa. Marissa shoots Hanna with her gun in the waist and Hanna shoots Marissa with an arrow in the stomach. Hanna then chases Marissa through the tunnel that Marissa emerged from, so in other words, through the wolf's mouth. This could be a reference to how in the Grimm version of Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf ate Little Red Riding Hood.
In this tunnel, she finds a deer. I think this is meant as foreshadowing as to the very end of the film. Remember in the very beginning of my review how I told you to keep in mind how Hanna kills the deer? This is clever imagery that serves as a hint to the end of the film.
I Just Missed Your Heart.' Digital image. Cinema Lines. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
Hanna follows Marissa to where she has collapsed on a big slide. Hanna utters her famous words, "I just missed your heart," and shoots and kills Marissa, as shown above. This is meant to suggest that Marissa represented the deer and the deer was symbolic of Hanna's prey, which is Marissa. Hanna has since grown up and she has made the choice to kill Marissa on her own. Her father had no influence over her now, so she has evolved completely and become her own person. She has grown up. And in the end, Little Red Riding Hood defeats the Big Bad Wolf, just like Hanna has defeated Marissa. All three of these elements (action film, metaphor for growing up and a fairy tale) have been neatly tied together into a spectacular film.
Hanna is an underrated gem. It's beautifully directed and shot and features a vulnerable performance by Saoirse Ronan. It also is supremely entertaining and the action sequences are excellently choreographed and lots of fun to watch. Its three different components are weaved so well together, it's almost impossible to see where each component was stitched to another one. Hanna is brilliant.
Hanna is an underrated gem. It's beautifully directed and shot and features a vulnerable performance by Saoirse Ronan. It also is supremely entertaining and the action sequences are excellently choreographed and lots of fun to watch. Its three different components are weaved so well together, it's almost impossible to see where each component was stitched to another one. Hanna is brilliant.