BY now many people will be familiar with the Stieg Larsson ‘Millennium’ trilogy, the explosive thrillers which gripped literary audiences across the world, and may well have seen the Swedish cinema adaptations.
Into the fray steps Hollywood with its size 12's, threatening to ruin Larsson’s perfect series. With the introduction of big names like Daniel Craig, Joely Richardson and Christopher Plummer, the franchise teetered on the brink of being completely homogenised for English-speaking audiences.
Really, we needn’t have worried at all. David Fincher is about as safe a pair of hands as you can get, previously known for Fight Club, Se7en and The Social Network. This man knows how to create - or should I say, adapt for screen - tension and plot twists as well as anyone in the business and his work on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is exemplary, a masterclass in film-making.
Rooney Mara’s transformation from pretty-but-fiesty in The Social Network, into out-and-out deadly heroine Lisbeth Salander, is nothing short of astonishing and she acts everyone else off the screen. Daniel Craig embodies Mikael Blomkvist with ease, and the normally cuddly Stellan Skarsgård... well let’s just say he’s not all he seems.
The film, like the book, is not for the faint-hearted as there is strong violence, graphic rape and very occasional bad language, with online commentators reporting large numbers of people leaving the cinema. Despite this, this is one thriller you cannot afford to miss, with a great soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The franchise is sure to become even more successful now, and fans will have an agonising wait until the follow-up.
In the mean time, if you haven’t already, get the books.
Rating: *****