THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET’S NEST

This is a eulogy.  Watching  the third and final 2 1/2 hours of the life and perils of Lisbeth Salander, realizing this was “so long, farewell, Auf Weidersehen, goodbye” I felt the ache and nostalgia of loss, the loss of a difficult but cherished friend.  The movie is not as good as the previous two; it lacks the action, passion, fiery spirit of “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”  and “The Girl Who Played With Fire”; it is more cerebral as was the book; relying on the technological genius of Lisbeth and her undaunted will to thrive, survive and conquer.

Lisbeth Salander, pivotal icon of a woman abused (beaten, shot, raped, buried alive) is magnetically portrayed by Noomi Rapace; she inbues the character with a powerful dignity, forceful intelligence, her expressionless face emanates a lethal precociousness , devoid of fear, gargantuan wisdom attained from an education of abysmal torture; like “Freddie” she refuses to die.

The trilogy is saturated with marvelously atrocious villains: Nils Bjurman  (Peter Andersson) her guardian, whose punishment was worthy of one the most unique scenes of justification in film archives; Lisbeth’s sadistic father, Alexander Zalanchenko (Geogri Staykov); Dr. Peter Teleborian (Anders Ahlbon), the physiatrist who enslaves and binds her body, but cannot imprison her mind; Ronald Niedermann (Micke Spreitz) as the maniacal half brother, is the poster boy for malevolent malfeasance; he inflicts but cannot feel pain. Stieg Larsson (author) had imaginative resources of unparalled depth yet to be duplicated; these evil miscreants will be missed.

Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist, ruggedly handsome) the ubiquitous crusader of Lisbeth’s campaign for vindication is stalwart and stealthy exigent in his pursuit. As a caveat I feel this character is a flimsy shadow, slightly autobiographical of the deceased Stieg Larsson, a somnambulant presiding over every scene.

No matter the season, Sweden both urban and rural, reigns as the impeccably flawless landscape for this thriller in three segments. So we bid adieu with torn hearts and watering eyes, to the quintessential protagonist, Lisbeth Salander and all the licentious, creatively cunning antagonists. But knowing Lisbeth she will “not go gently into that good night”; she is lurking, living and patiently waiting, incubating in the departed Larsson’s computer for the dawning of a new day or film.

THREE & 3/4 STARS!!!!

For Now……………Peneflix