CHICAGO – Excelsior! Comic book legend Stan Lee’s famous exclamation puts a fine point on the third and final play of Mark Pracht’s FOUR COLOR TRILOGY, “The House of Ideas,” presented by and staged at City Lit Theater in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood. For tickets/details, click HOUSE OF IDEAS.
Film Review: Saoirse Ronan Rocks in Joe Wright’s Riveting ‘Hanna’
CHICAGO – You won’t be able to take your eyes of Saoirse Ronan in Joe Wright’s action film “Hanna,” a visceral thrill ride that’s likely to be a more satisfying experience than most of the action blockbusters that will fill the multiplex as the temperatures rise. With an A-list cast and incredible production values, “Hanna” is a speeding train. Hop on and hold on tight.
Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
From the beginning, Hanna (Ronan) is not your ordinary 16-year-old girl. She is introduced, stealthily moving through a snowy woods as she hunts for food, clothing, and practice. Her father Erik (Eric Bana) approaches behind her and admonishes the girl for not realizing he was nearby. Quickly, we realize that young Hanna is not just a skilled hunter and fighter, but a killing machine. Her striking blue eyes are always trained on the target, whether it be shooting practice or sparring with her father. The mystery begins — Who is Hanna? Why is her father training her? Where did these strange people come from and where are they going?
Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Hanna” in our reviews section. |
There are many surprises in “Hanna” that only cynical critics would ruin but I will say that the film is essentially an elaborate chase movie. Hanna and her father have hatched a plot to kill a woman named Marisa (Cate Blanchett) and then meet up in Berlin. Hanna kills the wrong woman but believes she has accomplished her mission and heads to meet her beloved father with Marisa chasing behind her.
Between the chase-action scenes, the mystery of “Hanna” also unfolds like a modern fairy tale. With references to the Brothers Grimm throughout, we learn why this heroine lives in a little cottage in the woods and the true story behind the big bad wolf in this dynamic. “Hanna” may be the first fairy tale-inspired modern action movie. It’s a hybrid between “The Bourne Identity,” “Kill Bill,” and “Hansel & Gretel.”
Hanna
Photo credit: Focus Features