Violence in a Volvo - Sado-fueled Swedish Crime Thriller

Rating: 9/10 (8 September 2010)

Firstly, 'The Girl With' film is very good indeed. Having read the 'Millennium' trilogy of the award winning, best-selling books by the late Stieg Larsson, it is difficult not to compare the two mediums. The point to realize is that the films are solid enough to represent and serve justice to the books, in combining ways, being impressive in their own right.
The films pleasingly stick to its Swedish routes, being shot in Sweden and also in Swedish (with optional English Dub versions that are also good). It also remains low budget in feel, being dark and full of tension and with moments of suspense and shocking content (i.e the several rapes/sex scenes). There is a Hollywood adaptation being planned, with Daniel Craig being confirmed as the lead, and this I feel is a real shame, as it will undoubtedly lose some of it's integrity.
The book's original title was 'Men Who Hate Women', which really is the theme and underlying subject matter fueling this excellent modern crime drama thriller. This inclusion and obsession of violence against women in contemporary Swedish society, addresses psychological issues of crimes and how people's backgrounds can ultimately affect them later in life.
It is great that the stories will reach a bigger audience base but it is a bit of a shame that many will miss out on reading such quality novels. To stop myself comparing the two I would say most thriller and drama film fans will enjoy both of the 'Girl' films, probably finding them more shocking, impressive and scary than the avid book fans.
My only criticisms are that some scenes are rushed, such as the super speedy and ridiculous computer hacking, evidence and research processing and many of the other characters are simply visited briefly and with no depth. But, in all fairness a film that is over 2 hours does well to cover a 538 page book with 30+ chapters!
Comparing the film to the Book;
The film is a straight copy of it's 2005 published book, and having read the book first I noticed these ten main differences, changes and cuts:
1.Mikael Blomkvist's affair with Erika Berger was cut out (although there is a miss-able mention of him having found a woman, just a woman who was already married)
2.When Blomkvist reviews records of the Parade there is now a video clip, as well as just photographs.
3.I do not remember any attack on Lisbeth Salander, in the tube station. She is also colder, more petite and harsher than some readers will have imagined. Does this make her less likable? Or is this the point of film 2?
4.Blomkvist has flashbacks of babysitting by the missing girl
5.Lisbeth sports a huge tattoo on her back, as well as one on her leg, the book's front cover shows her with a small dragon on her shoulder.
6.Blomkvist also does not have sexual relations with suspect Cecilia Vagner.
7.The sex scenes are changed slightly in detail.
8.The dungeon and small village is different in appearance.
9.Lisbeth also has flashbacks, these are not in the book but do add to the film and explaining her character's troubled past.
10.Blomkvist works solely from his new cabin home, not venturing into the local town when at the Vagner's estate.
Other interesting facts;
It is the 2010 best-selling foreign language film in the UK.
David Fincher is set to direct the Hollywood adaptation of the book, he directed Seven, Fight Club, Panic Room and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Brad Pitt is obviously a fan.
The main characters of Blomkvist and Salander's inspiration originates from Kalle Blomkvist (a Swedish fictional detective) and a grown-up Pippi Longstocking (a Swedish fictional story about a super human girl).
Stieg Larsson, the writer, worked on his books as more of a hobby, with them only being published after his death in 2004. By 2010 they have sold over 27 million copies in 40 countries. His career in writing includes Science fiction journals, political paper journalism and detective inspired stories.
Love it / Loathe it
You may love it for the excellent story, reader or not, and the themes, graphic scenes and characters. However, this could also be the reason you would hate such an adult thrilling romp.