La regina dei castelli di carta

I will not call this a third part in the Millennium series, since it starts exactly where The Girl Who Played with Fire left off and continues with the same story. However, if the first film was a classic mystery thriller and the second film was more of an action thriller, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest goes in the direction of a political thriller. Spies, government agencies, covert operations, etc. It successfully explains things and closes all avenues opened by the first two films.

I have to say that I felt the movie both unreal and gratifying. Trained with US films about shadow agencies that kill anyone stand in their way, I found the Swedish counterparts meek and overly cautious. But what version is the more realistic one, I have no idea. So, yes, it felt strangely different from American thrillers, but it also made sense. Clearly it has a refreshing point of view on the matter.

Bottom line: I guess there is little purpose in watching this film and not watch the other two preceding it in the trilogy. And since you liked the other two, you should see this one as well. I enjoyed it, it explained everything that was left unexplained and everybody got their share. Of course, there is still room for another Micke and Lisbeth story, but clearly with a new plot.

After watching Hornet's Nest, you'll want to go back to Dragon Tattoo and experience all three films again in sequence. Like coming to the end of an exceptional book, you'll hope for more, surely another way to eke out a Lisbeth Salander film to enjoy. She has become with this trilogy one of the strongest female characters in 21st century film. No wonder actresses were battling to play her--she is the equivalent to Jason Bourne in any regard. (I can't imagine Hollywood doing a better job of these films--can you?)

I believe Hornet's Nest is best of the bunch. Salander is cornered, in hospital and under arrest, in danger of being recommitted to the institution that held her under guardianship. Despite her uncommunicative nature, Salander has friends, true friends who'll stick their necks out to protect her. But Salander is always willing to fight for herself, and she finds ways to do battle.

Hornet's Nest gives us a better film than the other in terms of suspense and dramatic flow. The pieces assemble, the foes are distinguished from the good guys, there is conflict and threat launched in surprising ways. Of the three, Hornet's Nest is the most suspenseful and best executed of the films in my opinion, a superb finish to a wonderful series.

Excuse me while I start reading the books.

'THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

The third part in the wildly popular Swedish crime series the 'Millennium Trilogy' (following 'THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO' and 'THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE', both released earlier this year in America and last year in Sweden and other parts of the world.) based on the successful books by the late Stieg Larson (who died in 2004 before the first book was published in 2005). The films are so successful that they're already being remade in America, the first of which is to be directed by David Fincher and star Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig. This final chapter is adapted by Ulf Ryberg and directed by Daniel Alfredson, who also directed the second installment (the original was directed by Niels Arden Oplev). The title has been changed from it's original Swedish title of 'The Air Castle That Blew Up' for American audiences, like the original's title was changed from 'Men Who Hate Women'. The film once again stars the beautiful and stunning Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander (the title role) and Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist.

As the movie opens Lisbeth is being taken to a hospital for urgent care due to being shot multiple times, including a head shot, by her father at the climax of the second film. The police are awaiting her recovery so they can arrest her and charge her with the attempted murder of her father, who she struck in the head with an ax in self defense. Her freakish, abnormally strong half brother (once again played by Micke Spreitz) is also waiting to finish the job he and his father started of killing Lisbeth. It's up to her journalist friend Mikael and his Millennium magazine co-workers to clear her name and bring the conspirators against her to justice. The people out to silence Lisbeth are very powerful though and Mikael and his team soon find themselves in grave danger as well.

The film has received only mediocre reviews from critics, with many calling it a boring disappointment, but the fans so far mostly think otherwise. The packed 'Darkside Cinema' viewing I attended appeared to love it, with many cheering the film throughout and applauding the ending. I found the film to be much more entertaining and involving than reviews had lead me to believe and thought it was a very satisfactory conclusion to a great trilogy. While it doesn't quite live up to the classic original it is better than the second chapter, despite a decrease in action and violence. It's suspenseful as well as emotionally drenching and full of crowd pleasing moments. The court room drama that fills the third act is extremely captivating and emotionally involving. The directing and cinematography are superb as well as the thrilling score (once again composed by Jacob Groth). The acting is all stellar as well, especially Rapace who once again steals the show (with a character soon to become iconic). It's a well made and satisfying conclusion to an outstanding trilogy that should please almost any fan, despite what critics say.

Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffxjYiwLUko

The final film in the Millennium Trilogy and what a great film is it, right up there with it's precursors.

We learn even more about Lisbeth's, hidden organisations, and how everything is linked. The pieces of the puzzle come together, and I felt the film explained almost everything pretty cleverly, though this does involve some concentration from the viewer, because some of the links are not emphasised that well and maybe can be missed.

This is more similar to the first one, in the style of directing and also the ruthless reporting is back. Less action than the first, but no less enthralling for it. There is a lot of tension in this movie, and it made for compulsive viewing.

These three films have turned me more onto more modern Swedish Cinema. I was always a fan of Bergman and I have seen a few movies over the last few years from there, but this makes me want to keep a closer eye on the Swedish Film Making Industry. Great success guys, I look forward to seeing much more cinema from Sweden. Now I will read the books.

9/10 Excellent

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009)

Made to the same high technical standards as the other two in the trilogy, this final installment continues along the same lines without flagging.

And that's the problem. After five hours previously, and already weary of the complex plot and some repeating strains, we have this two plus hours of more of the same. It is never bad, it is often good, but enough is enough.

And the leading forces in the events, the couple who cemented the magic of the first movie (which is quite good), are in this one less than ever. So if you love Noomi Rapace as the "girl" int he title, you'll see almost nothing of her, and in much of it before the semi-exciting climax she is sitting in a courtroom or in a car. That is, nothing much happens. In fact, much of the movie is a matter of wrapping things up--for two hours straight. And the brooding insistence of Michael Nyqvist is here on and off, reminding us how we need more of him, too.

If you are total fan I think you'll enjoy parts of the movie enough to make it worthwhile, but if you're someone like me who flagged in the second movie you'll be better of skipping this third one. If you need to know what happened, read the plot summary on wikipedia. Or I hear the books, which are long, are much more consistently engaging. The movie-making here, the photography and editing, and even the acting, is on a very high plane, so don't get me wrong there. It's just the story that is increasingly redundant and nuanced out of normal engagement.

Oh--and if you haven't seen the other two, don't even think of watching this one. It will make little sense on its own.