The truth is not so simple

Rating: 10/10 (25 March 2010)

Nothing is simple here; there is a high level of complexity to the mystery at the heart of the story, and that drives the film ferociously to the very satisfying ending, one that will not leave cheated or confused. The movie is finely tuned, giving the audience much respect for their intelligence, and plenty of pleasure, as old cobwebs are cleared up and the thriller builds up its tension, captivating us, introducing us to memorable characters. These are full of flaws and demons, forces that control and haunt them, leading them to perform actions that could be either punishing, purgatory, or cleansing. Much is left to be the imagination of the viewer, as if the need to know adds excitement to the chase and the hunt.
Much of the fascination centers around the performance of the mysterious female investigator. The character is intense, hurt, angry, and resolute to find justice. It is clear that something tortures her, and her desire to tie loose ends serves some sort of purpose not clear to us, and it is possible the resolution to these questions would eventually be known to us. What is most obvious is that we have discovered a fantastic new fictional character, one who is powerful, creative, astute, and dangerous. Much in the way Clarisse in "Silence of The Lambs" needs darkness to help her recover from earlier trauma, Salander has plenty of emotional baggage, and her fury is the fuel that keeps her going. At times, it blinds her, with her rage take plenty of risky chances.
In the end, the mystery at the heart of the film is solved, and there are shocking revelations, a couple of action pieces, giving us a peek into the distorted mind of the criminal, and a glimpse into what our heroine's past might be.
There is a powerful and complex family in the middle of the interesting plot, one with its set of skeletons in the closet, one that is not shown in the kindest of lights; yet there is careful peeling of the layers, and much resistance to bait us with unnecessary red herrings. The introduction of possible leads is done intelligently, as rays of lights and color to add more dimension to the story and the characters.
"Girl" is dark and intense, with people who live complicated lives and have met or seen pain in horrible ways. We don't see the episodes themselves,but see the results of those events, and how they might have shaped their future. It is not a comic book character, but one with real dark forces lurking in the past, and we are left hungry for future revelations. It's satisfying to know writers are still coming up with original story lines, and that somehow these make it to the movies. People familiar with the series also have reasons to be frustrated, but if this film is a sign of what is to come, three might be our magic number.