The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009)

As computer hacker Lisbeth and journalist Mikael investigate a sex-trafficking ring, Lisbeth is accused of three murders, causing her to go on the run while Mikael works to clear her name.

Director:

Daniel Alfredson

Writers:

Jonas Frykberg (screenplay), Stieg Larsson (novel)

Stars:

Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Lena Endre

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Nyqvist	...	Mikael Blomkvist
Noomi Rapace	...	Lisbeth Salander
Lena Endre	...	Erika Berger
Peter Andersson	...	Nils Bjurman
Michalis Koutsogiannakis	...	Dragan Armanskij
Annika Hallin	...	Annika Giannini
Sofia Ledarp	...	Malin Erikson
Jacob Ericksson	...	Christer Malm
Reuben Sallmander	...	Enrico Giannini
Yasmine Garbi	...	Miriam Wu
Ralph Carlsson	...	Gunnar Björk
Georgi Staykov	...	Alexander Zalachenko
Hans Christian Thulin	...	Dag Svensson (as Hans-Christian Thulin)
Jennie Silfverhjelm	...	Mia Bergman
Per Oscarsson	...	Holger Palmgren

Storyline

Mikael Blomkvist, publisher of Millennium magazine, has made his living exposing the crooked and corrupt practices of establishment Swedish figures. So when a young journalist approaches him with a meticulously researched thesis about sex trafficking in Sweden and those in high office who abuse underage girls, Blomkvist immediately throws himself into the investigation.

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Plot Keywords:

journalist | sweden | murder | sex trafficking | thesis | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brutal violence including a rape, some strong sexual content, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Music Box Films Site [United States] Official Facebook

Country:

Sweden Denmark Germany

Language:

Swedish Italian English French

Release Date:

27 August 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Girl Who Played with Fire

Filming Locations:

Götgatan, Södermalm, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Box Office

Budget:

€4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$904,998 (USA) (9 July 2010)

Gross:

$6,942,564 (USA) (4 February 2011)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Yellow Bird, ZDF Enterprises, Sveriges Television (SVT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min 183 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the early scene where the editors are meeting in the Millennium office, there's a pile of magazines. Prominently displayed is a copy of EXPO, the anti-fascist magazine Stieg Larsson helped found in 1995.

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Goofs

At least twice, Lisbeth uses a stun gun on a man while she is touching him. Her body would close the circuit, sending the voltage through her as well, but there is no evidence of it shocking her at all.

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Connections

Referenced in Max Pinlig 2 - sidste skrig (2011)

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Soundtracks

Calling You
Text & Music by Jacob Groth and Misen Larsen (as Misen Groth)

User Reviews

Exciting thriller, although unable to keep up with its predecessor

Perspective: I am 25, Danish (thus understanding Swedish) and have not read the books.

"The Girl Who Played with Fire" continues smoothly from were "Men Who Hate Women" left off, and lets you easily connect with the core characters. Salander, Blomkvist and the Millennium crew are as usual exposing the darker sides of society and confronting the perpetrators, while Salander being under pressure from all directions.

Where the cruelty and surprises of its predecessor were essential for making it stand out among thrillers, I find this movie more mainstream in storyline and creativity. Salander has lost some of her mysterious goth charm, and the sex trafficking theme is only touched very softly, turning the movie into a regular investigation with a familiar cast of characters.

The movie is worth watching, but it's my impression that you should rather read the book first, to get a much deeper insight in the great novel.