Entertaining but Clichéd

Rating: 7/10 (9 July 2010)

A journalist is hired by a rich man to investigate the disappearance 40 years earlier of his niece. This Swedish film of the first entry in the phenomenally successful "Millenium" trilogy of Larsson is entertaining in spite of uninspired casting, undeveloped characters, and a clichéd plot. Nyqvist is too bland of an actor to play the leading role while Rapace is just weird in the title role. The plot is contrived and far-fetched. Apparently, in Sweden everything is documented and readily accessible by the public, including expense reports of private citizens. Extraneous subplots (libel suit, Lisabeth's guardian) detract from the main story line and make the film overlong.