Review of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009) by Garrett R — 29 Apr 2011

THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST is an enthralling and noteworthy follow-up to FIRE and conclusion to the Millennium film adaptation trilogy of Stieg Larsson's stunningly crafted novels. Director Daniel Alfredson faithfully follows the novel, and paces the film with an assurance that audiences have come to expect from the Millenium trilogy. Plus, he understands that a story as good as Larsson's has to be left completely intact. At times a old-fashioned thriller, at others a political thriller and in the climax a compelling courtroom drama, HORNET'S NEST knows how to keep the audience on its toes (for what it's going to be next).

The story of political and criminal intrigue continues for Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, two of literature and now perhaps film's more compelling modern protagonists of our time. To not spoil the story for those of you who haven't gotten around to seeing this landmark trilogy, in a nutshell HORNET'S NEST is the swift deliverance of a conclusion that Lisbeth Salander has to earn to gain justice from those who wronged her in her childhood.

Noomi Rapace, at this point, is literally Lisbeth Salander and her strong and sharp performance as the unique and bold heroine holds your attention with her presence and intelligence. Mikael Nyqvist still has a vice grip on Blomkvist the crusading journalist, working to prove Salander's justified actions in the present to make sense of her past to the authorities and the court of law through his magazine, the Millenium. The rest of the cast, especially Anders Ahlbom Dr. Teleborian, Georgi Staykov as Zalachenko, and Niklas Hjulström as Erikström suit their roles especially well.

Where the acting is first-rate, the story on its own is brilliant in every meaning of the term. How the characters interact, what actions they take, when and where everything happens...is hard to describe in totality but you see the point. I would go far as to say that the trilogy's story is among international modern literature's keystone achievements. Its topics, themes and story ideas are very modern and relevant, as well as its characters are very much display the tech-savvy sensibilities (yet old-school morality) of the here and now.

THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST is a fitting conclusion to the Millennium film adaptation trilogy of Stieg Larrson's stunningly crafted novels. As mentioned before, the concluding film is enthralling and noteworthy for its brilliant story, sharp and strong performance by Noomi Rapace and the solid supporting cast, and in the end a satisfying conclusion to the saga of Lisbeth Salander.