The Sunrise Theater’s SunFlix Series will depart from its customary five-day run schedule to devote the entire month of September to the acclaimed foreign drama/thriller “The Girl Who Played with Fire,” the second in the series of films based on the late Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium Trilogy.”

This film will surround other events at the Sunrise and air on the following dates: Sept. 1-2, 4-5, 13, 15-17, and 27-29 with shows at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2:30, 5 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The film stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Annika Hallin and Alexandra Eisenstein. It is rated R for scenes of violence, including a rape, some strong sexual content, nudity and language.

This film, sequel to “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” is based on the award-winning crime novels. At his death in November 2004, Larsson left three unpublished novels that made up “The Millennium Trilogy.” The novels have become posthumous best-sellers in several European countries and the U.S.

A summary of the plot provided by the film’s website follows: “In the highly anticipated second installment of the ‘Millennium Trilogy,’ Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) is a wanted woman. A researcher and a journalist about to expose the truth about the sex trade in Sweden are brutally murdered, and Salander’s prints are on the weapon. Her history of unpredictable and vengeful behavior makes her an official danger to society — but no one can find her anywhere.

“Meanwhile, Mikael Blomkvist, editor-in-chief of Millennium, will not believe what he hears on the news. Knowing Salander to be fierce when fearful, he is desperate to get to her before she is cornered and alone. As he fits the pieces of the puzzle together, he comes up against some hardened criminals, including the chainsaw-wielding ‘blond giant’ — a fearsomely huge thug who can feel no pain.

“Digging deeper, Blomkvist also unearths some heart-wrenching facts about Salander’s past life. Committed to psychiatric care at age 12, declared legally incompetent at 18, this is a messed-up young woman who is the product of an unjust and corrupt system. Yet Lisbeth is more avenging angel than helpless victim — descending on those that have hurt her with a righteous anger terrifying in its intensity and truly wonderful in its outcome.”

Critics praised the performance of Noomi Rapace in the first film and in the sequel. Richard Corliss of Time magazine writes, “In Rapace, it has an actress who brings a memorable literary character to indelible movie life, as Vivien Leigh did for Scarlett O’Hara.”

Bob Mondello of NPR notes that “the first picture’s ferocity remains intact here, as do its fetishes regarding political corruption, sexual violence and the riveting Rapace, whose leather-clad bisexual feminist is as compelling as ever — a battered-but-unbowed avenger for the art-house crowd, playing with fire both literally, and metaphorically.”

The historic Sunrise Theater, located at 250 NW Broad St. in Southern Pines, is nonprofit. Ticket prices are $7 for all shows. Refreshments, including beer and wine, are available, and all movies are commercial free.

Contact the theater at (910) 692-3611 or at www.sunrisetheater.com.