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

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.

Director:

Daniel Alfredson

Writers:

Stieg Larsson (novel), Ulf Ryberg (screenplay) (as Ulf Rydberg)

Stars:

Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Nyqvist	...	Mikael Blomkvist
Noomi Rapace	...	Lisbeth Salander
Lena Endre	...	Erika Berger
Annika Hallin	...	Annika Giannini
Jacob Ericksson	...	Christer Malm
Sofia Ledarp	...	Malin Erikson
Anders Ahlbom Rosendahl	...	Dr. Peter Teleborian
Micke Spreitz	...	Ronald Niederman (as Mikael Spreitz)
Georgi Staykov	...	Alexander Zalachenko
Mirja Turestedt	...	Monica Figuerola
Niklas Falk	...	Edklinth
Hans Alfredson	...	Evert Gullberg
Lennart Hjulström	...	Fredrik Clinton
Jan Holmquist	...	Hallberg
Niklas Hjulström	...	Ekström

Storyline

After taking a bullet to the head, Salander is under close supervision in a hospital and is set to face trial for attempted murder on her eventual release. With the help of journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his researchers at Millennium magazine, Salander must prove her innocence. In doing this she plays against powerful enemies and her own past.

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Plot Keywords:

confinement | strong female character | strong female lead | mikael blomkvist character | erika berger character | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, some sexual material, and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Music Box Films Site [United States] Official site [France]

Country:

Sweden Denmark Germany

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

12 November 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Filming Locations:

Fiskargatan 9, Soedermalm, Stockholm, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

€4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$915,000, 31 October 2010

Gross USA:

$5,188,972, 25 February 2011

Company Credits

Production Co:

Film i Väst, Nordisk Film, Sveriges Television (SVT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

147 min 185 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Six months prior to filming, Noomi Rapace started training, learning all sorts of different boxing techniques. This wasn't because these skills would be showcased in the films but to make her body more masculine or androgynous in its appearance. (Although Lisbeth Salander is attracted to both men and women, she never appears truly comfortable in her own skin.) Rapace also worked with a dietitian to help make her as skinny as possible. She also had multiple piercings and learned how to ride a motorbike, earning her license just as filming commenced.

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Goofs

When Lisbeth is in the operating room, the bullet is removed from the left side of her brain, as depicted by the frontal view X-ray that is hung on the X-ray view box, which shows the bullet on the left side of her head (viewer's right side). After her surgery, the operative side of Lisbeth's head (as demonstrated by the dressing and her shaved head) is the right side.

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Connections

Referenced in Maltin on Movies: Barney's Version (2011)

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Soundtracks

Turn It Up Loud
Written by Phil Buckle
© Universal Publishing Production Music

User Reviews

The best of the bunch!

After watching Hornet's Nest, you'll want to go back to Dragon Tattoo and experience all three films again in sequence. Like coming to the end of an exceptional book, you'll hope for more, surely another way to eke out a Lisbeth Salander film to enjoy. She has become with this trilogy one of the strongest female characters in 21st century film. No wonder actresses were battling to play her--she is the equivalent to Jason Bourne in any regard. (I can't imagine Hollywood doing a better job of these films--can you?)

I believe Hornet's Nest is best of the bunch. Salander is cornered, in hospital and under arrest, in danger of being recommitted to the institution that held her under guardianship. Despite her uncommunicative nature, Salander has friends, true friends who'll stick their necks out to protect her. But Salander is always willing to fight for herself, and she finds ways to do battle.

Hornet's Nest gives us a better film than the other in terms of suspense and dramatic flow. The pieces assemble, the foes are distinguished from the good guys, there is conflict and threat launched in surprising ways. Of the three, Hornet's Nest is the most suspenseful and best executed of the films in my opinion, a superb finish to a wonderful series.

Excuse me while I start reading the books.