Investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is ready to go to press with a new issue of Millennium dedicated to providing justice for Salander, who has been wrongly charged for three murders. The articles in the magazine describe how several high-ranking government officials conspired against Salander to protect Alexander Zalachenko (Georgi Staykov), a former Soviet agent and pathological killer, who defected to Sweden. His many crimes include gun-running, drugs, sex trafficking and assault. He also happens to be Salander’s father.

A creepy secret operation is under way to kill Salander, Blomkvist and other staff members at Millennium to prevent publication of the truth.

The movie has elements of a classic Greek tragedy as Salander seeks revenge against her father and her giant goonish-looking half-brother Ronald Niedermann (Micke Spreitz), who is incapable of feeling pain.

She attempted to murder her father with an axe in the prior movie. The physical abuse inflicted on her mother by Zalachenko led Salander to retaliate by setting her father on fire inside his car. This act resulted in her being committed to a mental institution at age 12. She has since been declared legally incompetent and subject to guardianship.

Salander’s freedom is restricted and she is confined to small spaces through the bulk of the film. She is either in her hospital room, testifying in court during a sanity hearing or subject to police custody. Blomqvist is busy tracking down witnesses and communicating via computer. Salander and Blomkvist are together in the same scene only at the very end of the film.

This movie contains no sex scenes and a lot less action than the previous ones. Key roles are played by Salander’s doctor Anders Jonasson (Aksel Morisse), Salander’s lawyer and Blomkvist’s sister Annika Giannini (Annika Hallin) and Millennium editor Erika Berger (Lena Endre).

While in the hospital, Salander uses a nifty Mobile Internet Device. Similar to a smart phone, it operates as a tape recorder, a cell phone and a computer. It proves to be invaluable as she is able to send e-mails, text messages and write her autobiography on Word documents.

Director Daniel Alfredson filmed this movie and the prior one at the same time. He seamlessly inserts flashbacks to scenes from the prior movies to explain Salander’s nightmares. v The most striking scene occurs when Salander arrives in the courtroom dressed in goth black with multiple piercings and her hair standing straight up in a Mohawk style.

The trial is held behind closed doors away from the media circus because the evidence presented in the courtroom includes confidential information involving national security.

A climactic battle between Salander and Niedermann occurs within the last 30 minutes. All questions raised by the first two films are answered, and all the loose ends are tied up at the film’s conclusion.

This 148-minute movie is best appreciated if you have already watched the first two movies or read the books. It is not intended to be a standalone film. Neophytes will find themselves lost and confused without sufficient background to fully appreciate what is happening on screen.

Fans of the books and movies will feel a deep sense of loss and remorse when the credits roll due to the stark realization of the void created by Larsson’s death at age 50 of a heart attack. While waiting for the American remake of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” tentatively set for Dec. 21, 2011, we can sit back and enjoy watching our favorite characters getting to the bottom of this clandestine conspiracy that nearly ruined the life of our beloved heroine.

The dialogue is in Swedish with English subtitles. Greater Kansas City audiences can finish Larsson’s imaginative journey adapted for the screen with exclusive showings at the Rio, Tivoli and AMC Barrywoods.

Review By:
Keith Cohen "The Movie Guy"