Anna is a strong action movie that takes its place alongside writer and director, Luc Besson’s work like La Femme Nikita (1990)! Unfortunately, the controversy around him has hidden the film from audiences. Besson’s last film was Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) which seems to expand on his earlier sci fi movie, The Fifth Element (1997). In the same way, it seems that Besson is developing the premise of La Femme Nikita, which spun off to a series (1997-2001), an American remake in 1993, and another series (2010-2013). Nikita was a woman sentenced to death, but instead taken away to be trained to be an assassin. She is trained by a woman also in the same circumstances as Nikita and she develops a secret life with her boyfriend so Nikita eventually wants to escape the spy life.
It begins with 1985 in Paris, an agent is informed by Leonard Miller (Cillian Murphy) of the CIA that her cover is blown, then agents are taken across Paris, one is translating a conference. The agent reaches the embassy and the guard goes to check her clearance and then her car is rammed by truck. She is taken to head of the KGB, Vassilev (Eric Godon), the actor played Yuri for In Bruges (2008). The agent agrees to Vassilev’s terms and Miller gets a package to show him the failure of the agents keeping undercover. This is a dramatic opening for a spy movie and shows the rivalry between the two agencies. It is also something to keep in mind since we don’t have to the two heads until later in the film.
It begins with 1985 in Paris, an agent is informed by Leonard Miller (Cillian Murphy) of the CIA that her cover is blown, then agents are taken across Paris, one is translating a conference. The agent reaches the embassy and the guard goes to check her clearance and then her car is rammed by truck. She is taken to head of the KGB, Vassilev (Eric Godon), the actor played Yuri for In Bruges (2008). The agent agrees to Vassilev’s terms and Miller gets a package to show him the failure of the agents keeping undercover. This is a dramatic opening for a spy movie and shows the rivalry between the two agencies. It is also something to keep in mind since we don’t have to the two heads until later in the film.
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ANNA -- SASHA LUSS -- Shanna Besson/Lionsgate.
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This shifts to sometime later, in Moscow, a man goes to a market and discovers a woman reading a book at a stall selling Matryoshka nesting dolls. This is Anna Poliatova played by Sasha Luss. She was in Besson’s last film as Princess Lihö-Minaa, a CG character, and also a `Candy Dress’ character in the Paradise Alley scene. Luss was the only actor to give interviews about the movie and she offers some complexity to the spy character. The time shifts back and forth reflect the cross and double-crossing in the spy world. Also, the symbolism of the dolls is not lost. There is something pretty about Luss with closeups of her as a working girl or this is one of Anna’s deceptions.
He offers her a job at a modeling agency and his assistant, Nika (Anna Krippa) introduces her to her apartment which is crowded. She sees the knife mark on her wrist and Anna says it was a mistake when she was younger. Models sleep on the floor, Nika explains that they are going on a flight to a shoot, and Anna eyes her roommate, Maud (Lera Abova). It is Abova’s first movie. They are off to a shoot with a photographer who snaps photos with Anna of course being a natural. Assistants put her in various dresses and it is Luss is of course known as a fashion model so I wonder if she brings that knowledge not only to her character, but the story.
He offers her a job at a modeling agency and his assistant, Nika (Anna Krippa) introduces her to her apartment which is crowded. She sees the knife mark on her wrist and Anna says it was a mistake when she was younger. Models sleep on the floor, Nika explains that they are going on a flight to a shoot, and Anna eyes her roommate, Maud (Lera Abova). It is Abova’s first movie. They are off to a shoot with a photographer who snaps photos with Anna of course being a natural. Assistants put her in various dresses and it is Luss is of course known as a fashion model so I wonder if she brings that knowledge not only to her character, but the story.
She later goes to a party with Maud and meets with the agency owner, Oleg (Andrew Howard). He later takes her to his hotel room, they have had a relationship for four months, and he of course wants to take it further. Anna goes to the restroom and returns to shoot Oleg. This flashes back to Anna’s time with abusive boyfriend, Petyr (Alexander Petrov). He says that he took from working the streets and that she should be thankful to him. Anna attempts to send an application to the Navy since her departed father was an officer. Petyr drives up to Anna holding groceries and wants her to get into his new Mercedes Benz. There are two other boys and a girl in the car. Apparently, she told him about the job or he is cheating with her.
The boys take out a beaten man from the Mercedes Benz trunk. Petyr and his boys are trying to force him to give his ATM number. They have brought guns which of course gets the police to shoot the boys. Anna slams the head of the girl and throws her out of the car. Petyr speeds away with Anna, but they get into an accident. The camera work by Thierry Arbogast is impresssive in the crash. They manage to return to Petyr’s apartment, he goes to get their things to leave the apartment, and Anna finds that a Russian agent, Alexander “Alex” Tchenkov (Luke Evans). The actor is known for playing Owen Shaw in The Fate of the Furious (2017). He offers a chance to devote her life working for the KGB. Alex, who becomes Anna’s mentor, is similar to Bob in Nikita.
The boys take out a beaten man from the Mercedes Benz trunk. Petyr and his boys are trying to force him to give his ATM number. They have brought guns which of course gets the police to shoot the boys. Anna slams the head of the girl and throws her out of the car. Petyr speeds away with Anna, but they get into an accident. The camera work by Thierry Arbogast is impresssive in the crash. They manage to return to Petyr’s apartment, he goes to get their things to leave the apartment, and Anna finds that a Russian agent, Alexander “Alex” Tchenkov (Luke Evans). The actor is known for playing Owen Shaw in The Fate of the Furious (2017). He offers a chance to devote her life working for the KGB. Alex, who becomes Anna’s mentor, is similar to Bob in Nikita.
Alex asks Olga to complete Anna’s training. Olga is like Nikita’s Amande, but in this case it is Olga played by Helen Mirren. She of course is a well known actress who is also in the upcoming Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw which opens on August 2nd. Her character very much reminds me of Anjelica Huston’s Director in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. A leader of a group who is more deadly than all of her assassins with just her words. Olga has contempt for Anna and tests her knowledge with Anna countering with a passage from the playwright Anton Chekhov. Anna surprises Olga with her knowledge which she may or may not have gotten from her training. Alex is impressed. Anna explains that her father taught her chess. Olga later explains to Anna that she underwent the same kind of harsh training. Her trainer sent her to the snow which had a bear trap that clamped on her leg so she walked with it back to her trainer. It flashes forward to Anna being questioned by CIA agent Miller. Murphy is known for playing Robert Fischer in Inception (2010). It is an impressive supporting cast.
He questions her about her appearance walking into a hotel in video camera footage. Also what she knows about the death of a Russian man, Oleg (Andrew Howard), the actor is from the fantasy series The Outpost. Anna says it is coincedence that she was there when he died. The rest of the hotel camera footage was deleted and Anna is free to go. One of Olga’s tests for Anna is to assassinate Oleg in the hotel. We get her walking up to him with the gun, but no bullets!, she has to fight close combat with the bodyguards. Luss has a Anna turned into a whirlwind, using plates and other objects to block and slice enemies, her fighting style is like a female John Wick. It is a chess game of trying to find out who is matching whom and what are the motives behind them? Anna asks Alex if he will be on her side if she leaves the agency and he says he will do his best for her. It is interesting to see Anna’s tropical vacation with girlfriend Maud because is the time with her what Anna is really trying to achieve? Anna captures Besson’s female spy film ideals on what disguises we use with other people and how we can keep our true identity with all of the disguises!
He questions her about her appearance walking into a hotel in video camera footage. Also what she knows about the death of a Russian man, Oleg (Andrew Howard), the actor is from the fantasy series The Outpost. Anna says it is coincedence that she was there when he died. The rest of the hotel camera footage was deleted and Anna is free to go. One of Olga’s tests for Anna is to assassinate Oleg in the hotel. We get her walking up to him with the gun, but no bullets!, she has to fight close combat with the bodyguards. Luss has a Anna turned into a whirlwind, using plates and other objects to block and slice enemies, her fighting style is like a female John Wick. It is a chess game of trying to find out who is matching whom and what are the motives behind them? Anna asks Alex if he will be on her side if she leaves the agency and he says he will do his best for her. It is interesting to see Anna’s tropical vacation with girlfriend Maud because is the time with her what Anna is really trying to achieve? Anna captures Besson’s female spy film ideals on what disguises we use with other people and how we can keep our true identity with all of the disguises!
Four Nesting Dolls out of Five!
#AnnaMovie, #LucBesson, #SashaLuss, #LukeEvans, #HelenMirren, #CillianMurphy
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