A very solid and suspenseful mystery

Rating: 8/10 (7 July 2010)

2010 has been a year full of misses at the cinema. I haven't seen too many films I would call memorable, and even fewer I would say have made my list of top films of the year. But allow me to add one to that list. Though it isn't a perfect film, this Swedish cinematic treat is great in its old fashioned ways and creates one of the coolest and most memorable characters of the year.
The film is a murder mystery that starts in two different lives. We meet Mikel Blomkvist, a reporter who has just lost a court battle against a major company in an attempt to expose its corrupt CEO. We also meet Lisbeth, a punk-looking hacker who works as a researcher for a security firm and appears to be in some kind of legal trouble. After the initial court battle, Mikel is invited to an island by a powerful and wealthy retiree to help put to rest a 40-year old murder mystery. Along the way, Lisbeth and Mikel's lives become intertwined and together they attempt to finally solve the mystery.
The film plays mostly as an old fashioned murder mystery, with Mikel sifting through clues and Lisbeth using her computer skills to scour for information. Both main characters are played very well, with Mikel being the very intrepid and determined reporter. He's quiet and somewhat reserved, but has a good head about his shoulders and is quite smart. While he is good, he is a bit ordinary and doesn't particularly stand out. This works in that he is relatable, but this also causes him to be overshadowed by the best character in the film, Lisbeth.
From the first time we meet her, we are introduced to a character who is unusual but also very cool. She is unlike anyone else in the film and has a very good depth of emotion. Her appearance not with standing, this is a woman who doesn't take crap from anyone. Cross her, and you will find yourself in a world of hurt. This is evidenced twice early on, first when she is attacked at a subway by a group of young men and second when she seeks revenge on a superior (probably one of the more painful scenes in the movie). She certainly gets the most painful and powerful scenes of the film and shows many layers that make her one of the most interesting characters I have seen all year.
The mystery itself is quite good. It's very involving and thankfully, very old fashioned. There isn't a whole lot of action here, but the movie presents enough of a mix of character development and suspense that you're never really bored with anything happening. Just when it seems like the film might slow down, it gets back apace with more of the mystery. There's also no wasted camera work here. You might half expect to find lingering shots or useless cinematography, but there's none of that here.
I guess the least that can be said is that the film is wholly entertaining. The characters are never boring and the story is quite good with some very pleasant twists. It's not perfect. In particular, one sex scene seems a little out of place and Mikel and Lisbeth's relationship seemed a little forced, but these are minor complaints. I got over them quickly. This is a very entertaining film that I am proud to call one of my favorites for 2010.