On Genre Surprises with Hanna

Hanna, directed by Joe Wright and written by Seth Lochhead and David Farr, is an out an out action film. A worthy companion to the Bourne trilogy, if Jason Bourne were a genetically enhanced 16 year old girl. Every ingredient of the action genre is here and hard-core fans of the genre will not be disappointed. Thanks to a side story of the government creating a new breed of super soldiers/spies, Hanna is able to kick ass with the best of them.

However, like recent Joe Wright films, Hanna has an unexpected edge. The story and the make-up of the characters may be straight out of 90% of action films, but Wright’s directorial style raises it above our expectations derived from the trailer. This should be no surprise, in 2007 Wright directed Atonement which on the surface appeared to be a typical period drama (much like Wright’s Pride & Prejudice (2005)), but had a dark edge that made it one of the best films of that year. Two years later, Wright’s The Soloist (2009) told the story of a homeless man with incredible musical talent. Wright’s representation of the homeless population of Los Angeles and the issues surrounding the city’s thoughts towards them, gave the film a depth unexpected from watching the trailer.

It appears the moral here is that do not judge a Joe Wright film by the trailer alone, as more often than not, there will be an unforeseen element that will be a welcome surprise.

On Slow and Fast Cinema with Meek's Cutoff and Fast Five

Meek’s Cutoff could easily fall into the recent category of steadily contemplative cinema known as slow cinema. This movement was recently described by Jonathan Romney as a “varied strain of austere minimalist cinema… a cinema that downplays event in favour of mood, evocativeness and an intensified sense of temporality.” Meek's Cutoff is very much concerned with time and the repetition of events that drag time out over the course of a long, arduous journey across America. The natural lighting, under dramatic acting, often difficult to hear, and the square framing (instead of the traditional wide screen) give the audience a sense of being a part of this journey. As the travelling is hard going for the characters, the viewing is hard going for the audience, but it is rewarding. Meek's Cutoff exerts a strange power as you watch, not unlike a tractor beam. There is nothing obvious drawing you towards it, but yet you can't turn away and find yourself part of the characters' experiences. There is clear technical proficiency in front of and behind the camera in all areas and yet the story must have been a hard sell and is unlikely to make a profit, which is unfortunate. This is powerfully subtle cinema.

Not powerful and as far from subtle as you get can is Fast Five. This is the fifth instalment of the Fast and the Furious series (2001 - 2011) and rarely stops for breath. The dialogue is flat, the characters struggle to move out of their one dimension and film is far too long. Yet there is undeniably pleasure to be had in the insane, fantastical action sequences. The film is lifted by the presence of Dwayne Johnson, who has charisma and lifts any scenes he is in and makes the most of the screenplay, which seems to have been written in several sections by different people who didn't communicate. Instantly forgettable, but ridiculously enjoyable.