‘Hornet’s Nest’ Is Best Left Undisturbed

Corruption, violence, death threats, murder-suicides, and a daring investigative journalist out to set the truth free—“The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” has all the makings of a Hollywood thriller. But its attempts to realize the edge-of-your-seat excitement of a blockbuster are lost somewhere amidst a confused jumble of guns, fights, and fast-paced action. What saves the film from being another third-rate flop, however, is Noomi Rapace’s tender, adept portrayal of Lisbeth Salander, which leads to a handful of moments in which all aspects of the movie come together brilliantly.

“The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” opens with the surprisingly swift murder of two policemen on a lonely road. From there, the plot takes off, hurriedly switching amongst several tales without giving much hint as to the connection between them. The editing—which cuts from scene to scene abruptly, and pans and shifts between shots confusingly—is as awkward as the storyline, leaving the viewer as disoriented as the bed-ridden Lisbeth.

As the movie progresses, however, there are successful moments. These primarily revolve around Rapace, whose acting endows certain scenes with the clarity and power that the movie otherwise lacks. Though she rarely speaks, her acting conveys both inner strength and pain. One of the most powerful scenes in the movie, for example, is one in which Rapace limps to her bed, sits, and struggles to eat the barely palatable food the hospital has provided. Her face betrays pain overcome by a fierce determination—not simply that of a patient trying to recover, but that of someone who has been hurt deeply and has a plan for retribution. She consistently hints at Lisbeth’s power, though, cloaked in her hospital gown and heavily bandaged, she appears frail. Rapace nails the contrasts that are necessary for Lisbeth’s complex character throughout the movie.

Rapace’s exceptional acting brings the rest of the movie’s elements up with it. The ordinarily shoddy cinematography is more stable in these moments, with each shot focusing on the appropriate spaces and framing just what is necessary. Unfortunately, these moments are sporadic and are not enough to distract from the monotonous, ill-chosen music and the generally inept camera work.

The last third of the film is a marked improvement, as the movie shifts from confusingly alluding to the truth of Lisbeth’s past to the climactic courtroom scene, in which Lisbeth is tried for murdering her father. The trial is captivating, and interspersed with moments of clever dialogue, touching sensitivity, and hope. Here the film finally stops trying to be what it is not—a big budget Hollywood action movie—and slows to a pace that enables it to be interesting, clear, and effective.

“The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” offers little of note in the way of morals or themes. Granted, the film makes some vague statement about the level of corruption in politics and the disgusting abuses of power that it permits. However, these themes have been more successfully handled in other movies.

Rapace’s portrayal of someone who has gone through so much pain gives the movie some depth by presenting an interesting potential role-model—though Lisbeth’s experiences have scarred her permanently, the character provides the audience with a strong heroine. Lisbeth is courageous throughout and does not allow her pain to detract from her determination. Small in size and importance compared to the bad-boy politicians she is up against, the character still commands respect as she faces unimaginable obstacles without hesitation or timidity.

Though far from perfect, Lisbeth’s security in herself and the complexity that Rapace lends to her character present a heroine worthy of admiration; a heroine, in fact, that makes “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” somewhat worth watching.