WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD (You didn’t listen the last time, did you? 
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I want your opinion about this flick … but first, here’s mine:
The Girl Who Played With Fire movie adaptation did nothing to upset me. Honestly. But it didn’t really do much to turn me on either.
It was a very competent, well-crafted, well-edited adaptation of a longer TV-series version for the big screen.
And it’s … okay.
All the essential scenes are there: Lisbeth threatening Bjurman, Lisbeth kicking the fat asses of two no-good bikers, Paolo Roberto slugging it out with The Blonde Giant a.ka. Ronald Niedermann, the bloody shot-at-close-range bodies of cutesy idealist journalist Dag Svensson and his girlfriend Mia Bergman and – of course – the infamous scene where Lisbeth is shot three times herself at close range by her nasty dad, Alexander Zalachenko, former Soviet GRU commander living in protected exile in Sweden. And then is buried alive. And then digs herself up again. And then hammers an axe into daddy’s right leg and smashes him in the head with a shovel. All that and steamy lesbian sex between Miriam Wu and Lis on the floor of her apartment in Lundagatan.
What more could you possibly ask for?
Uhm, how about a little more, uhm … heart?
Sure, sure, there are loooots of other good stuff: Action scenes, drama, boxing, burning barns, car chases, Mikael Nyqvist’s seriously knitted brows and well …
But in the end I felt a little like this was just an exercise in cut-pasting together the key scenes from the book in an understandable order. Something that makes the movie work. As such it was a succes – or as close to succes as you can get, I suppose. It can never be perfect when you’re trying to cram 600+ pages of Larsson wildness and sub-plot entanglements into a little over 2 hours. But I think the movie got it pretty well.
No, I missed something more essential than that. I think I missed a feeling – a red thread or something – especially as regards the relationship between Micke and Sally. After all, a lot of the book is devoted to Mikael trying to get into contact with Lisbeth – at the same time trying to help her and trying to respect her personal limits. And I feel, of course, that I can identify with Mikael because however fucked up Lisbeth is – I do want her to succeed and have a good life and be cleared of all charges. And I also want Mikael and Lisbeth to have a working friendship – if nothing else.
But the movie seems to have forgotten that the slow approach, where Mikael is working his way into the mystery – and closer to actually meeting Lisbeth again – via all the frustrating short and blunt messages from Lis to the desktop of his hacked iBook – that all of this is a way for Stieg Larsson to make us WANT for the two to meet again!
(It’s a bit like an old-fashioned love-story, where the lovers are separated by circumstances beyond their control – except of course that Micke and Sally aren’t lovers. At least not anymore. )
And I missed more of these scenes – between Mikael and Lisbeth (even though they are at separate computers).
I know it’s hard when you gotta cram in all the other key scenes that is supposed to make the whole mystery about Alexander Zalachenko, Swedish woman trafficking and strange nerve-system diseases understandable, easy to follow and entertaining at the right spots.
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Butbutbut … dear film cutting crew: Mikael and Lisbeth’s awkward relationship is THE REAL THING that makes me want to care about this story!
It is through them that all the sordid sub-plots about abuse in the psychiatric system and female trafficking and whatnot comes to life, yes, – but ultimately it is THEIR relationship that makes it matter to me!
And couldn’t you just have shown us a little bit more of that?!
Because it’s not THAT important to me that Lisbeth kicks ass and takes names and gets shot and gets buried and clobbers her dad with an axe. That’s just spice.
If you thought that was what was important in the movie, it must’ve been because that’s what the lame commercial department told you. And probably why they designed that godawful and decidedly anti-Larsson-esque poster for the movie. (No, I’m not gonna show it here – you know which poster I’m talking about; the one with Lis standing in front of that burning car.)
Unlike some confused feminists, I believe I’m smart enough to ‘get’ that Stieg Larsson didn’t use tough women and lesbian sex and axe-murder attempts as the ‘real sell’ for a story that was ultimately crap.
I know that he put these things in the story because he wanted to spice it up and pay homage (e.g. to Quentin Tarantino) and show complexity. Yes, Lisbeth is a kick-ass girl but she’s also incredibly vulnerable and socially dysfunctional – who would, at the end of the day, want to be like her?!.
And I really feel that the real story Stieg wanted to tell was about Mikael and Lisbeth, and everything they symbolise. Lisbeth beating up two bikers or having sex with Miriam Wu on a cold floor that’s just … ‘story wrapping’. But it’s really not that important to Larsson. (If it was, wouldn’t there be lots more blood and p****-licking?!)
At least that’s how I feel about it.
It was a good movie, nice sex, nice boxing, nice axe-use … but it lacked a little heart.
Okay, enough ranting already. Dissenting views are welcome!
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Or … Go to another rant about the third movie, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest!
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That link
Flickan som lekte med elden- (The Girl Who Played With Fire) International Movie DataBase entry
last night i watched the movie adaption of this and was slighty dissapointed so i googles it to see wat the deal was. as a result i found this and learned the real version is supposed to be 180 minutes long. that said does anyone have any idea where i can watch the full verison?? i live in the US and cant seem to find it anywhere, every torrent is the same movie version. could someone please send me a link or if you have the files yourself that would be awesome. or if anyone has any info that may help me purchase it that would be awesome too
thanks so much and i love this website!!!
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You can purchase the Scandinavian version (w/o English subtitles!) right now on cdon.com, for example. But I’ll be surprised if the extended editions aren’t released on DVD in the US/UK-world sometime in 2011.
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thank you so much for the info, and so fast too!! so scandinavian version huh?? but no subs DX thats sucky, but still an option in hindsight :p i guess ill jus have to wait then… stupid hollywood… i mean the swedish version will always be a million times better!!!! noomi=lisbeth FTW!!!! why cant everybody just be happy with that one rather than throwing a fit cuz they acually have to read for once!!! jesus christ if the subs bother people that much they should just watch the damn dub (no matter how awful…). im american and i loved the fact that it was subbed, it made it so much more real and true to the book…. anyway sorry for the rant and thanks for the info. i will def look into cdon.com. who knows maybe something new will pop up with subs. but one last thing. is there anywhere i can download it?? like torrent or watever?? or is there any other site that i can buy it from?? sry for asking again, im just seriously determined to have this thing DX
once again thanks so much chris, i love your website. i think lisbeth would find it very true
hell she might just want to be your friend… or maybe not cuz your totally publishing all her secrets on a website just for her XD
anyways, keep on keeping on!!
-Zero
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Lisbeth would like to kick my ass into the next century, for doing this – but she has a special sense of humour, so for now she hasn’t closed the site. For now.
Another good friend of sally’s – Miguel – has links to the extended versions in French (streaming and download), IIRC. But obviously I wouldn’t tell you to go to http://trilogiamillenium.blogspot.com/2010/05/serie-millenium-completa-los-6.html to check it out since you would be viewing copyrighted material illegally. So I’m not telling you, okay?
(Hmm… I just clicked one of the links and the connexion seems to be out. I wonder of the copyright-police has already been here? Oh, well, since I’m a perfectly law-abiding citizen, I will have nothing to worry about, hehe)
Thanks for all the blush-making praise
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well thanks for not telling me
much appreciated.
…and yeah lisbeth would prob kick your ass XD but it would so be worth it i think lol
say thank you to miguel for me
-Zero
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SPOILER ALERT!
TV-version
I saw Girl who played with Fire – TV version the other day. And even though I agree on the whole Larsson-Inc-set-to-rip-you-off-thing, if I focus on only my fascination/dedication to the whole millenium/salander-universe, I must say that it was a very nice experience to witness the screen adaptation full length.
To me it took the movie to a quite other level. I wasn’t too keen on Fire before, but seing the 56 min longer tv version – a really cool intro made in cartoon, Lisbeth with George, a much deeper insight into the whole investigation, Blomkvist’s meeting with Holger Palmgreen, small conversations and scenes in general that just seem to pick up pieces anf tie story together in a way that the movie version wasn’t capable of etc. – have definitely softened my heart. Still not mindblowing. But certainly more satisfying.
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Well, just ignore me when I start on the Larsson Inc.-rant… okay? In fact, I think I’m going to promise right now that in the future I’ll only deal with this topic in articles and if I’ve got something worthwhile to say. And you are hereby obliged to smack me if I don’t. Larsson Inc. was probably inevitable and the important thing for dedicated fans is to, well, remain dedicated for as long as it is fun and feels worthwhile. So I’ll do these sites, fanfics, groove over your video-remixes and so on for as long as it is fun. And that should be the main focus.
With that out of the way… well, the TV-series was actually the movie adaptation as it ‘should have been’, you know? Bc it’s longer – with more time to explore Larsson’s universe. It got into existence bc some people wanted to tell this story in pictures (and sure – earn a buck, too, but hey – somebody’s gotta pay for the meals, right?). The movies and DVD’s sans extras came into existence bc somebody just wanted to cash in.
That being said, I find myself feeling less and less motivated to buy the TV-series DVDs, although I’ll probably do it at some point. I just bought to DVD’s the other day – (one of them “Reds” by the way, which Stieg would have loved!). Both had poor image quality and/or so many warning signs and trailers you just couldn’t skip that I was almost asleep before I got to the movie. So… how’s Fire (TVV) on DVD? Are there many ads? Were the picture qual satisfying?
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The tv-series was the movie adaptation as it should have been, I know. And even if still not being a masterpiece, with its lacks and mistakes, it nevertheless, and as you said, offers more time to explore. Thus – to a fan – more satisfying to watch than the movie version in my oppinion. Creating a cinema-compatible edition, dvd release with no extras etc; Cold cash-in project, agree. Personally, I think the movie version should have never been.
No more or less ads than movie DVD.
Picture quality = DVD standard.
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Thanks – I just bought Tattoo – looking forward to viewing it again
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“The Girl who played with fire” isn’t my favourite, didn’t care about the book either. It starts badly. Lisbeth Salander getting implants?! “…but they were two solid breasts of a medium size.” It’s just weird considering her personality and the past. What could be worse than that?
Well, Mikael Blomkvist thinking he is not in love with Lisbeth Salander. Larsson should have let us decide that. I just don’t agree. We are talking about a traumatized man who couldn’t drive a car after his marriage ended. The guy is in denial, that’s all.
He isn’t exactly behaving like Salander is just a friend to him. He is constantly thinking about her, waits for hours just to see her and stops at nothing to save her.
Ever so wonderful Michael Nyqvist and the movie save Blomkvist’s character. In the movie he has more spine. Book-Blomkvist doesn’t have a capacity for feelings, just sex. In the movie he does not doubt *at all* that Lisbeth may have murdered his friends. In the book he just “hopes and prays” so. The films are easier to follow. Especially this book contains tons of people the story doesn’t need! Awkward Dragan Armanski I do like, though. Sex between Lisbeth and Miriam isn’t too convincing. Same goes for kinky-Erika Berger hoping that he would see Mikael and his husband together in bed. Lisbeth’s boxing background was interesting and Salander-Niedermann-Zala ending very good. Entertaining film, good acting but the story did lack Mikael/ Lisbeth moments. *Sorry for a long comment*
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Fire is no doubt one of the ‘messiest’ books in terms of the mix of plot-threads and genres, not all of which mesh well. (But Hornet rivals it!) Anyway, I think he only just pulled it off with those overt references to pop culture like Rocky 4 (Paolo ‘Rocky’ Roberto figthing a Big Blonde Giant) and Kill Bill (Lisbeth’s rise from the grave) … It’s obvious that the book is written for fun mostly without too much thought as to the overall form and coherence, although, when you think about it – the Big Conspiracy itself is surprisingly well thought out.
It’s more the endless arsenal of superfluous supporting characters that distracts(can anybody remember the name of that security agent sent to protect Erika Berger, or why she was necessary to the plot in the first place?
. And, uhm, other thinigs …
So why does it still fascinate and capture, despite all these ‘faults’? My own personal theory is that it’s the sheer drive, the audacity if you will, behind Larsson’s storytelling, that is essential. A less engaging Core Idea with less engaging characters would have exhibited Larsson’s relatively constrained writing and editing skills too much … As it is, though, what we are left with is still superb in so many ways.
Oh, frak – I was beginning to rant about the books. This is supposed to be the movie section!
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True: the arsenal of non-essential support characters is endless.
Kill Bill, Rocky -and Lara Croft. It’s no coincidence that Angelina Jolie has a dragon tattoo on her arm… She would be my choice for the Fincher’s version of “The Girl…” -movie. If she only were younger, of course. It would have been perfect…
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I don’t know if this has already been discussed, but i’m really wondering why in the movies, she’s shot in the right side of her head?! I understand that sometimes you have to change things when making a movie based upon a book, but in this case – how hard can it be? And another thing, also from the second movie, Magge Lundin is presented as the chubby, bald guy, when it is pretty clear according to the books that he is the skinny, blond guy with pony tail.. Is there a logic explanation to this, or are we just talking plane mistakes..?
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I think they are just mistakes, but I wouldn’t know. Also you have to give the director some leeway (is that the right word?) towards interpreting and editing the material for screen. As for the gunshot, I would say that the worst thing that struck me (no pun intended) was that mindbogglingly stupid teaser-poster where it seems that Lisbeth is shot in the forehead and that the bullet has lodged itself in the center of her brain. Lisbeth is pretty tough, as I’m sure the advertising boys – who probably never bothered to read the books but just wanted to cash in – had heard a LOT about. But that was ridiculous. Not even gonna bother with a link. You can probably google it up in two secs if you feel like some early morning stomach churning …
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