Hanna

“Father knows best” takes on new meaning when a wily teenage warrior—played by ethereal-looking Saoirse Ronan—ventures out into the cold, cruel world. Spending her isolated childhood in a cabin located in the forests of northern Finland, Hanna has been trained as an assassin/spy by her rogue-CIA-agent father Erik (Eric Bana). Now 16, Hanna has strength, stamina, and determination, so father and daughter part ways, planning to meet up later in Germany. Both, however, are sought by ruthlessly malevolent CIA operative Marissa (Cate Blanchett), leading to Hanna's capture and interrogation in a bunker beneath the Moroccan desert. “Did she turn out as you'd hoped?” inquires one of Marissa's henchmen. “Better,” she replies. Outwitting her abductors, Hanna escapes, joining a British hippie family on vacation while cleverly eluding all pursuers. In the meantime, much is revealed about Hanna's mysterious origin and lineage, culminating in an action-packed chase through a decaying Grimm Brothers–themed amusement park and a violent confrontation with menacing Marissa. Directed by Joe Wright, this is a humorless—albeit often gripping—pursuit thriller, backed by a striking score from the Chemical Brothers. Recommended, overall. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Joe Wright, deleted scenes (4 min.), an “Anatomy of a Scene: The Escape from Camp G” featurette (3 min.), an alternate ending (2 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are an “Adapt or Die” segment on star Saoirse Ronan's intense training (14 min.), “Central Intelligence Allegory” behind-the-scenes featurette (9 min.), “Chemical Reaction” featurette on the soundtrack by the Chemical Brothers (6 min.), “The Wide World” location featurette (2 min.), the BD-Live function, and a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a fine extras package—especially on Blu-ray—for a solid thriller.] (S. Granger)