The modern-day fairy tale film seems to have become the typical Disney cookie-cutter movie. They usually follow similar formats: wicked witch captures young girl, princess needs to be rescued or male hero saves the day, yet very few pictures capture the eerie and often scary vibe of the original fairytales that these stories are based on. It is amazing how graphic and frightening the Grimm tales and other similar stories actually are.
So, to my surprise, I sat watching the 2011 British-German produced action movie called Hanna and was extremely impressed by the way they created a modern-day and original fairytale that harkened back to the early Grimm-like stories.
The mood throughout will give you the creeps. Much like Red Riding Hood, we see a young girl, Hanna, played by Saoirse Ronan (who popped onto the scene with her excellent performance as the thirteen year old Briony Tallis in Atonement), who must go out into the big wide world. It is an eye-opening experience for this child (expertly shown in one scene where she is overwhelmed by the world that she does not know – a room with a television and other modern devices) who has been secluded in a cold northern forest with her father, Erik (Eric Bana). Despite her seclusion she has been trained as an expert in combat by her father, who in a fairytale could be compared to the woodsman, someone who protects and shields her from the evils of the world.
The evildoers in this film are a cold and wicked CIA agent named Marissa (much like the wicked stepmother or big bad wolf), played masterfully by Cate Blanchett, and her creepy tracksuit wearing henchman Isaacs (Tom Hollander). Every time the two antagonists are on screen, a feeling of dread and horror hits the viewer. They play the archetypal role of the villain so well: violent and tricky liars who will do anything to get what they want.
The storyline, like an old fashioned fairytale, is simple but effective. The movie, despite all of the evil, can at times be surprisingly human, especially when Hanna meets a young family in Morocco. She quickly makes her first friend with an average teenager, Sophie (Jessica Barden), the first child her age she has ever met, and through her stealthy ways is able to tag along with the girl and her loving family. Though they are only a small part of the motion picture, Sophie’s parents, Rachel and Sebastian, played by Olivia Williams and Jason Flemyng, demonstrate the type of family dynamic that Hanna has never seen and is drawn to.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Hanna meets the outlandish and eccentric Knepfler (Martin Wuttke), an old magician who despite his ominous look is an ally and friend of her father’s. Diverse characters such as these create a rich tapestry that helps to illustrate the bizarre world Hanna is making her way through, each person or experience a benchmark which helps her to frame her new reality.
The soundtrack just adds to the power of the movie. The Chemical Brothers, a British electronic music duo, add a modern touch to the story by fusing new age sound with classical composition. The sets, such as the run-down fairytale amusement park in Germany, add to the somber mood of the film. The writers, Seth Lochhead and David Farr, must be given a lot of credit.
Too many action movies focus solely on moving from one fight scene to the next, but these scribes develop a unique and well thought out story that not only brings us great scenes of combat, but also offer quieter moments outside the action that make us feel for our protagonist.
Most importantly, director Joe Wright orchestrates the film perfectly. After directing period pieces such as Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, Wright creates a beautiful film that is easy on the eyes as well as chilling to the core. His stylized form of direction adds to the fairytale elements of the story.
One of my least favourite trends in today’s action movies are the highly edited, many-cut action sequences. Wright and his team film long takes, thus allowing the viewer to focus on the artfully choreographed scenes instead of being distracted by the quick shots of punches, kicks, dodges and other such things.
In the end, Hanna comes full circle and finishes in the only way that it should. It is an ode to the classic fairytale and one of the best action movies I have seen in recent years. Powered by superb acting, a great script, and beautiful direction, this is a film that deserves to be seen by more people. This is no Hannah Montana!