Review: THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE is the second installment in a trilogy of films adapted from the books by Stieg Larsson, proving to be one of the most entertaining and epic mysteries to hit theaters in some time. This second film is directed by Daniel Alfredson and continues the story of Lisbeth Salander, the enigmatic and smart young woman caught within a string a tragically appalling circumstances. However, unlike in the first film, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, this film is told more from the controversial reporter Mikael Blomkvist’s point-of-view, but the plot remains primarily focused on Lisbeth’s story.

If you haven’t already seen THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO… then shame on you! As one of the most highly-acclaimed and widely-appealing foreign films in recent memory, seeing the first film is also crucial to fully appreciating the second, as the films create an ongoing story with plenty of back story of plot twists and turns. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is currently available on DVD and Blu-Ray… so, no excuses.

Noomi Rapace reprises her role as Lisbeth, the rebellious lesbian hacker with a brilliant mind for researching. This time around, a few years after the first film ended, Lisbeth sports longer hair and lives a more comfortable life travelling and holding up in fancy, expensive apartments. She has managed to stay clear of trouble, courtesy of the spotless positive reports files by her corrupt government-assigned guardian Nils Bjurman (Peter Andersson) who now ensures Lisbeth’s freedom since learning the hard way not to cross her.

All is well for Lisbeth, until she notices that Bjurman isn’t holding up his end of their little bargain, drawing her out of the woodwork and back to Sweden to reinforce her ultimatum to the man who raped her. Lisbeth’s return to Sweden sparks a new set of events and a whole new plot of conspiracy and murder to which she is unknowingly central. With the help of Mikael (Michael Nyqvist) her friends and Mikael’s fellow reporters, Lisbeth slowly uncovers the truth about her father and her connection to a secretive underground criminal sex trade.

Mikael becomes a larger role in this film than the first, with the story being told largely from his point-of-view. Mikael feels a sort of responsibility and duty to do whatever is necessary to clear Lisbeth’s name. Putting himself and his career at great risk, he embarks on a sort of Columbo-like investigative adventure to uncover the truth and save Lisbeth from being taken down by the police for something she didn’t do. In the process, his relationship with Lisbeth develops from that of a former lover into something more mature and meaningful; evolving into a father-daughter sort of intimacy, despite the two character separation until the end of the film. This element proves to be crucial in setting up potential story progression for the third film.

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE goes to great lengths to take the viewer deeper into Lisbeth’s world, giving us a better understanding of who she is and what makes her tick, allowing us deeper into her past and her troubled psyche. One thing I found truly fascinating in the first film that is maintained in this second film, is the attention to detail. Throughout the films, great care is given to handling plot intricacies as well as small details within the set design and locations. There is always so much going on in the frame, but never in an excessive fashion. Two of the tiniest, least important details that caught my attention were a bartender in one scene wearing a Green lantern t-shirt and a Pippi Longstocking reference involving Lisbeth’s apartment. These are examples of the many blended elements of “cool” that appear throughout these films, adding to the experience without distracting from the story.

While THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was intended partially as an introduction to the characters, more time is spent in THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE on developing a new mystery and intrigue, while ramping up the action and suspense. In many ways, this second film feels like a James Bond movie. We have a clear, yet reclusive villain that is the subject of investigation from not just the authorities, but the Millenium reporters and Lisbeth herself. Ronald (played by Mikael Spreitz) is an enforcer that is essentially a “Jaws” type character, resembling the tall, blonde and muscle-bound European thugs commonly found in middle-era Jackie Chan films, a la MR. NICE GUY and FIRST STRIKE. Ronald even has a cool medical condition that makes him quite the frightening nemesis to Lisbeth and her friends. However, this “enforcer” plays a slightly more integral role in the story and has greater depth.

Returning to the action and suspense of THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, this is possibly the most engaging part of the film. The audience will be delighted to find a car chase, Swedish biker thugs and even some great hand-to-hand fighting. Two of Lisbeth’s friends are trained fighters; Miriam Wu (Yasmine Garbi) is not just one of Lisbeth’s lovers, but she’s also a kickboxer, and Paolo (Paolo Roberto) is a boxer. Both of these characters find themselves encountering Ronald in a fight for survival as they attempt to help Lisbeth in her mission of revenge. Likewise, we also find out Lisbeth is more than just a scrappy young firecracker, but also a trained kickboxer and are treated to seeing her in action as well.

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE once again delivers with outstanding cinematography with rich colors and crisp detail by Peter Mokrosinki and a great score by Jacob Groth. By the end of the film, Lisbeth has been through the ringer yet again, creating a strong sense of empathy for the character that is only restrained by the fact that we’ve come to know Lisbeth as a strong, resilient survivor that simply won’t give up.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars