Review: Hanna (released April 2011)

I usually try not to spoil movies too much for your sake, but this.. might not be one of those non-spoiling ones, Chu. Here`s that warning you`ve complained I don`t put before a review :)

The impression. I actually didn`t have much of an impression before walking into the theatre. But I did get a chance to see the trailer > click. Someone is after this girl (named Hanna obviously), and something is special about her. The question was why and what, which may have ended up being the same thing.

The introduction. We`re introduced to Hanna`s lifestyle with her father Erik Heller, in the forest in the midst of snow (obviously a very deserted area). Here is a list of things we learn about her: She is incredibly able to defend herself with a knife, gun or without a weapon at all. She has an amazing ability to hunt, and of course, run. Note the foreshadowing when she kills the deer with her bow and arrow: “I just missed your heart.” She`s able to speak many different languages: I believe the ones in the very beginning were English, German, Italian and then Spanish. Later we discover she can also speak Arabic and Japanese. She has been cut off from society for a reason that isn`t explained to the audience. She has vast knowledge of the outside world, but although she`s heard of them, she`s never actually seen things like electricity or heard things like music. When she`s thrown on a chase/run from an intelligence agent, Marissa Wiegler who won`t stop at anything to kill her, there is much comic relief from her social awkwardness.

The action. The scenes were all great: the chase, the fighting, even (or some would say, especially) the really graphic murders. These murders were at times gruesome because Hanna had obviously been raised to kill to defend herself, so we`re watching a 16 year old kill ruthlessly, without guilt and very skillfully. Whenever the music picked up, and the bass and tremble went waay up, you knew that Hanna (or some scenes, her father) was about to kill some people, hurt some people to get them out of her way or to get away from them. Why? It is explained that Hanna was part of a research project; Her ability to feel fear or pity has genetically been modified, and her ability basically to fight has been enhanced. The purpose was to create the “perfect soldier.” The research project was shut down, and the children were killed by project leader, of course Marissa. But she failed to kill Hanna. And so, pursues her now that she`s been found. It seemed that anyone who helped Hanna get across Europe to meet her father was harmed or killed in one way or another by Marissa (or someone working for Marissa).

The ending. Despite the explanation, we`re led to believe that Marissa had more reason than that to pursue Erik and Hanna. She went about everything as if it was her sole purpose in life to be the one to kill them both. Our ending begins when Marissa is at the end of her chase. Erik, in his attempt to distract Marissa so that Hanna could escape, was shot and killed by Marissa. Despite the distraction, Marissa catches up to Hanna and standing facing each other, Hanna has a chance to say “Let me go, I don`t want to hurt anyone anymore.”  We could all guess that Marissa wouldn`t, and so Marissa shoots Hanna, while simultaneously Hanna shoots a makeshift arrow at Marissa. Neither are dead, but tragically Marissa slips, takes a tumble and loses hold of her gun. Hanna picks up the gun, stands above the fallen Marissa and says “I just missed your heart.” And.. well. Shoots her. AND THEN? Credits. The end.

The plot. “A 16-year-old who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives.” (source: IMDb) This one sentence really summarizes the whole movie. And the end can be summed up much the same way: Either Marissa or Hanna had to die to end the chase: Marissa died.. and so did everyone else, besides Hanna. Wasn`t super difficult to understand.. However, we are left wondering what happens to Hanna after Erik and Marissa are dead. We`re also left wondering why Marissa was so determined to personally kill Erik, and of course, Hanna. Did she really just hold a really deep grudge over something so.. simple?

The cast. Hooray Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) for doing a wondrous job at portraying an almost unemotional little girl, however I haven`t previously heard of her. She will appear again on screen soon though, not to worry. Cate Blanchett (Marissa) had moments when she frightened me… Like when she was brushing her teeth to the point where they were crazy bleeding. I really think her attire, and eyebrows helped her play her character. I liked her, but she was kind of insane. Eric Bana (Erik) didn`t super wow me, but he was dashing after a haircut and shave… :)

The opinion. Fast paced movie for the most part. Moments when Hanna wasn`t running or fighting were almost scarce and for her, short-lived of course. It was a bit disconcerting to watch Hanna kill and kill and kill. I can`t say I didn`t enjoy the movie, I really did, particularly when she successfully got away and when she was so socially awkward that it was funny: “How did your mother die, Hanna?” HAHA “Three bullets.” What a girl. Certain scenes had me cringing a bit, some others had me wanting to hide. Not a must-see, but it wasn`t bad either :)

3 stars.

Review: Sucker Punch (released March 2011)

The impression. Second movie in a row where I`ve fallen for a very misleading trailer. There were just so many different scenes, so many stories in the trailer, I felt like I really had to see it. Here`s the trailer: click.

The introduction. Having been late for the first fiveish minutes of the movie shouldn`t have had me quite so confused, but it did. My understanding is that Baby Doll was brought to a mental institute, as the trailer suggests. I began the movie when she enters the.. almost prison looking place. Also… Why the stupid names? Blue, Sweet Pea, Blondie, Baby Doll, Rocket? Amber is an actual name, so that was fine.

The action. I wouldn`t criticize this part of the movie at all. Even though everything was in slow motion more than half the time, it was quite enjoyable to watch this girl with pigtails use a sword and a tiny pistol do some amazing flips, with her team of four other women all holding guns or flying planes.

The ending. All I can say was.. I. was. so. confused walking out of the theatre. The story didn`t piece itself together like it should have at that point. I just. was so confused. Rocket died, OH NO! And then bam, bam, Amber and Blondie gets shot in the head.. No big deal, let`s just stab Blue, get Sweet Pea and get out of here. Wait, Babydoll has to give herself up so that Sweet Pea can escape? And… Things were very jumbled up.

The plot. What WAS the plot? All I could understand was that Babydoll tries to escape, drags four other girls into her plan with her, fails to do so, three of the four girls die. And what? She`s getting a lobotomy? I just have to say, whatever the plot was.. I didn`t understand.

The cast. Just wow. They all did great, fighting, and looking good while they did it. Vanessa Hudgens (Blondie) pulled off the mascara-running pitiful tearful look well enough. Emily Browning (Baby Doll) managed to convince me she was insane, and a little disturbed, that`s an achievement.. Jamie Chung (Amber) is my favorite in the movie, especially when she looked nervous but confident at the same time to steal a lighter from this disgusting looking old and fat man.

The opinion. To have a possibility of understanding the plot better, I`d have to re-watch this movie. Even still, I think I wouldn`t get it. Besides the action, and of course the cast, I didn`t get anything out of the movie.. And those factors aren`t compelling enough to have me watching a second (or the perhaps necessary third) time.

2 stars.

Review: Red Riding Hood (released March 2011)

The impression. From the directors of Twilight….and it`s about a wolf. Enough said. Then the title of the movie makes me think: it`s a spin off of the Little Red Riding Hood. Which was a story I sort of lik—Well, no it was just a story I grew up with. But the trailer was still enough to have me set on watching it. I walked in expecting a spin off of the Little Red Riding Hood, with a Twilight twist on it and quite a bit of sexual content. Here is that trailer: click.

The introduction. Everything begins with an aerial view of the mountains and this random village in the middle of no where. (This part actually made my head spin, perhaps they could have slowed down the ‘flight’) Anyway, as soon as it started, I realized it was very unlike the Little Red Riding Hood. Right away, we`re introduced to our female protagonist at a young age, Valerie and her to be lover when she grew older, Peter of course breaking rules. And the obvious fear and distress of the villagers of some mysterious wolf, to the point where they barricaded their village at night.

The action. There was plenty of suspense: whenever the suspenseful music came on and then whenever the camera view made you believe the wolf was watching. Father Solomon was a lunatic, his fighters weren`t that impressive. I think some killings were very unnecessary. Some of the gore was just.. pathetic but cleverly filmed so that it didn`t ruin the movie.

The ending. After everything: finding out her father is the werewolf everyone is hunting, (the very werewolf who killed her sister, Henry`s father and close friends) finding out she is the daughter of a werewolf, that she comes from a long line of werewolves.. Her lover BECOMES a werewolf (after getting bitten, sigh Twilight twist, as said) and she ends up waiting for him to return…while living in the very house where her grandmother and father both died? Rather, where she KILLED her father? Well, at least she seems content waiting for her werewolf lover to come back.

The plot. I never suspected her father to be the wolf. It was like a giant game of guess who for the entire duration of the movie. The audience is misled into believing that Peter is the wolf, the grandmother is the wolf (because of the dream where Valerie and her grandmother reenact the classic “What big eyes you have, grandmother?” scene), Henry is the wolf, or even the autistic kid was the wolf. And of course, we can`t forget our protagonist who is in the ever typical love triangle. Arranged marriage to someone she doesn`t love, and apparently blacksmiths make more money than wood choppers? Then you are introduced to Father Solomon who as said, is a crazy lunatic who is set on killing the werewolf, having killed his own wife before who was also a werewolf. Right.. Our protagonist is a strong character, but interestingly enough.. She`s also ‘courageous’ enough to dissect her father once he`s dead, to put stones into his body so that when they disposed of him into what is presumed the ocean (EVEN THOUGH they live on a mountain…? Perhaps it was a lake.) he`d sink to the bottom. They even showed the scene where she stitches him up.. There are some controversial points in the plot. But it pulled together somehow at the end, any questions I had about anything were answered with a jam-packed ending.

The cast. I have not much to say on the cast. I loved Julie Christie as the grandmother actually, she`d be my favorite actress in the movie. Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons could have impressed me, but didn`t. Gary Oldman was an amazing serial lunatic :) Billy Burke didn`t have enough time on screen for me to have an opinion, except he blends into the crowd well. I don`t particularly favor Amanda Seyfried but she did pretty alright as Valerie; she was really the only character we ever focused on in the movie, there were barely any scenes where she wasn`t in it.

The opinion. Any parent who is bringing their 8 year old to see this movie, thinking this is just a “harmless adaptation” as my friend puts it, please don`t. There was an 8 year old in the theatre when I watched it today, and I felt bad. There was a lot less sexual content than I thought there would be, but more than an 8 year old should be seeing if even I felt slightly uncomfortable watching. And truthfully, the dissecting of one`s father is definitely not ideal for young children. I walked out of the theatre with mixed feelings. I didn`t know where to put this movie in my mind: I didn`t hate it and I didn`t really like it either. It didn`t inspire me, I didn`t walk out the theatre enlightened with some moral.. I wasn`t boring, the suspense in the movie kept it from being anything but boring. Enjoyable I suppose, but I wouldn`t rewatch it.

3 stars.

julieas:

So, you know how everyone thinks that the Top is his totem, but in the beginning he mentions that it’s actually Mal’s? Well, you see, if it’s not his totem, then it’s not going to properly work for him. Cobb’s totem is his wedding ring. Whenever he’s dreaming, he has a wedding ring on because, as he says, in his dreams, they’re still together. In reality, he’s not wearing a ring. During the last scene of the movie? He’s not wearing a ring. BAM, REALITY.

Wow, now I wanna rewatch the movie :)