Hanna and Leaving Grimms' Fairy Tales Behind: A Movie Review

Full disclosure: a screening of Hanna was provided by Alliance Films. Their fan page is located (here).

Director: Joe Wright.

Writers: Seth Lochhead and David Farr.

Hanna is part espionage thriller and part adult fairytale, starring Eric Bana (Munich), Cate Blanchett (Robin Hood) and Saoirse Ronan (Lovely Bones). This title releases theatrically April 8th, through Focus Pictures and Alliance Films. Showing a little Wizard of Oz, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel and of course, the big bad wolf from Little Red Riding Hood, this feature shows Hanna's innocence lost, in a brutal world of espionage and counter-espionage. The final moral is one of consequence, in which Hanna learns that childhood and adulthood are two very different and competing spheres of interaction.

The film begins in Finland and here, Hanna (Ronan) learns the tricks of intelligence, while her mentor, Erik (Bana), has a secret motive for her training. Soon, the evil witch of the west is on both of their trails, minus the broomstick and Hanna is oblivious to character's real desires. She leaves a trail of bread crumbs, which look more like corpses and this allows the witch to find her. The witch does not wear a black hat, nor a black robe, but she turns everything she touches into something darker and more sinister. Her confrontation with Dorothy is soon to come.

Next, Snow White is introduced, along with a dwarfish spectator. This is not your ordinary Snow White, as this modern version is a hermaphrodite and suddenly, you begin to realize that this is more of a mature retelling of fairy tales, than anything else. Even here, the evil witch is scheming Hanna's downfall, along with her surrogate father's capture. There are no poisoned apples around, but the more lethal version e.g. guns, bullets, knives are.

Later, a ginger bread house signals more mayhem, as Hanna attempts to reunite with her mentor, Eric. Yet, the evil witch has sent her flying monkeys to intercept her. They come in the form of several skinheads, who carry out the witch's misdeeds. Luckily, Hanna does not become ensnared in a Hansel and Gretel storyline. But, she does come ever closer to realizing that reality is more violent, than she had previously imagined.

The finale, suitably takes place in an amusement park. No longer full of childhood imaginations and laughter, this is a place where the big bad wolf attempts to digest Little Red Riding Hood's delicate frame. Without her protective woodsman about, Hanna must deal with this external threat through adult guile, while the internal realization of maturation beckons with awareness of true identities and loss.

Hanna is an excellent watch for adults, looking for a modern retellings of stories of old. This title is not suitable for children e.g. violence, bloodshed, gore etc and this reviewer was surprised to see several children under ten at the screening. Perhaps, they were losing their innocence, as well.

*rated PG-13.

Overall: 7 out of 10 (good writing, a late revealing of identities, good acting, motivations of the antagonist were a little murky).

A second review of the film at Slant Magazine:

Ed Gonzalez Reviews Hanna

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Hanna on Facebook

Or search the official website of Hanna for more details:

Hanna's Official Website

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Posted in: amusement,bloody fairy tales,brothers grimm,cate blanchett,david farr,eric bana,espionage thriller,hanna,joe wright,saoirse ronan,seth lochhead,the big bad wolf,theatrical movie poster