By Linda Winsh-Bolard
Third and last part of the Millennium trilogy.
Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) wakes up in the hospital, injured and traumatized by her recent ordeal, to say: you came to kill me? Indeed, it has been decided that to protect past secrets and current interests, Lisbeth must die. But the attempt fails.
Lisbeth remains in the hospital under the fierce and independently ethical care of her physician (I cannot even attempt guessing if such doctors exist anywhere else, but I am quite certain you will not find one within the 50 states). A feeling of amazement crept over me when the psychiatrist produced a court order only to be told by the physician in charge that he will not, nor has he to, release his patient until the patient is ready to go.
Oh, I live in a country that wants to get rid of Miranda rights. Of course, we also do not have universal health care and any Lisbeth in the USA better produces valid, prepaid health insurance card. Otherwise, she will be bandaged and discharged to the street.
Yet, while in the hospital (the staff cannot believe that a murder might be committed on premises) Lisbeth is charged with the murder of her father. The police determined that she hit him, although not fatally, with an axe. The charges are carried over even as he is murdered by somebody else.
This is the weakest part of the plot. Lisbeth had been shot three times, nearly died and it was determined that there was another male present during the attack. It is unlikely that she would have been the first one to strike considering the range an axe has versus a handgun.
There are, of course, interests working behind the scenes trying to dispose of her. Her very existence is dangerous because she had been subjected to illegal psychiatric treatment which was as unjust as it was brutal.
Mikael is slowly uncovering the various layers of deception even though it exposes him and his lover and co-editor, Erika (Erika Berger), to danger.
The more Mikael uncovers, the less he is surprised but the more he cooperates with a very aggressive and determined investigative unit set by the government that feels as betrayed as Lisbeth and as determined as her in bringing the perpetrators to justice- or an end.
This is mind boggling. A government that would police itself, indeed protect a victim of it own injustice, despite the PR fall out and would do it in cooperation with an independent, even hostile, journalist is something to behold (if you can believe it).
It is on par with the presentation of Swedish jails. I am aware that the rest of the developed world has humane prisons, and suffers substantially less crime at the same time. Yet, the rest of the world does not seem to think that better, safer prison conditions would encourage crime. I mean, really...
During the peeling of the past, Anikka, Mikael' sister, who is an attorney, plays substantial part while interacting with the unresponsive Lisbeth. It makes Anikka and Erika the most humane characters in the film.
The rest of the film presents afraid people, and lonely ones; working together does not bring them closer and surviving is no ticket to happiness or bridge to human connection. It's faster than "Fire" and better executed. The plot is also more captivating. Somewhat less detached but dangerously close to getting into action versus psychological drama; we have so many action movies!
Believable, but so unsalable! Or is it? Perhaps we are ready for more reality on the screen? Darn it, the production companies are not; more reality brings more questions and how will that boost the profits of the corporations who own the studios? Oh, well?
Lisbeth is tiny, silent, detached, painfully shy and distrustful with excellent fighting and computer skills. Both give her an edge, if neither necessarily a legal one. Is this our time sort of heroine? Or victim? Or victor?
Yet, is she that different from Mikael? Does he really share more even though he talks more? Is he truly less detached? Or just visibly more adjusted? Are any of the others, the victims and the perpetrators, more humanely attached when it comes down to trust, love and sacrifice? Or were they a bit more lucky or unlucky as it might be, with somewhat less determination, lesser skills and lesser need to fight to survive?
Watching Lisbeth fighting for life, for no more than just to stay alive, is a lesson in itself. Life is precious. Whatever you want, to get it, you must be alive. Lisbeth knows this. It is an integral part of her. There is no gallant giving up, accepting of the inevitable; no, all there is, is fight to live. How you live is the next step. We do not see that step and I doubt Lisbeth would have expected it to be easy. Lisbeth knows nightmares and abandonment. Roses and kittens don't come into this.
Welcome to the new kind of life, one with no happy endings.
Directed by Daniel Alfredson. Novel: Stieg Larsson. Cast: Michael Nyqvist (Mikael Blomkvist), Noomi Rapace (Lisbeth Salander), Lena Endre (Erika Berger), Georgi Staykov, Johan Kyl???n, Yasmine Garbi, Paolo Roberto, Per Oscarsson, Peter Andersson, Ralph Carlsson, Jacob Ericksson, Reuben Sallmander.
