It seems there isn’t a bigger literary phenomenon at the moment than Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. The books are bestsellers, the Swedish films are an international success and an American adaptation by David Fincher is already underway.
The first two Swedish adaptations, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “The Girl Who Played with Fire,” hit American screens earlier this year, and now fans of the franchise only have to wait a few more days to see the final installment, “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.”
This time around, heroine Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head. Once she’s released, she faces a trial for attempted murder. With a little help from her hard-hitting journalist pal Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), she sets out to prove her innocence and face her past.
I’ve only recently jumped on the Millennium bandwagon, having only read “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and seen the first film. I enjoyed both, especially the character of Lisbeth. The pint-size punk is one of the most fierce, complex female characters I’ve read and Rapace’s portrayal is pitch-perfect. Rooney Mara, who will play Lisbeth in Fincher’s adaptation, has some big shoes to fill. I’ve yet to get around to the rest of the series, but once I read the third book, this movie will be immediately added to my Netflix queue.
“The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” opens in select American cinemas Oct. 29.
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