The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (2009)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Mike S

  
  Taking off directly from where the second film ended, the momentum is kept really well in this final and concluding chapter of the Millenium saga. All the intense and fatal events that transpired in the first two, are now culminated in a battle for justice that is to be settled in the… More
  Taking off directly from where the second film ended, the momentum is kept really well in this final and concluding chapter of the Millenium saga. All the intense and fatal events that transpired in the first two, are now culminated in a battle for justice that is to be settled in the court room. Before entering those doors, however, we take part of an electrifying psychological game, where our heroes are in constant danger and the villains always out for blood. Chief antagonist Alex Zalachenko is a very menacing character, whom regardless to his brief appearance and physically crippled state, evokes great fear and unrest in us, for what he's capable of doing (and already have done) to Lisbeth and the other characters that we've grown to care about throughout the story. That, plus he bears a haunting resemblance to The Emperor in Star Wars. It will be hard to match his performance, so I hope David Fincher will make the right casting choice in his upcoming re-makes. At any rate, this is a satisfying end to the series, that despite a few bumps along the road, now enters the history books as one of the most daring, successful and memorable film trilogies ever made. And the fact that they were all conceived in my home country of Sweden, just makes the experience all the more fantastic.

• Raymond W

  
  The conclusion to the swedish trilogy is quite a disappointing one. Knowing the events of the first two films before seeing this one is highly recommended because it will be easier to understand what is going on. Because the third book, is based mostly in the courtroom, and the main… More
  The conclusion to the swedish trilogy is quite a disappointing one. Knowing the events of the first two films before seeing this one is highly recommended because it will be easier to understand what is going on. Because the third book, is based mostly in the courtroom, and the main character is bedridden in a hospital for most of the first half, the film doesn't really have much to do. It's not boring to the point that it's unwatchable, it's just that it's slower, more relaxed, and then at the end things start happening again. Noomi Repace is great as usual, and so are the other actors, but the chemistry between the characters is lacking here. Overall, The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is a disappointingly uneven and unsatisfying conclusion to the trilogy.

• vieras e

  
  A decent end to the trilogy. Better than Flickan som lekte med elden, but not quite as good as Män som hatar kvinnor.

• Michael S

  
  A great and fitting conclusion to the Millennium Trilogy. Stronger than "The Girl Who Played with Fire," this film brings the whole series together in a tense and satisfying way. The court scenes are gripping and the final moments between Lisbeth and Mikael are perfectly… More
  A great and fitting conclusion to the Millennium Trilogy. Stronger than "The Girl Who Played with Fire," this film brings the whole series together in a tense and satisfying way. The court scenes are gripping and the final moments between Lisbeth and Mikael are perfectly sweet and touching. The film hits all the right notes, ensuring a standout trilogy gets the ending it deserves.

• Randy T

  
  Arguably the best of Alfredson's three film trilogy.

• Jennifer D

  
  A boring movie if you haven't seen the first two and a little slow at times, but a great ending to the series!

• Martin S

  
  Not a good movie. The court scene was okay...but the rest wasn't

• Jan Marc M

  
  The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest is the third and final film adaptation of the critically acclaimed Stieg Larsson work with the same title that partially transformed the direction of the series escalating into a political crime drama thriller from The Girl With The Dragon… More
  The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest is the third and final film adaptation of the critically acclaimed Stieg Larsson work with the same title that partially transformed the direction of the series escalating into a political crime drama thriller from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire. Balance between complexity, consistency, and sophistication. Stinger.

• Dead A

  
  If you don't watch the second part, there is no point of watching this as it is 70% related to that. I thought it was just as good as the first one. The ending was great. Though the first one will always be on top of my list.

• Anthony L

  
  I can't say I'm sorry that this is the last I'll see of The 'Millennium Trilogy'. I may watch Fincher's version but I wont be in any rush. I found The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest to be both way too long and also quite dull. The first half… More
  I can't say I'm sorry that this is the last I'll see of The 'Millennium Trilogy'. I may watch Fincher's version but I wont be in any rush. I found The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest to be both way too long and also quite dull. The first half involves people talking about doing something and the second half involves them doing it. No twists, no intrigue, no mystery and no character development. I just don't get the hype, like I've said in my other reviews, it must be all about the book and not about the films. The acting I think is pretty poor (although Noomi Rapace is good at not smiling) and the direction isn't as good as the first two films. Worst scene; the disappearing/reappearing waitress in the 'Gun fight' scene in the restaurant. The waitress in question seems completely oblivious that a man is machine gunning the restaurant to pieces and calmly walks around with a tray of drinks until she is 'saved' by a main character and only then realises that something is slightly different about her workplace. This is a half decent TV drama at best, even then I'm not sure it would get another series!

• Dan S

  
  A slightly disappointing conclusion to the "Millennium" series, which wraps up the story of the very troubled and abused Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) and her struggle to clear her name after being framed for three murders and barely surviving a violent onslaught by her… More
  A slightly disappointing conclusion to the "Millennium" series, which wraps up the story of the very troubled and abused Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) and her struggle to clear her name after being framed for three murders and barely surviving a violent onslaught by her father and brother. Where the thrills and meticulous care to the plot and characters were presented so skillfully in the first two chapters, in this final one everything seems rather uninvolved. For some inexplicable reason, it just feels like nobody cares anymore, and a lot of the courtroom drama is just rehash of the first two films. However, Lisbeth's character is just that interesting that we end up caring even if the script has lost a little bit of its sympathy, and Rapace as always plays her character with excellence. Not a terrible movie by any stretch, but a slightly shorter running time and more needed "umph" to the dramatic moments in this film would have gone a long way to making this feel like a satisfying ending.

• Mark W

  
  Stieg Larsson's "Millenium trilogy" draws to a close with this third and final installment and after amassing a collective running time of nearly 7 hours, it still grips like a vice. Outlaw hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) awaits trial for attempted murder.… More
  Stieg Larsson's "Millenium trilogy" draws to a close with this third and final installment and after amassing a collective running time of nearly 7 hours, it still grips like a vice. Outlaw hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) awaits trial for attempted murder. Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) gathers evidence about her tragic past to help her case. A Swedish intelligence agency wants her silenced and her maniacal half-brother (Micke Spreitz) wants her dead. What with the mystery of the first installment and the action of the second, now we are given the talky final act. The cover-up of all the past scandals and indescretions and justice handed out in legal forms. Daniel Alfredson once again takes the directorial reins after the Second film. This time though, he's learned his lesson about pace. It's not as rushed, preferring instead, the slow investigative pace from the first film. Once again, the hook isn't as good but the tension builds slowly and assuredly as we learn the eventual fate of Lisbeth. Like the second also, Lisbeth and Blomkvist's relationship is very distant. They share very little screen time and whenever they do, it is strained and awkward. Blomkvist's love unrequited. Lisbeth is less active this time. She is mainly bed ridden and displays very little in her communication with everyone around her. This however, proves to be just another master stroke in her battle for survival. On the surface, it seems that Noomi Rapace has less to work with, now that her strong-willed character has been seriously wounded. Nevertheless, when you watch the ever so subtle facial expressions from her, as she tries to remain stoic, you realise how much of a wonderfully reserved performance she puts in. With less dialogue, it's probably her finest display from all three films. Although this an altogether more solid narrative than the second, some parts feel rushed and some questions are left unanswered. Still, it's a very fine trilogy and the characters inhabit a world - although not altogether pleasant - that's been a gruelling yet rewarding experience. If the Americans (or director David Fincher to be precise) can capture half of the spirit of these films when his version of the trilogy begins this year, then hopefully, mature writing and exstensive filmmaking will become the norm.

• Dean !

  
  A decent end to the Millennium Trilogy as it sums up all the main plot lines. Carrying straight on from the end of the 2nd film, you will need to have seen the first two films. I have to say this is the weakest of the three by some distance though. There isn't as much action,… More
  A decent end to the Millennium Trilogy as it sums up all the main plot lines. Carrying straight on from the end of the 2nd film, you will need to have seen the first two films. I have to say this is the weakest of the three by some distance though. There isn't as much action, tension as the first two films but if you enjoyed those two great films you will enjoy seeing it reach its conclusion.

• Chris W

  
  The final part of the Millennium Trilogy isn't quite as good or interesting as the first two installments, but it is, nevertheless, a pretty solid and entertaining piece of entertainment. This one literally picks up where the last one left off (which I liked), and then proceeds… More
  The final part of the Millennium Trilogy isn't quite as good or interesting as the first two installments, but it is, nevertheless, a pretty solid and entertaining piece of entertainment. This one literally picks up where the last one left off (which I liked), and then proceeds over the next two and a half hours into a courtroom drma/legal thriller wherein the events of the past films (especially number 2) are brought to a pretty decent (for the most part) conclusion. Some of the subplots and loose ends (mostly with Niederman) could have been handled a little bit better (which is probably the case in the book), but the film isn't so weak that things get ruined or anything. There's at least a lot of intrigue and some of the details about how Lisbeth's court case get handled are cool, but still, this film does feel a bit lacking, which is kind of an issue given the running time. The performances are once again pretty solid, and I really like these characters a lot. Maybe now I'll finally get around to reading the books or checking out the miniseries (which apparently covers much of the stuff from the books the films left out). I did like it though, and the story did need to be concluded, and, given the limits of film, there's only so much that can be done. This isn't a stand alone film, but I think you should check it out (after having gotten through the first too beforehand though, of course).

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  The closing film in the Millennium series is a movie on auto-pilot. The director, the writers, the cast (with the exception of Aksel Morisse and Annika Hallin): nobody makes an effort, everything and everyone is so lifeless. Nothing happens, at least nothing remotely interesting and,… More
  The closing film in the Millennium series is a movie on auto-pilot. The director, the writers, the cast (with the exception of Aksel Morisse and Annika Hallin): nobody makes an effort, everything and everyone is so lifeless. Nothing happens, at least nothing remotely interesting and, by now, we've stopped caring about Mikael Blomkvist, Lisbeth Salander or their (nonexistent) relationship. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, as it's known in America, picks up the pace for the last half hour but it doesn't make up for the 110 minutes that came before, now wasted. I personally can't wait for David Fincher to bring his unique vision and revive the series, which has become boring and inconsequential.

• David L

  
  I have to say I'm sorry to see this film series end. I really enjoyed the Millennium trilogy This last film in the series is mostly a game of tug of war between the older men who have come out of retirement in The Section and the writers who are risking everything by posting a… More
  I have to say I'm sorry to see this film series end. I really enjoyed the Millennium trilogy This last film in the series is mostly a game of tug of war between the older men who have come out of retirement in The Section and the writers who are risking everything by posting a story that puts them in harm's way at Millennium magazine with Lisbeth's disturbing past tangled up in the entire thing. The greatest element these films share is the fact that they introduced the world to how fantastic Noomi Rapace really is. Her presence alone is so mesmerizing it almost seems like a bonus that The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is superbly written, as well. What's strange is the film spends most of its duration discussing the ins and outs of the law and the rest of its time in the court room yet still manages to not only keep your interest, but also be incredibly engaging. Maybe it's because everything comes together from the first two films or that even during its slower moments, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest features fascinating events like the loudest and most unexpected breaking window ever, qualified and intellectual individuals being into kiddie porn, and ingenious use of a nail gun. The Millennium trilogy offers a compelling cast and an intriguing story that is emotional at times, brutal at others, and vengeful in between. The film is both a fitting end and the cap on a brilliant franchise. The only downside to the last two films in the Millennium trilogy is that they don't feature the chemistry between Blomkvist and Lisbeth like it does in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It's mostly due to the two characters being split up nearly the entire duration of both sequels and that's the way it was in the books, but still it only makes you wonder. If another film was made featuring these two characters teaming up again and spending most of the film on-screen together yet strayed away from the novels, would it be as good as the original film? Probably not since it doesn't have a solid novel to fall back on, but fans can dream. As spectacular as The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is the last scene felt a bit abrupt like there should have been more of an emotional exchange between Lisbeth and Blomkvist. It made it seem like everything was resolved other than the relationship between these two central characters. Maybe it was done on purpose to leave room for them to return for potential sequels or maybe director Daniel Alfredson was just trying to stay as close to the source material as possible. Nevertheless, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is an extremely well written and enthralling finale that lives up to the rest of the Millennium trilogy while tying up all the loose ends, but like its predecessor falls shot of being as powerful and enjoyable as The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Lisbeth Salander has her own very confused perception of the world."</i> Lisbeth is recovering in a hospital and awaiting trial for three murders when she is released. Mikael must prove her innocence, but Lisbeth must be willing to share the details of her… More
  <i>"Lisbeth Salander has her own very confused perception of the world."</i> Lisbeth is recovering in a hospital and awaiting trial for three murders when she is released. Mikael must prove her innocence, but Lisbeth must be willing to share the details of her sordid experiences with the court. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> As well as The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest might not be as good as The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but it definitely is a very good movie on its own merit, and it surely deserves a recommendation, with the warning that it will be incomprehensible if you have not seen the two previous movies. In summary, I think that The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is a very satisfactory conclusion of the trilogy. Even though some people might think that concluding the trilogy with a sober legal thriller is anti-climatic, the movie kept me very interested the whole time. Most of the movie might be developed in rooms, cells and offices, but that did not avoid director Daniel Alfredson from keeping a dynamic rhythm. Besides, the screenplay shows a good dominion over its considerable number of characters, and it never falls into improbable tangles or absurd extremes of melodrama. Two complains I have against this movie is that there are a few scenes which feel a bit irrelevant; and that the story is so complex that it occasionally saturated me of information, because as it plunges us into investigations, conspiracies and intrigues, we find more and more names, places and relationships, and I felt myself slightly lost in a few occasions for not recognizing a complicated Swedish name, or the face of someone I had already seen. Sure, that could be a problem more from my brain than from the movie. Besides, I understand that, since it is the adaptation of a book, we can be sure that there will be a certain level of condensation of the story in order to keep the movie's running time on a reasonable level. And I think that the final result was pretty good, because the film kept me very entertained and interested. As for the cast, our old acquaintances Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace bring perfect performances in the leading roles once more, and I also liked the work from Lena Endre, Annika Hallin, Anders Ahlborn, Jacob Ericksson and specially Micke Spreitz. However, the story is the film's main star, and despite not being an excellent film, I liked The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest pretty much, even though I felt some melancholy when it ended for knowing that the late author Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) will not write anymore about the adventures from the characters Lisbeth Salander and Michael Blomkvist.

• EightThirty .

  
  12/05/2011 (DVD)

• Zach B

  
  One of the most popular forms of film series is the Trilogy. Some of the most famous include The Matrix, Gamera, Mad Max, Rebirth Of Mothera, Saw (before part 4 - 7 were made), etc. Now, one thing most sequels have in common is that the third and last film ends up being the best.… More
  One of the most popular forms of film series is the Trilogy. Some of the most famous include The Matrix, Gamera, Mad Max, Rebirth Of Mothera, Saw (before part 4 - 7 were made), etc. Now, one thing most sequels have in common is that the third and last film ends up being the best. While The Air Castle That Blew (The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest) is not the best of the Trilogy, it is still a beyond satisfying conclusion to the best crime trilogy ever made. Now, the director is the same as last time (Daniel Alfredson), and this is good seeing as how this film operates at the beginning in connection with the ending to the conclusion of The Girl Who Played With Fire. The only real problem that people have with the direction of this film is the pacing which, I do not see the problem. For me, if one was to pay attention to the story, the pacing is exactly how it needs to be: Not fast, not slow. Just right. Now, with the script, it is about the same as the previous film, just a lot of the violence is toned down and so has been the language used. For the fact that this is a court drama, this has to be called upon. Like the other two previous films, the score here is done by Jacob Groth again, and this time it is darker and more tense then the others. Perfectly capturing the high stakes tension as Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace) is fighting for her life and freedom. Which brings me to the acting. While Noomi Rapace has done a damn good job thus far with playing Salander, here she perfects it down. Wile watching this, she completely becomes this obscene, abnormal character that has a presence that can stop you dead just by looking at her. The best example of this is when she is walking to her first court trail. In the entire trilogy, this is the best scene that was directed. While I was watching that scene, a huge smile grew on my face as I realized that in the seven hours that the films take up, that that scene completely capture Stieg Larsson's world or corruption, darkness, and abuse. The other actors do a decent job playing themselves. Nothing too special there. But, the only character that I would say that, other then Salander, that I think deserves mentioning is the character of Erika Berger (Lena Endre). One thing about this character that stands out to me is how strong she becomes when she makes her own choices and has to turn away from Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) when he makes a choice that will determine their relationship. As a whole, this is a much better film then The Girl Who Played With Fire (which is a great film), but must be scene with the aforementioned title to have the complete story for when you look at it, it is all one giant tale and allegory for Men Who Hate Women. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

• Gordon A

  
  Functional rather than trailblazing tie up for the trilogy which nevertheless maintains the series' tone and quality.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings