📝 Synopsis
Overview
From the mind of Luc Besson, the visionary director behind iconic action films like La Femme Nikita and Léon: The Professional, comes Anna, a 2019 action-thriller that seeks to carve its own niche in the genre of female-led espionage. The film presents a high-octane, globe-trotting narrative centered on a mysterious young woman whose beauty is her most effective weapon and her deepest cover. With a cast blending established stars like Helen Mirren and Cillian Murphy with a breakout physical performance from model Sasha Luss (playing the titular Anna, with Lera Abova listed for dubbing/voice work in some regions), the movie delivers the sleek aesthetics and brutal action sequences Besson is known for, while wrestling with familiar tropes of power, control, and identity.
Plot Synopsis (NO SPOILERS)
Anna tells the story of Anna Poliatova, a young woman plucked from a life of hardship and transformed into one of the KGB's most efficient and feared assassins during the late Cold War era. The film unfolds through a series of cleverly structured timelines, revealing how Anna navigates the treacherous world of international intelligence. Her exceptional skills and chilling precision make her a valuable asset, but they also trap her in a gilded cage controlled by her handlers.
As Anna executes high-stakes missions across picturesque European capitals, she becomes a pawn in a complex game played between the KGB and the CIA. The narrative cleverly explores the duality of her existence: in one life, she is a top-tier Parisian fashion model, enjoying the glamour and freedom of the West; in the other, she is a lethal instrument of the Soviet state. The core tension of the plot revolves around Anna's desire for freedom and a normal life, a dream that seems perpetually out of reach. Her every move is monitored, and her loyalties are constantly tested by the competing intelligence agencies, each represented by formidable officers who see her as either a weapon to wield or a threat to eliminate. The story is a cat-and-mouse game where Anna must use her intellect, combat prowess, and capacity for deception to outmaneuver everyone around her and seize control of her own destiny.
Cast and Characters
The film is anchored by Sasha Luss in her first leading role as Anna. Luss, primarily known as a supermodel, brings a compelling physicality and an enigmatic screen presence to the role, convincingly portraying both the vulnerable young woman and the ruthless, highly trained operative. The supporting cast of seasoned actors provides the film with its dramatic heft. Helen Mirren plays Olga, a senior KGB matriarch and Anna's primary handler. Mirren imbues Olga with a steely, calculating demeanor, a woman who is both a mentor and a jailer, whose motives remain shrouded in cold pragmatism.
Cillian Murphy portrays Lenny Miller, a cunning and persistent CIA agent who becomes fixated on uncovering Anna's true identity and turning her into an asset for the United States. Murphy excels at conveying intelligent suspicion and weary determination. Luke Evans appears as Alex Tchenkov, a KGB officer who develops a complicated relationship with Anna, blurring the lines between duty and personal affection. The ensemble, including Eric Godon in a supporting role, creates a believable world of seasoned spies where trust is the ultimate currency and betrayal is always imminent.
Director and Style
Luc Besson directs Anna with his signature stylistic flair, delivering a film that is visually polished and relentlessly paced. The action sequences are a highlight, choreographed with a brutal, practical efficiency that emphasizes Anna's skill and ferocity. Besson employs dynamic camerawork and tight editing to make each fight and chase feel visceral and impactful. The production design and costuming effectively capture the opulence of the late 1980s fashion world, contrasting sharply with the grim, utilitarian spaces of Soviet intelligence.
Besson's narrative approach involves a non-linear structure, using time jumps and reveals to continually reframe the audience's understanding of Anna's actions and alliances. This technique keeps the plot engaging, though it occasionally ventures into convoluted territory. The film's aesthetic is sleek and European, with a pulsating electronic score that drives the tension. Stylistically, Anna fits comfortably within Besson's filmography, echoing the themes of trained assassins and institutional manipulation seen in his earlier work, while aiming to update the formula for a modern audience.
Themes and Impact
At its core, Anna is an exploration of agency and control. The protagonist is a woman created and owned by powerful systems—first by circumstance, then by the KGB. Her entire journey is a struggle to reclaim ownership of her own life and body from the men and institutions that seek to exploit them. The film interrogates the price of freedom and the extreme lengths one must go to achieve true independence.
Another central theme is performance and identity. Anna is perpetually acting, whether on a runway or in a deadly confrontation. The line between her real self and her assigned roles is constantly blurred, raising questions about where the persona ends and the person begins. The film also touches on the geopolitical cynicism of the Cold War, where ideologies take a backseat to personal power games and human beings are treated as expendable assets. While Anna received mixed reviews from critics and holds a moderate rating, its impact lies in its pure, unadulterated commitment to genre thrills and its central, physically commanding performance, offering a stylish, if familiar, entry in the canon of action heroines.
Why Watch
Watch Anna if you are a fan of stylish, European-flavored action films that prioritize sleek visuals and well-executed set pieces over deep philosophical inquiry. It delivers exactly what it promises: a twisty spy thriller with a formidable female lead who is both glamorous and deadly. The pleasure of the film comes from watching the intricate plot unfold through Besson's kinetic direction and from the strong performances of the supporting cast, particularly Helen Mirren and Cillian Murphy, who elevate the material.
It's a perfect choice for an entertaining, high-energy viewing experience that doesn't require significant emotional investment but offers plenty of suspense and visual panache. If you enjoyed the aesthetic and rhythm of Besson's earlier films like La Femme Nikita or the more recent Atomic Blonde, Anna provides a similar cocktail of fashion, espionage, and brutal hand-to-hand combat, all wrapped in a narrative that keeps you guessing until the final moments.