Engrossing detective thriller about a journalist investigating the decades-old disappearance of a missing woman. He’s aided by the title character, a young Goth punk computer hacker. Swedish film adaptation of part one of author Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium Trilogy” lazily unfolds like a TV miniseries. Numerous plot threads introduce exploitative subjects ranging from serial killers to child-abuse to Nazis to violence against women. Indeed, a disgusting rape scene early on serves no purpose other than to explain why our heroine is so antisocial. It takes a full hour for the main plot to even start. However once the story finally takes root, it’s gripping. The two stars form an unlikely duo that is fun to watch and a scene where our hero studies a series of old photographs (shades of Antonioni’s Blowup) to gleam information, is beautifully edited. Danish director Niels Arden Oplev is clearly influenced in the American cinema of films like Silence of the Lambs and Seven. The conventional ending even suggests the inevitable Hollywood remake. Is director David Fincher available?
Menu
7 Responses
I really enjoyed this film. Having watched a few Swedish film, I do notice that they tend to have a slow and steady pace(sometimes too slow) and this movie was no exception. I loved that even though it seemed to move along leisurely; it managed to get a lot of information and back story out on the table. There was a cool and dark feel to this film that really seemed to embody the country it was set in, with isolated and foreboding vistas at every turn. Our heroine and title character is a smart and quiet survivor, carrying secrets of a damaged past and a vengeful temperament. I’m now looking forward to the next installment, The Girl Who Played With Fire, in Stieg Larsson’s trilogy.
Excellent review, I watched this the other night and thought it was very effective.
Have you seen the remake? Curious which you thought was better. Both versions have their benefits, but since they’re quite similar it seems unnecessary to watch both.
I haven’t seen the remake. Just thought you’d like to know I’ve uploaded a review of this on my blog, you should check it out.
“Swedish film adaptation of part one of author Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium Trilogy” lazily unfolds like a TV miniseries.” I completely agree. I’d give this three stars, in fact, just for that. It annoyed me that there was such little concern about being, you know, a movie.
Though overall I was entertained.
Just a note on her antisocial behavior: it’s explained in the book, and part of it is explained in the flashback she has at the end of this version of the movie. Lisbeth is antisocial because she’s been affected by rape all her life, and she killed her father (Zalachenko, I think is how you’d spell it) by igniting his car when she was a little girl. She was sick of him sexually abusing her mother.
The other part of it is, she’s supposed to act autistic or mentally retarded for one reason or another, and part of that’s not speaking to people and refusing eye contact. That part wasn’t in the movie.
Reading the book always give you so much more insight into a character. Thanks for the info! 🙂
Yup!