The Girl Who Played with Fire (15)

Film

Horror films

The Girl Who Played With Fire.jpg

Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5
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Time Out says

Tue Aug 24 2010

Toning down, though not entirely ditching, the swathes of rough S&M sex that featured in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ – the first movie to be made from Stieg Larsson’s trilogy – this sequel nevertheless drags us back into a world of breadknife-to-the-scrote feminism where sexual violence seldom goes without punishment. And again, it’s worth the price of admission alone to spend time in the company of Sweden’s premiere bisexual emo-sleuth, Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace), as she gets tangled up in a hackneyed and unlikely plot where she must work out who has framed her for the murder of a journalist on the cusp of exposing a sex-trafficking ring.

The title refers to an incident from Lisbeth’s childhood when she doused her abusive father in petrol and set him ablaze – an event, it transpires, whose consequences she must now face.
Offering less of a cut-and-dried storyline than the first instalment, this film spends its running time carefully arranging the narrative dominoes in order to – hopefully – have them topple in the third and final film (due in November). The only real advantage of seeing ‘Dragon Tattoo’ first is that it gives depth and meaning to Lisbeth’s relationship with ruddy-faced reporter Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), who works tirelessly to clear the name of his erstwhile paramour. Filmed in murky, grainy tones which chime nicely with the squalid demi-monde that Lisbeth is forced to frequent, the film is more sharply focused on fleshing out mood and character than it is supplying rudimentary twists at cosy junctures. Certainly, much of the story is Google-powered, but is that not to be expected from an ace computer hacker? And the debate regarding the film’s feminist credentials is rendered moot at the point where Lisbeth takes down a leering Hell’s Angel with an electric Taser to the trouser area.

Author: David Jenkins

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Release details

Rated:

15

UK release:

Fri Aug 27 2010

Duration:

129 mins

Cast and crew

Director:

Daniel Alfredson

Screenwriter:

Jonas Frykberg

Cast:

Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 3/5 (7 ratings)

  • What does the reviewer mean when he states that 'certainly much of the story is google powered' ?

    rosco Thu Dec 2 2010
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  • "breadknife-to-the-scrote" feminism?! Are you joking? Surely more of a theme is seriously worrying violent abuse of women? Typically you've somehow managed to make this about a threat to your genitals. Bravo

    Simon Wed Nov 3 2010
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • After the wildly over rated first (7/10 or 3*) comes the correctly rated second. Actually, its almost as good as "dragon" so another 7/10. So much more enjoyable without that first instalment "five star" over reaction. Good stuff - Full stop!

    scrumpyjack Mon Sep 20 2010
    Rated as: 3/5
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  • Decent entertainment.

    critique Mon Sep 20 2010
    Rated as: 3/5
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  • I take exception with Jenkins' characterization of the sex in the first film as 'S&M'. Rape is not S&M; rape is rape.

    really? Mon Sep 13 2010
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  • Enjoyed this film immensley, I watched the 1st of this trilogy & then bought the books which are brilliant, just got to finish the last book before the final film comes out!

    JayneM Sat Sep 4 2010
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • Haven't read any of the books or even seen the first film, but I really liked this. It was serious and intense, a very good drama. Sometimes disturbing but a very welcome change to a lot of the disposable, largely American dross that's been on the screens all year. Rapace's acting was outstanding, a believable and likeable heroine who makes Angelina Jolie's 'Salt' look like a cartoon character. Could well be the best film of the year.

    Joe Wed Sep 1 2010
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • The makers did a good job of editing out all the padding of the novel but there seemed to be a few plotholes where scenes were filmed and then left out of the final print. It was easy to follow if you have read the book but it was a bit Benny Hillish when a character delivered a long speech in Swedish summed up in six words in the English subtitles.

    Gordon Tue Aug 31 2010
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  • I was disappointed after waiting excitedly for this film given the gripping plot of the second book, yet so much of the storylines are lost in the move to film. I liked TGWTDT but this was a wear film more suited to TV. Rapace now owns the role and doesn't really get enough screen time in the film. I wanted to like this film, but felt let down. Let's hope the final film is better.

    Paul Fri Aug 27 2010
    Rated as: 2/5
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  • Poorly directed. poorly scored. Should have been a humdinger but there is not one single standout scene.An anti-climax after the first brilliant film. Shame..

    ARCHGATE Fri Aug 27 2010
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