Mikael
Blomkvist is a middle-aged investigative journalist who has 6 months of freedom
before a beginning a prison sentence for libel against a Swedish tycoon. He is hired by an elderly billionaire named
Henrik Vanger who inhabits a stark mansion on a remote island and broods about
the loss of his beloved niece Harriet.
She vanished one day several years ago when the only access bridge to
the mainland was closed and yet her body was never found. Henrik is therefore convinced that the killer
must have been one of his large and greedy family who all seem to hate each
other …. especially his two brothers who were big Nazi sympathizers during the
war.
Before
Henrik commissioned Mikael he had him investigated and the offbeat researcher
Lizbeth a whiz-kid computer hacker who provides this, ends up getting totally
hooked up with the case, and with Mikael too, although with her young
skinny body covered with piercings and
tattoos they make the most unlikely of collaborators let alone lovers.
Everyone in
this story comes with baggage from their past, especially Lizbeth and at times
when it is revealed it makes for very tough viewing at times. There are scenes
involving rape, bondage and assault that are stronger than what I have ever
seen before, yet somehow they never seem like exploitation. And I have just
discovered that the original Swedish title was the stark "Men Who Hate
Women” which makes an awful amount of sense.
That said
however this is an extremely powerful and enthralling thriller. Completely unpredictable to the very end, and
what is particularly satisfying is that for once the characters themselves are
much more paramount than the plot.
R.T.V. A stunning and amazing movie that captivated me unreservedly, and I would
go so far as to say even this at this early stage it will unquestionably end up
as one of the best movies of the year.
It is that good.
P.S. I’m
horrified to hear talk that Hollywood may re-make this their way with Daniel Craig & Carey Mulligan attached to play the leads. I urge you to go see this original, you will
not be disappointed. And if you want
more, hold on, this was from a trilogy of books by the late Stieg Larsson and
they are already filming the second one in Sweden now.
★★★★★★★★★★
(Reprinted from original Blog published in 2009 @ www.rogerwalkerdack.com)
★★★★★★★★★★
(Reprinted from original Blog published in 2009 @ www.rogerwalkerdack.com)
