Cate Blanchett's new thriller "Hanna"

TEENAGE kicks are taken quite literally this week in the action-filled mystery Hanna.

Brought up near the North Pole by her father Erik (Eric Bana), 16 year old girl Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has been trained to be the perfect assassin.

But when she is unleashed on a deadly mission to seek revenge against government agent Marissa (Cate Blanchett), Hanna soon finds herself hunted across Europe by a team of ruthless operatives.

Can her speed and cunning help her survive, or are there more question than answers when she is let into the world?

'Adapt or die'

Joe Wright is not a director you would associate with a modern-set tale of a trained killer who can dispose of a wealth of foes in a variety of imaginative methods.

Following Pride & Prejudice and the lauded Atonement, his feet have been firmly grounded in ‘period’ territory or the gentle drama of films like The Soloist.

But like teenage assassin Hanna’s mantra, Wright appears to have followed the rule of ‘adapt or die’.

A plethora of stylised camera techniques are wilfully embraced, with ripe colour and stark framing creating genuine atmosphere.

Wright's penchant for long, complicated, one-take shots thankfully remains, and although the kinetic action sequences - propelled by The Chemical Brothers’ superb soundtrack - maintain interest, they occasionally dip into the mundane; conforming to run-of-the-mill sequences, which jar against the distinct style established throughout the film.

Too much?

Despite the diversity of the aesthetics, the abundance of dizzying, spinning camera shots and a pounding dance-based soundtrack give the impression Wright is doing everything he can to convince audiences he can tackle a contemporary action/drama flick, hindering their effectiveness.

Where Hanna really excels is in the performances.

Cate Blanchett and Eric Bana are as constant as ever, with the former clearly relishing Wright's unrestrictive style.
And although Tom Hollander's track-suit sporting villain is more amusing than menacing, he still dives into the role whole-heartedly.

But it is Ronan in the eponymous role who carries the film throughout.

Convincing as both as remorseless killer and a sheltered girl confused by her surroundings, she devours all her scenes admirably.

At 111 minutes, Hanna runs a little over what the narrow plot allows, padding out cuttable scenes with Wright’s sporadically indulgent close-ups.

But Hanna is still a classic revenge-soaked tale wrapped in luscious imagery and backed up by a superb score which is certainly worth of a watch.