100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 59: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 145 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Gunnel Lindblom, Michalis Koutsogiannakis, Sven-Bertil Taube, Ingvar Hirdwall, Peter Haber, Ewa Fröling, Marika Lagercrantz, Sofia Ledarp, Fredrik Ohlsson

Description: A journalist (Michael Nyqvist) is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing -- or dead -- for forty years by a young female hacker (Noomi Rapace).

Review: The Millenium series is probably one of the most talk about book series of the past years, written by Swedish author Stieg Larsson. At first, they look like standard Scandinavian thrillers, but the books eventually turn out to be page turning experiences, with a fascinating main character: Lisbeth Salander. And this was the biggest deal. Were they going to find the right person for this rol in the film?
Director Niel Arden Oplev decided to give Salander a bigger role in the film, which is a good thing. She is far out the most interesting part of the stories. But the movie starts out with Michael Blomkvist and focusses on him at first. He just quit his job at the magazine Millenium, after he lost a case in court. Blomkvist is hired by business man Henrik Vanger, to investigate the disappearance of his niece Harriët Vanger. During his search, Blomkvist teams ups with Lisbeth Salander. She is a young yet driven hacker. Salander always dresses in black and is covered with piercings and tattoos. It is clear that she is traumatized by things from the past and has lost contact with practically everyone in her surroundings.
To adapt a books with over 500 pages to film, you have to make decisions and still don’t lose the magic of the source material. Here they made the right decisions. The trial of Blomkvist, the first hundred pages of the film, are summed up in ten minutes for the film. Good choice. The film wins in tempo here. And the many affairs that Blomkvist has, are also brought to a minimum. The only problem I had with this film, is the same I had with the book. It’s too long and the last part drags and doesn’t feel needed.
Noomi Rapace is the right choice for Lisbeth Salander. It’s a though role to play and she does an excellent job.
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is a strong thriller, that threated the source material with respect. It’s definitely better than the American version by David Fincher, which was also a good movie.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 22: Colonia

Director: Florian Gallenberger
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Emma Watson, Daniel Brühl, Michael Nyqvist

Description: A young woman's (Emma Watson) desperate search for her abducted boyfriend (Daniel Brühl) that draws her into the infamous Colonia Dignidad, a sect nobody has ever escaped from.

Review: “Colonia” is based on a true story. We follow the lives of a young couple, Lena and Daniël. They are in Chile and Daniël is taken by a secret army of Pinochet. Lena wants to finds him and finds out that he has been brought to Colonia Dignidad. This colony is known as an institution lead by Paul Schäfer. But it’s actually a closed community and torture camp where nobody ever escapes from. Lena decides to join the colony, find Daniël and escape.
The story of the couple is fictive, but Colonia Dignidad and Paul Schäfer were real. And this is a scary thought.
Emma Watson has reached the point where I no longer see Hermione Granger, the role she played in the Harry Potter franchise. She has grown and she is a magnificent actress. And she can easily carry a film, like she is doing here. Her performance in “Colonia” is heartfelt and timid, so convincing and touching. Daniël Brühl, whom I’ve liked for a while, is also very strong. Together they work perfectly. Michal Nyqvist plays the infamous Paul Schäfer. Schäfer is a repulsive character, played very convincingly.
“Colonia” came out a while ago, but nobody talked about this film when it was released. And I seriously don’t understand why. Because “Colonia” is a fantastic film. Besides the strong performances, the story is interesting and really scary. It’s a film more people should see, because it’s a hidden gem.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 92: John Wick

Director: Chad Stahelski

Genre: Action/ Thriller

Runtime: 96 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Mygvist, Willem Dafoe, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane

Description: Ex-hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.

Review: After the death of his great love Helen, John Wick sees no hope. She did make sure John got one las gift: Daisy, a puppy to ease the pain. When he gets attached to the little dog, all hell breaks loose. Three men break into his house and kill his dog, only because they want John’s car. What the men don’t know is that John used to be a hitman, one of the best in the world. And he is ready to pick it up again to take on the scum who killed his dog.

Movies like “Taken” showed us that many people like a good revenge story. “John Wick” gives those people exactly what they want. Combined with lots of dry humor and bloodshed. The action scenes look amazing, which is logical because director Chad Stahelski used to be lead Keanu Reeves’ stunt double.

I always believed Keanu Reeves was a good actor, when many people doubted that. He always had this stoner like image, but in “John Wick” he really shows of his acting chops. His character is very interesting and cool.

Although the story is minimal, it’s executed so well the movie doesn’t bore you one minute. The clean, film-noir style really works. The only thing missing is a good bad guy. Michael Nyqvist really tries to make the best of it, but it never really convinces.

“John Wick” is a surprising movie, because my expectations weren’t that high. It’s perfect entertainment and it stays on a high level the entire runtime. I highly recommend this film.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 7: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Director: Brad Bird

Genre: Action

Runtime: 133 minutes

Year: 2011

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Josh Holloway, Léa Seydoux, Michael Nyqvist, Tom Wilkinson, Ving Rhames, Michelle Monaghan

Description: The IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.

Review: A lot has changed. In the nineties Tom Cruise was a big star, but that star was not that bright anymore. Not a lot of great movies came on his path, but “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” should change all that. And it did.

The movies in the “Mission: Impossible” series were always successful and a hit at the box office. Brad Bird, known from his work at Pixar, decided to direct the fourth installment and with that “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is his first non-animation.

Like the previous movies, it’s filled with exotic places, flashy gadgets and action. Simon Pegg Is given a bigger role, as the comic relief, which is very pleasant. Jeremy Renner is introduced in the series and also a great addition to the franchise. Michael Nyqvist is the villain, which he does well. But not as well as Philip Seymour Hoffman did in “M:I-3”. Paula Patton does a good job as agent Jane Carter. Off course I don’t have to tell you that Tom Cruise did good work as Ethan Hunt, because of him I’m more of a Hunt then a Bond fan. Cruise hasn’t lost it and this is the kind of movie and role you want to see him in.

The action is the highlight of the movie. Sometimes over the top, but such a pleasure to watch. The scene with Hunt climbing the tallest building of the worlds, was my favorite.

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is a fantastic, thrilling action flick, even better than number three in the series.

Rating: 4,5/ 5