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Parents' Guide to

Hanna

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Violent thriller is a high-stakes teen-assassin tale.

Movie PG-13 2011 111 minutes
Hanna Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 15+

Based on 12 parent reviews

age 14+

Top end of PG-13; slickness doesn't fully obfuscate brutality

The violence in this film can get realistically nasty, but it's worth pointing out that Hanna is an unambiguous hero who only fights to defend herself from threats (real or perceived, in one case played for laughs). There's also some very nuanced and deep portrayals of female friendship, and many misogynist stereotypes end up subverted. (I don't think it's fair to say there are no positive role models.) Be aware that the violence IS pretty nasty - people get hung upside down pincushioned with arrows, and one guy gets impaled with a metal pipe - but It's presented discreetly, with the most gruesome scenes offscreen, but it's more than just suggested.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
1 person found this helpful.
age 14+

This title has:

Too much violence

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (12 ):
Kids say (39 ):

Looking at his previous films -- including Pride & Prejudice and Atonement -- it's hard to believe that director Joe Wright helmed the frenetic revenge film that is HANNA. But as the movie progresses, you find his signature touches -- most notably the fact that he trusts Ronan, who received an Oscar nomination for her scene-stealing performance in Atonement, to believably turn into the perfect assassin. But unlike 2010's infamously potty-mouthed killer Hit Girl in Kick-Ass, Hanna isn't coy and school-girlish about her precisely honed skills. She's taken her father's motto -- "adapt or die" -- to heart, but she's not overly manipulative. When she weeps while holding the woman she thinks is Marissa, it's out of genuine relief that she can vanquish the woman she's been trained to murder. Ronan is truly one of the most gifted young actresses working in films. Seeing her on screen with Blanchett is a thrill, because you just know that one day the teen thespian will be as divine an actress as her elder.

Wright's love of a powerful soundtrack is also evident. He memorably used Debussy's Clair de lune in Atonement, and for the rapid-fire action sequences in Hanna, he enlists the help of electronica virtuosos The Chemical Brothers, whose relentless (and occasionally headache-inducing) beats perfectly accompany the unceasing violence and confusion that Hanna's life devolves into for most of the movie. Blanchett and Bana continue to prove that they can immerse themselves in any character, and it's a shame they don't share screen for more than a few minutes. Wright has also highlighted yet another talented young actress, Jessica Barden, who plays Sophie, a quick-witted and hilariously acid-tongued English teen who befriends the eccentric Hanna while on a family road-trip through Morocco and Spain. Barden's scenes with Ronan provide much-needed levity in an otherwise intense adventure.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: April 8, 2011
  • On DVD or streaming: September 6, 2011
  • Cast: Cate Blanchett , Eric Bana , Saoirse Ronan
  • Director: Joe Wright
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: Focus Features
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • Run time: 111 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: intense sequences of action and violence, some sexual material and violence
  • Last updated: September 12, 2023

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