Intrigue.
It's the best word to describe my feelings after watching this film. I'm now totally intrigued by the series of novels by Stieg Larsson. In fact, I feel guilty for watching the film before reading the book - reading subtitles doesn't really substitute. At the least, I'll be investing in the other books.
Intrigue is also central to the plot. It's a crime thriller based around a serial killer. The narrative is central to the film - even without reading the book I can tell it is an authentic replication. It's intense, perfectly paced and totally compelling. The direction is minimal - there's no clever trickery or computer wizardry. It's simply a brilliant murder mystery story brought to life by excellent performances throughout. Especially intriguing his Lisbeth, now an iconic modern (anti-)heroine. Just two warnings: the film is pretty long and it's also pretty violent - the sexual victimisation of women is a key theme.
I'm now hooked and intrigued by the rest of the series. But I'm almost more intrigued by the forthcoming English remake starring Daniel Craig and directed by David Fincher. What can he bring to the table? The cold, icy landscapes of Sweden are integral to the look and feel of the film - how will this translate to English screens? Will Craig pout or act his way through this one? Most importantly, a question that arose with the remake of Let The Right One In: is a remake even necessary when the original is this good?
No.
4/5
