There are only a handful of directors that when I see their name I am inclined to watch the film regardless of who is in it or what the plot happens to be. In Anna, Luc takes us down a familiar path that is very common in his films in that it involves elite assassins working in a covert capacity. While this one does take a few twists and uses some different chronology in order to tell the story, Anna is essentially the same thing that Besson does in a majority of his films.
That doesn't mean it is bad though because I quite like that sort of story especially when it has some twists and this one has so many of those that my description of it is going to end up being intentionally vague.
If you like going into a film completely blind and knowing nothing at all about it. Just know that I recommend this one and really enjoyed it from start to finish.
The film begins a bit ahead of where it places us a few minutes later and this is a common tactic in many styles of films. We are shown a bunch of assassin action done by a very attractive woman and then we are thrust back to what appears to be the same woman living in squalor in an apartment with an abusive boyfriend. We are not certain if this is in fact "Anna" but it becomes clear quite quickly.
In the middle of an argument with her boyfriend Anna is recruited by the KGB and given a choice about how she wants her life to proceed. She can continue down a path of destruction filled with bad choices and worse relationships, or she can come and complete her training with the USSR's most secret agency. We thankfully are not lead down a montage of events that leads to her being an elite assassin, but it is presumed as we move forward that this is precisely what she has become over her years of training.
Some scenes are a bit over the top but this is kind of what Luc Besson does. You have to remove yourself from realism when a 110 lb woman is taking on 30 guys at once and emerging victorious.
The purpose of this scene is to let us know, without telling us, that Anna has progressed wonderfully in her training and is a force to be reckoned with. As impractical as the scene is, it is a masterclass in choreography. I can't even imagine what went into shooting that scene and while I don't think it is possible to shoot something like that in one sequence it doesn't matter how many different angles and takes they had to do because it is truly spectacular.
What makes Anna an unusual character is because her façade is one being a top model and socialite, this is how she is able to travel unnoticed and gain access to powerful people that she well, is there to execute.
Now there are a bunch of "critics" out there that slammed the picture for the usual dumbshit remarks like objectifying women but these are the usual, probably blue-haired people who are going to be upset that the assassin isn't a plus-sized transgender pansexual. Yes, she is sexy and yes, it is essential to the story that she be that way. How else is someone going to gain access to a very heavily protected person in a position of power?
Back to the story: The story changes directions plenty of times by shifting back and forward in time with bits and pieces of said story being told to us in non-sequential order a la "Pulp Fiction" style. This can be very confusing of you are not paying attention so this is not a film that you want to put on while you are doom-scrolling your phone or doing something else. You need to pay attention or you will end up lost.
Some say that this is a lazy way of telling a story and forcing a "twist" but I personally disagree. When something is revealed you will all of a sudden realize why someone's behavior was slightly off kilter in a scene you had previously watched and it didn't make a lot of sense for the character to be behaving that way. This was, as it turns out and is revealed to you later, all part of the entire story taking form after it is complete.
There are a couple of big names in this movie that may encourage some to watch it if they have never heard of the woman who plays "Anna" whose name is Sasha Luss such as Helen Mirren and Cillian Murphy but don't get excited if this is what lures you in. I wouldn't have recognized Mirren at all if it weren't for the credits and Murphy is a rather inconsequential part of the entire performance.
Should I watch it?
That's a pretty kick-ass trailer if you ask me! I think that Anna will appeal to most people and this is especially true if you enjoy the type of direction that Luc Besson is known for. While I wouldn't put this on my list of best ever movies by a long stretch, in the action and "movies with twists" section it would be right up there with the best. I enjoyed it a great deal and it even inspired me to seek out more Besson movies. This is not something I do often so yes, I completely think people should watch this and will enjoy it.
You can legally stream this on Netflix (in most regions) as well as Fubo. It can also be purchased or rented on just about any other streaming platform
