Amazon’s Hanna debuts March 29

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Heather C. Jackson

Heather C. Jackson is a freelance writer, editor, costume designer, and self-proclaimed television junkie located in Baltimore. Her writing work includes copywriting and editing art books, play scripts, and academic work; time as an editor, communications specialist, and publicist in regional theatre; and several years as a home and lifestyle writer and editor.

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“Human beings are dangerous and not to be trusted.” This is the mantra programmed into Hanna by her father in the rural woods of Poland for her entire 15 years. And he has a right to be cautious. Hanna is an extraordinary young woman, who has been sought after by the government ever since her father snatched her from their clutches in her infancy. In Amazon’s new series, Hanna, she is finding out just how dangerous the world is—and how much of it she has missed by being kept in the dark for so long. 

Based on Joe Wright’s 2011 film, Hanna is simultaneously an action thriller and a coming-of-age drama. Hanna and her father Erik have lived alone in the forest her whole life. He has trained her to survive, to fight, to kill, to lie, to cover her tracks, and to trust no one. But as she grows, so has her curiosity, and it’s only a matter of time before the outside world discovers them, and Hanna tries to discover who she truly is. The series stars Esme Creed-Miles in the title role of Hanna, Joel Kinnaman (Altered Carbon, House of Cards) as Erik, and Mirielle Enos (The Catch) as Marissa, the off-book CIA agent tracking the pair down. 

Hanna was created for Amazon by the original film’s co-writer David Farr, who also wrote the hit spy thriller The Night Manager, and he brings a strong sense of tension and mystery to this new series as well. The show isn’t afraid to keep a few tricks up its sleeve and to reveal hints slowly. By the second episode, we may know who (we think) is after Hanna, but still not why. And that’s okay, because there is a lot more to the show than just cat-and-mouse adventure. 

Hanna is still just a 15-year-girl. Albeit, one who can kill a man in the blink of an eye, but also one who has never experienced the world beyond the woods. She is exploring all the firsts and feelings of being a teenager as she simultaneously runs for her life—first kiss, first friend, and being a silly, careless teen for brief moments. A fortuitous encounter lands her in the path of Sophie (Rhianne Barreto), a seemingly normal, over-privileged and oblivious teenage girl, who latches on to her mysterious new friend and encourages Hanna’s exploration of teen life. From sneaking into a nightclub to a frenzied fight-out in a train station, the show shifts surprisingly easily between Hanna’s adolescent adventures and very real struggle for survival. 

Filmed across international locations to capture regions such as the rustic barren mountains of Poland and the hot dessert hills of Morocco, the show is highly cinematic and visually enticing. The first episode, “Forest,” dwells primarily in the titular woods, creating the environment of raw survival that Hanna was raised in, and focusing very internally on her training with her father. After nearly 40 minutes in this grueling and lonely setting, the arrival of military helicopters and shifting into the modern world is as jarring for the audience as for Hanna. And then we’re all along for the ride as the adventure is just getting started.

How to watch Hanna without cable

Hanna is an Amazon Studios production, meaning it’s currently only available through Amazon Prime. However, that makes it free to all Amazon Prime subscribers beginning March 29. 

If you aren’t an Amazon Prime member yet, they offer a free 30-day trial, and then subscription options include: 

• A video-only plan for $8.99 a month
• Monthly Amazon Prime rate of $12.99, including all Prime benefits
• Annual Amazon Prime rate of $119, including all Prime benefits

(There are also discounted plans for students and members with valid EBT or Medicaid cards.)

Episodes can be streamed on the Amazon website, or watched through any device that hosts the Amazon Video app, including Roku, Apple TV, Tivo, as well as smart TVs, gaming consoles, and mobile devices, either by streaming or downloading to watch offline. 

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