[psycho d]

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009). Those detractors of this final installment of the Millennium Trilogy apparently have allergies to solid cinematic storytelling. My take on the whole trilogy is the first does a wicked job drawing us in with its discomfiting material. The second really does a fantastic job filling in the details of the story, at least as much as a film adaption can accomplish. And this finale follows through by tying it all together in an admirable fashion.

As in its predecessors, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest possessed premium acting. Lisbeth's incredible character naturally steals the show, and Noomi Raplace rightfully deserves the accolades, but Michael Nyqvist and company solidify a foundation for her presence to make such an indelible impression. Even monstrous Micke Spreitz enjoys a little character development, even if by way of unthinkably pragmatic methods.

Luckily the second and third of the series used Daniel Alfredson as director, thankfully avoiding the disjointing feeling that could not be helped by the directorial ship-jumping between the first and second of the trilogy. Taking off right where Played with Fire left off, this thriller builds as the legalities and tensions left in the previous come to a boiling head. The photography seemed a little more obtrusive here, but its emotional impact filled the gaps where car chases and explosions are usually inserted to rally short audience attention spans.

The biggest disappointment with this trilogy was that I didn't want to see it end having not filled to capacity my admiration for Lisbeth, the character strengths of those determined to support Lisbeth despite herself, and those shadowy figures hell-bent on making her life intolerable.
d