Craig S. (InnerMacro) from WAUSAU, WI
Reviewed on 3/2/2024...
The main protagonist of the movie (the Girl) spends over two hours in a hospital bed, a jail cell, and then in a courtroom. Despite a small bit of action at the end, it's safe to say this is not an action movie. While there are some serious themes around abuse, these are watered down by cinematic lawyer-drama cliches and 'the power of journalism!' as a major plot focus. I'm no expert in Swedish law, but (just like in the US) I'm pretty sure you can't bring about Perry Mason endings to court proceedings by "surprising" the prosecution with new evidence during the hearing. The Girl’s murderous half-brother spends the entire movie conspicuously killing people, sometimes in broad daylight, and easily evades law enforcement despite his enormous stature and memorable appearance. If this were a Tarantino film, I would assume the film was trying to be ‘funny’, but as it is not, it just makes Swedish law enforcement appear completely inept. All the bad guys can obtain guns and carry them into secure locations – even shooting someone who was involved in a crime while in his hospital bed. . . no guard! Meanwhile, the good guys settle for calling security agencies who watch their homes with cameras, leaving them to fend for themselves using heavy paperweights after being shown video footage of intruders. If this movie wasted less time with tropes, or used the length of the film to convey some sense of realism, it would have carried much more impact around the issue of sexual abuse (which is clearly the intent). Unfortunately, it borders on sensationalizing it. Noomi Rapace looks the part (although she has almost no lines), and the rest of the cast look like ‘real people’, not movie stars, so that’s a plus for realism. Overall, the film plods toward resolution of the previous films’ plots, and nothing particularly unexpected happens.
0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Suzanne B. Reviewed on 2/5/2011...
Satisfying end to the trilogy and makes one wish the author had not passed away so soon, because I guess this is the last we will see of Lisbeth Salander (in the Swedish trilogy, anyway). I am glad I watched the films in order, because I doubt if viewers would otherwise understand Bloomkvist's dedication to Lisbeth's cause. Watched with subtitles because it just seems more authentic that way.
4 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.