The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009) User Reviews (167)

Exciting thriller, although unable to keep up with its predecessor

[denglidendekop · 7/10 · 8 September 2009]

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.

Lisbeth back in action

[MaxBorg89 · 7/10 · 20 September 2010]

There's an important detail about the film version of The Girl Who Played with Fire (in fact, of the whole Millennium trilogy) that needs to be known in order to understand why some (myself included) perceive this as the most flawed installment in the series: originally, all three adaptations were shot for Swedish television, with six 90-minute episodes condensing Stieg Larsson's remarkable prose. Late in the game, it was decided to give The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a theatrical release, albeit in a shortened version (half an hour was chopped off), and when that became the highest-grossing Swedish film of all time, the other two chapters received the same treatment, with the uncut versions held in storage until spring 2010. In the case of the second film, 60 minutes went missing in the TV-to-cinema transition, and it shows.

Picking up from the first episode, we catch up with Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) enjoying his newfound freedom and restored reputation, while troubled hacker Lisbeth Salander keeps mostly to herself. That is, until Millennium magazine enlists the help of two new collaborators for a special issue about sex trade, and the two are found dead, much like Lisbeth's sadistic guardian, Nils Bjurman. Evidence points to Salander being the killer, and with no way to defend herself she ends up on the run, desperate to prove her innocence, while Mikael tries to help her as much as he can from the office, eventually realizing he's in much bigger trouble than last time.

Based on the summary alone, The Girl Who played with Fire should be as great a thriller as its predecessor. That it isn't is essentially up to a couple of factors: firstly, new director Daniel Alfredson (brother of Let the Right One In's Tomas), who replaced Niels Arden Oplev for the last two bits of the trilogy, occasionally fails to capture the same raw atmosphere as in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; secondly, the aforementioned removal of one hour's worth of footage makes the whole thing feel a bit rushed, particularly in regards to new characters who are hastily introduced and then dispatched just as quickly. Additionally, the extended cameo of boxer Paolo Roberto, playing himself, will make little sense to non-Swedish viewers, though it is faithful to the book and allows for one kick-ass fight scene. As for the final twist, what came off as a shocking revelation on the written page loses a lot of its impact on screen, due in no small measure to Oplev virtually giving it away in the first film.

That the film manages to make any kind of impression is all thanks to one person: Noomi Rapace. Sure, Nyqvist's work is fun to watch, and the supporting players do their job well, but Rapace towers above all of them with her harried, mesmerizing portrayal of a rebellious yet strangely vulnerable woman who just won't take any crap from anyone. There are rumors of a possible Oscar campaign for her work in the trilogy (though if they had to single out a specific installment, the logical choice would be The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), and she really deserves it, not least for her ability to show off her dramatic skills even in a moment as irrelevant as a gratuitous girl-on-girl scene (again, faithful to the book) that has clearly been added to compensate for occasional shaky plot points.

In short, The Girl Who Played with Fire is a great acting lesson and a fun thriller, but little more. A shame, given the high standards set by Lisbeth's first cinematic adventure.

6,5/10

Less engaging and more loosely directed than the first part of the trilogy

[yris2002 · 7/10 · 5 October 2009]

I had seen "Men who hate women" without having read the novel, had appreciated it, and was willing to see this second part of the trilogy. As far as context, I can repeat what I had already said in my comment for the first movie, that is my surprise to see a modern Sweden not so clean, nor respectful of human rights as we, as southern Europeans, are used to see, or at least to be given such an image. Indeed, we find a country stained, in this case, by harsh stories of trafficking of young girls from eastern Europe, involving high political representatives, policemen and Russian spies.

As far the thriller story, I could perceive the clearly different direction. Whereas in the first movie, each plot twist was developed, sometimes retold, in order not to leave anything unexplained or unaccomplished, here, it seems that something was lost and never captured again, the story is less a thriller and more a detective story, focused on the character of Lisbeth, still superbly interpreted by Noomi Rapace: she dominates every scene, every moment, but, as a consequence, much of the plot, which involves her but many other aspects and characters, seems to be left to those who have read the book and may understand the links. For example, the same trafficking of women, is not developed, being however the main theme of the story itself, it is given much importance at the beginning, and then left undeveloped throughout it. Also the relationship between Blomkvist and his colleague Erika is not understandable: I believed he was in love with Lisbeth, caring for her, and suddenly I find him in bed with his friend-journalist, without letting the viewer know much about their relation.

The general atmosphere is also less tense and enthralling than in "Men who hate women", sometimes the pace is too slow. As a conclusion, I would say this second part of the trilogy is less convincing than the first, less solidly directed, and probably to be more appreciated by those who have read the novel. It is, however, a quite well made product, well interpreted and still instilling a will to see the third part, and, why not, to turn to the written page to look for the "missing" things.

Satisfying central segment

[rogerdarlington · 24 October 2010]

This is the Swedish-language film adaptation of the second of the three "Millennium" crime novels by the Swedish journalist Stieg Larsson and it's really essential that one sees "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" first because vital themes are continued. Most middle segments of trilogies lack the bright originality of the first and the satisfying denouement of the last, but this one will certainly hold your attention until the girl kicks the hornet's nest.

In this central segment, Lisbeth Salander (the mesmerising Noomi Rapace) is much more central to the narrative and indeed she and investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) are only physically together for moments, although often in electronic communication and always in emotional connection.

The criminality being investigated by the "Millennium" team is more woman-hating in the form of sex trafficking and again the plot contains some surprises but this time the villains are reminiscent of Bond baddies like Blofeld and Jaws. The violence is not quite as stomach-churning as in the first episode, yet there's still plenty of bone-crunching, blood-splattering action. Lisbeth here is the most death-defying female avenger since The Bride in "Kill Bill Part 2".

Second installment of the Swedish Millennium trilogy about heroine Lisbeth Salander made me relish the first film by director Niels Arden Oplev

[ruby_fff · 7/10 · 11 August 2010]

This follow-up installment by director Daniel Alfredson is a decent mystery thriller with expected action scenes and a string of plot points to keep your interest going. It provides more background information about our tenacious heroine Lisbeth's childhood and her legal guardians, mysterious police reports, and her couple of singularly close friends (Miriam and Paolo, both happened to also know kick-boxing and boxing). Of course, there is Millennium key journalist, Micke Blomkvist and his fellow investigative reporters, and most of the storyline we're following thread after thread, hoping (as everyone in the movie does) to get closer to Lisbeth. From the audience point of view, we get to see her, alright, tagging along with her varying guises to avert danger too close for comfort. She, too, wanted to get to the bottom of the alleged murders that were conveniently linked to her name. The whole movie feels like an expanded "Wallender" episode from the Swedish police-detective TV mystery series.*

"The Girl Who Played With Fire" gave us seemingly straightforward 'facts' as the multiple characters uncover - likened to a 'treasure hunt' (or musical chairs, if you so inclined from the number game of the targets by the villains) vs. providing dramatic highs and penetrating clues, suspenseful and emotional exciting turns as in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," when we followed Lisbeth and Micke on their investigative furtive trails and cerebral deductions. What Danish director Niels Arden Oplev gave us in the first installment can very well stand on its own as a suspense dramatic thriller (which was true to the original Swedish title "Men Who Hate Women"). It's an excellent whodunit - quality entertainment, moving and satisfying wrap-up to the point of tear-jerker, in spite of some plot-required gritty (raw, not for the squeamish) scenes, which were actual arcs for the next two installments to lean on and refer to. Yes, I recall those particular cited scenes in "The Girl Who Played With Fire" when replayed and enhanced our empathy with Lisbeth's character. What this second installment did give us is preparing for the next and final movie in pursuit of Lisbeth's truth along with Micke staunchly standing up for her - so I kinda read the reviews already on IMDb for "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest". Truly anticipate for the wide release of the 'Part 2' of the second installment and getting to the nitty-gritty rhyme and reason of our heroine Lisbeth and hope for the very best for her.

Do see "The Girl With Dragon Tattoo" if you haven't experience it yet. Yes, mind you, there are NFE (not for everyone) scenes, but they are necessary to the understanding of the heroine, Lisbeth Salander, and set up for the next two movies that follow in this worthwhile mystery trilogy from Sweden. Subtitles in English.

* "Wallender" is a popular Swedish detective mystery TV series I was lucky to catch now and then on KCSM (in Bay Area, California) on their 'International Mystery Monday nights' at 10 PM. They are usually intense, violent crime scenes without apology, political story lines, tons of threads (or red-herrings) that compel you to stay through till the end of the 90-minute episode. There's also a British "Wallender" mystery series based on the same Swedish police-detective Kurt Wallender, played by Kenneth Branagh (who's an executive producer for the program).

If you have a chance to catch the German-Austrian production of "Tatort: Crime Scene" - that's a favorite international mystery I highly recommend. Every TV episode is intelligently written and delivered, with crime scenes usually suggestive or chilling effects off-screen, and simply loved the pair of investigators Max Ballauf and Freddy Schenk (detective partners brilliantly played by Klaus J. Behrendt and Dietmar Bär - one's kinda skinny, the other's kindly plump). If good old-fashioned mystery style is your cup of tea, try "Maigret" the French, pipe piping burly of an endearing Parisian Inspector, impeccably portrayed by Bruno Crémer, who solves murderous puzzles ever so facile. Great sets, costumes and befitting music as we accompany Maigret, unhurriedly sauntering on police business, visiting the rural provinces of French locales.

A fine sequel

[MusicaEternal · 9/10 · 11 April 2010]

This film continues where "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" left off. I have to say that personally, I do not really understand the bad reviews, though I must also admit I have not read the books yet, so I am not comparing it to the book, I am simply viewing it as a film in it's own right, and perhaps my review is therefore more generous than it would be if I had read the book too.

I personally thought this movie was riveting, but for different reasons than the first. Firstly, there is a lot of action in this film, I feel it was done well, and it kept the film exciting. Secondly, the depths into Lisbeth's past were also revealed very well. If you didn't learn that Lisbeth is untimately very sensitive behind her "cold" exterior, you learn it from this film.

Yes, certain scenes could have been better shot, better directed etc, but these are minor drawbacks. I feel this is again a must-see, and a very good bridge to the conclusion of this millennium trilogy.

9/10 Recommended!

More of a Drag On...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 30 May 2022]

The dragon's taken to the sky, but this time it just fails to fly, not a patch on what had gone before and doesn't leave you wanting more, one or two distinct plot twists, though the vessel clearly starts to list and the flames are flickering to low and just about to lose their glow.

A cult series of films waiting to happen ...

[colin_coyne · 8/10 · 24 August 2010]

Before the start of the GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, we were introduced in the cinema (Cineworld, Haymarket) to the films Director DANIEL ALFREDSON - who was kind enough to give us a talk on the background to the film – which is the second film based on the late Steig Larsson's "Millennium" trilogy of books (the first being THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, and the third being THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST).

The director explained how the three films were made back-to-back over a year, and how it was he himself that directed the final two films – which are effectively the same mega-story split over two films. He also told us of how it was working with the main actors and especially Noomi Rapace and how she had learnt kick-boxing, self defence and motorbike riding all to get in shape for the film.

The director also mentioned a bit about the late author Steig Larsson – and his life, and the background to the Millennium trilogy of books. The talk set the mood up very nicely as an intro to the film ... and was much appreciated by the audience ...

The GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE starts with a flashback sequence to the first movie THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, and the story then resumes, when Lisbeth Salander (NOOMI RAPACE) has just returned to Sweden after a year in exile.

Meanwhile, Mikael Blomkvist (MICHAEL NYQVIST), the publisher of Millennium magazine, has made his living exposing the crooked and corrupt practise's of establishment Swedish figures. Mikael's initial impetus to investigate one of the biggest breaking stories of sex trafficking trade in Sweden amongst those in high office is soon taking second place, when here hears of the accusations of Lisbeth being accused of murder – and he then embarks on a mission to clear her name.

Mikael and Lisbeth are effectively after the same goal, but they are coming at the solution from two different directions, Mikael through dogged determination and legwork, and Lisbeth a very talented computer hacker, coming from a more "involved" viewpoint in a savage world where rules and boundaries don't apply.

The more the intriguing story unfolds, the more you find out the secrets from Lisbeth's past – it's like unpeeling an onion only to find more and more hidden underneath – each additional layer building her into one of the most fascinating, multi-dimensional lead female characters for many years – a role brilliantly played by Noomi Rapace.

The direction (DANIEL ALFREDSON) and narrative work really well and it is a strong cast throughout. The camera-work and music also add to the build up of tension, and the Swedish country side is a terrific backdrop. It is good to know that the same director is also responsible for part three of the trilogy – so we know it will be in good capable hands.

Credit should also be given to the other actors especially Micke Spreitz as Ronald Niedermann – about as nasty a film goon as you are going to come across, Peter Andersson as Lisbeth's twisted evil guardian Nils Bjurman, and Georgi Staykov as the mysterious "Zala".

If you liked The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (and many did), then you'll be sure to like The Girl Who Played With Fire. It's not necessary, but it would certainly help to have seen the first film previously – as you will get a more rounded view of the trilogy. The "Millennium" series of films is sure to build up a cult fan base, and I can't wait for the third and final installment! The Girl Who Played With Fire is a 15 (UK) certificate – note though, that it does contain some scenes of graphic violence, is in Swedish with English subtitles and is 129 Min's long. It will be on general release from Friday 27th August 2010

Worthy, if inferior, first follow up to 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 27 September 2016]

'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' is truly excellent, one would be hard pressed to find a Swedish thriller better. It wasn't flawless, but it comes close.

It was followed by two follow ups and the David Fincher film, all worth a look but the original 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' is the real deal. 'The Girl who Played with Fire' for a sequel/follow-up is worthy, although there is no doubt which is the superior film. There is too much of a different feel somewhat, the original mesmerised in its tension and intensity and constantly chilled the bone and shocked. While there is tension and suspense, the bleak moodiness and bone-chilling shock value is not quite replicated here by director Daniel Alfredson, who directs efficiently enough but there was the need of more atmosphere.

'The Girl who Played with Fire' also feels rushed and incomplete, a longer length would have helped it and it was very clear that the film had been heavily cut. With a longer length, things would have felt more developed (something that the original did so brilliantly with a lot going on), the sex trafficking theme would have been less tame as it is a horrific situation and that didn't come through enough here and the ending (which was a shock in the book) less of a that's it feeling.

Although somewhat televisual-like, which is not a bad thing as such but it definitely would have benefited, or at least the atmosphere would have done, from a more cinematic and moody look, 'The Girl who Played with Fire' is a good-looking film, with a good amount of grit and style. The music is suitably haunting and the writing is efficient and taut enough if not as structurally tight as before. The story is definitely intriguing, and there is a lot of action dynamically choreographed and hardly bland, with some very nice twists and turns, also loved the expansion on Lisbeth's character, a fascinating character made even more interesting.

Performances are still fine. Michael Nyqvist is quietly commanding and the villains, if not as much as 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', pose a good threat...but this is mesmerising Noomi Rapace's film.

All in all, a bit of a disappointment after being so taken with 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' but still worthy and not bad by any stretch of the imagination. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Another Engaging Thriller of Millennium

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 21 March 2011]

In Stockholm, the young journalist Dag Svensson (Hans-Christian Thulin) offers the thesis of his fiancée Mia Bergman (Jennie Silfverhjelm) about trafficking and prostitution in Sweden to the editor of the Millennium magazine Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist). The couple is temporarily contracted by the magazine to expose the corruption of prominent persons of the Swedish society. Meanwhile, the computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) returns to Stockholm and breaks in the apartment of her guardian, the lawyer Nils Bjurman (Peter Andersson), seeking her reports and uses his revolver to threaten her guardian. When Dag, Mia and Bjurman are found murdered and the weapon with Lisbeth's fingerprints in the crime scene, she becomes the prime-suspect and is accused of the three murders. However, Mikael does not believe that Lisbeth is guilty and investigates the "johns" of the thesis expecting to find the killer. Meanwhile Lisbeth researches the documents expecting to find the culprit and discloses hidden secrets about her father.

"Flickan Som Lekte Med Elden" a.k.a. "The Girl Who Played with Fire" is another engaging thriller based on the Stieg Larsson's novel. I have just seen this film on an imported DVD and it is impressive the number of characters perfectly developed in the concise screenplay and 129 minutes running time. The sharp direction of Daniel Alfredson succeeds, giving the adequate pace to the film. The tough Lisbeth Salander and the wise journalist Mikael Blomkvist are among my favorite characters of action movies. The performances are excellent and Ms. Lena Endre is an impressively beautiful lady. The greatest flaw in the plot is the great number of gun shots in Zala's farm and no response from the neighbors. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Menina que Brincava com Fogo" ("The Girl Who Played with Fire")

Note: On 15 Jul 2018 I saw this film again.

Engaging, effective sequel

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 27 November 2012]

I decided to go all-out and give myself the full Millennium experience by watching the TV miniseries (9 hours in total) over the space of three nights. As a result, these reviews are of the extended, three-hour editions of each film rather than the condensed, theatrical two-hour versions.

THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE is a highly effective sequel that avoids the usual 'second film in a trilogy' syndrome. It's full of action and intriguing plot twists, and it takes hold of the original's storyline and builds and expands on it in a decent way.

I wouldn't say it's better than the first film - it lacks the novelty of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, and it's very slightly less emotionally fulfilling - but it's nevertheless a superior piece of filmmaking. Bring on the third!

Rocks like part 1

[mariberian · 9/10 · 15 August 2010]

For fans of the book, this second part in the trilogy by Stieg Larsson is faithful to the material and highly entertaining.

In addition, Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist bring their characters to life perfectly. They are both pleasing to the eye, and yet have the depth and intensity to pull you into the movie experience.

However it did not earn the 10 I gave to the first. I think the only reason is that there so much great material in the book that it is probably difficult to decide how much to cut and what to high light in the movie.

I thought given this difficulty the makers did an awesome job and I enjoyed the film immensely.

For some who refer to this as a sequel, I think that is a misnomer. I think of a sequel as a second thought that is added on after an initial success. At any rate, all three films were shot before the first release, so it is more like one film divided into three parts.

This movie is better than any current American made film currently playing so save your money on the standard Hollywood drivel and place your bets on a fine movie-going experience that will also enlighten.

A decent second part to the 'Millennium Trilogy'

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 30 December 2012]

This, the second of the 'Millennium Trilogy, sees the return of Lisbeth Salander and investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist and if you haven't seen 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' you are likely to be confused as to what is going on as plot details related to events in that film aren't explained. Mikael is working on a story that will expose prominent people who have been complicit in the trafficking of young women and shortly afterwards two people who provided him with key information are killed. The murder weapon has Lisbeth's fingerprints on it and it was stolen from her legal guardian who has also been murdered. The police believe that she did it but Mikael is convinced of her innocence. The two of them end up leading parallel investigations that will lead them to the mysterious 'Zala' who is apparently involved in the trafficking and is closely connected to Lisbeth.

After 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' this instalment feels very televisual and there is less suspense... although this might be down to knowing that the protagonists must survive to appear in the third film! That said if you enjoy TV crime dramas then you should enjoy this too; the story features a suitable amount of action and there are interesting revelations about Lisbeth's background that I didn't see coming. It was also interesting to keep the two protagonists apart until the very end. Noomi Rapace is once again brilliant as Lisbeth and Michael Nyqvist does a fine job as Mikael; a far less showy role. While the story is good there are some distinct flaws; the huge blond unstoppable German seemed rather cliché and I don't see how Lisbeth could survived one encounter that left her not only shot but also buried! Still despite these faults it was well worth watching and left me keen to see how the story ends in 'The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest'.

Levels beneath it's predecessor

[razzle-4 · 5/10 · 18 September 2009]

Having read and loved the books I was pleasantly surprised to see the movie version of Men who hates women. It was so close to reaching the same level of intensity and depth as the book itself.

Unfortunately I can't say the same thing for The girl that played with the fire. The filmography, direction and the use of music never really catched on to create the intensity and drama needed for keeping me enthralled to the story. And instead of being taken for another great ride in the universe of Stieg Larson, I was left to the sensation of watching some second grade TV-series.

The difference between the first and the second movie can be summed up to the difference between creating movie magic and making mediocre cinematography.

The Girl with the Dragon tattoo plays with Fire!

[estebangonzalez10 · 9 September 2010]

¨Now the girl with the dragon tattoo will play with fire.¨ The Girl Who Played with Fire is the second part of the Millennium trilogy from Stieg Larsson's novel which was a huge success in Sweden. The original title of this second installment is Flickan Som Lekte Med Elden, which has the same meaning in English (the other two novels had the title changed in the translation, the first part The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo actually was titled The Men who Hate Women). The trilogy is being made into a movie in Hollywood now (directed by David Fincher), but I still recommend the original Swedish versions which are great films. This sequel isn't nearly as good as the first movie, but it still is a smart thriller that works in most part thanks to the rich characters that Larsson has created. This film is missing some of the beautiful landscape that we got to see in the first movie, the mystery is not as intriguing either, and there aren't any new interesting characters. I think that the direction and the screenplay has a lot do with why this film didn't live up to the first one. This film was directed by Daniel Alfredson instead of Niels Arden Oplev, who had directed the first part, and the screenplay was also adapted by a different writer (Jonas Frykberg) so the dialogue doesn't flow as well as the first movie did. I am glad they didn't change the actors because that would have been a mess. Noomi Rapace has played one of the most interesting computer hackers I've seen on film. She had very difficult scenes, especially in the first one, but she still managed to give a great performance and in this movie we discover a lot more about her past. The success of the first movie keeps us interested in these characters and their story, so the movie still works although some of the original magic is missing.

The film picks up one year after the first one left us and Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is back working at Millennium with his crew: Erika Berger (Lena Endre) and Malin Erikson (Sofia Ledarp). A young journalist named Dag (Hans Christian Thulin) is applying for a position at the magazine and tells the crew he is investigating a sex-trafficking ring. Dag gets the position and they guarantee him they will publish his work, but they have to have strong evidence before doing so. In the meantime, Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace) is living a luxurious life, but is still haunted by several things from her past. She has been living abroad, but returns to Sweden in order to keep track on her court appointed guardian, Nils Bjurman (Peter Andersson), who has to continue giving positive reports about her or else she will release the tape she made in the first movie. She hasn't been answering Blomqvist's calls and it has been nearly a year since they last spoke. Some people aren't very happy with the investigation of the sex-trafficking ring since it involves some high powers in government, so Dag is murdered along with his girlfriend. The prime suspect is Lisbeth since her fingerprints are on the murderous weapon that belonged to Bjurman who also is found murdered. Mikael knows Lisbeth is innocent and begins investigating some of the people involved in the ring, while she does some investigating of her own uncovering some dark secrets of her past while trying to stay hidden from the police.

It is hard to review this movie on its own, unlike the first one because that one had a decent ending in itself, but this second part serves more as a bridge to the third film then it does on its own. A lot of elements were left unconcluded and I am guessing they will address them in the third film. I really liked The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo much more than The Girl Who Played with Fire, but I can't complain too much because I was still entertained by this decent thriller since I wanted to know more about these characters. Lisbeth and Mikael are probably one of the most unlikely duos on film, but they just work so well together and we can't get enough of them. The villain in this film (played by Micke Spreitz) was kind of creepy and did a good job as well in his role. The producers wanted Dolph Lundgren to play this role, but Spreitz did a decent job. I guess I will have to wait and see how the third film turns out in order to better critique the trilogy, but for now I will just leave this to be continued. I want to see if they investigate more on the sex-trafficking ring because it was not touched very much in this second movie. I still recommend this movie, just don't expect it to be as good as the first one, and know that this is only a bridge to the third film.

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

not as good as the first one, but yet a compelling thriller

[dromasca · 7/10 · 7 November 2011]

With a new director (Daniel Alfredson) taking charge of the second film in the Scandinavian version Millennium series, The Girl Whi Played with Fire is not at all a disappointment but is less striking and less memorable than the first film, who introduced the characters of the trilogy. The judgment may be more severe than the film really deserves because the it is certainly a well written and well built crime story, with solid characters brought to screen by a team of actors who each makes his job wonderfully, from the leads to the smaller parts. It is probably the surprise effect that is unavoidably gone and maybe also the more standard cinematography that replaces the frozen landscape that dominated The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo. Yes, the Swedish summer can be very pleasant but the winter films better.

There are more biographical details that we learned about The Girl in the title of the movies, and the action of the film turns around her family and her traumatic childhood we had a glimpse about already. Noomi Rapace is as good as in the first film, but she still keeps enough secrets to have us interested for her fate in the final film of the series. Michael Nyquist's character is slightly relegated to the role of the classical seeker of truth, but his acting is still so good that I continue to be concerned about Daniel Craig taking over his role in the Hollywood version in-making (although I like the actor and I believe he deserves and can make much better than a Bond).

Maybe the secret of the magnetic force of these films is that faced with the most sordid vice or violence or put under the darkest physical or psychological threats the heroes created by Stieg Larsson remain without doubt human. Too bad that these series un-naturally end in a trilogy. The quality of the dialog and the building of tension, the sophistication of the crime story and the human dimension of the characters ask for more. On the other side, the sonata is one of the most perfect pieces in music and it always is composed of three parts. There may be logic in fate sometimes.

The Millennium Trillogy:Part 2.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 8/10 · 28 March 2011]

Having been completely gripped,by the unforgettable first part of this trilogy,I was right on the edge of my seat with my anticipation for the second film.When the second part in this trilogy arrived at my door,I almost ran to my DVD player!.And now with having watched this movie a few times,I feel that whilst it is noticeable slower than the first part,it is still a pretty worthy follow-up,that is able to add an impressive amount of background depth,to the fantastic characters. plot:

After both having solved a case about a missing girl, investigated journalist Mikael Bloomkvist and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander have drifted apart,and have not spoken to each other for over a year.During this time,Lisbeth has been trying to get away from her very abused past,by travailing around the world.When she realises that her "welfare officer" (who Salander secretly recorded raping her) is not filling in the forms that he is meant to,so that she is about to receive some cash,she decides to pay him a visit..

Meanwhile,some new reporters at the investigation journalism Millennium Magazine that Mikael edits ,have given the magazine staff a huge amount of secret documents about the sex trafficking of young woman into the country,so that they can be used as "slaves".One of the main important revaluations in the documents,is that some of the highest ranking police offices and judges are are involved in the trafficking of the girls.With the report seeming to be very accurate (the two journalist have spent over four years investigating the case) Bloomkvist decides that after he has talked to some of the people that are mentioned in the documents, (so that he may be able to get some information out of them, about people who are higher up the chain of command.) that the next issues of the Millennium Magazine will publish the articles. With having visited her "welfare officer",and having heard that some people are trying to get hold of records,which are about the time that she spent in a mental hospital,Lisbeth threatens the officer,and decides to take his gun.As Bloomkvist gets ready to finalise the publishing of the report,he gets a call from the reporters saying that they have been doing more research,and that they think that they have found something very interesting..When Mikael goes to visit the reporters,to discover what they have uncovered,he instead finds that they have both been brutally murdered. Whilst the police look for the murder weapon,they discover that Salanders "welfare officer" has been shot dead,and that the fingerprints on the gun found at the scene belong to Lisbeth.

Due to the bullets from the gun,matching the bullets that killed the two reporters,the police decide to attempt to charge Lisbeth Salander for a triple murder.After finding out that the police are trying to find her,Lisbeth decides to go "underground" by living in secret buildings that are on the outskirts of the city,whilst her on-again-off-again girlfriend lives in her former residency. One night,when Salanders girlfriend is walking down a street,she gets grabbed and pulled into a van by a man who seems to feel no pain at all.As she gets forced in,a boxer (Paolo) who is a mutual friend of Salander and Mikael sees what is happening and decides to follow the man. After a tough battle,where they almost die,Paolo and Lisbeths girlfriend are at last able to escape.When Paolo tells Bloomkvist about the "Blonde Hulk" that almost killed them,Mikael decides to investigate,to try and find out the identity of the man.Whilst Bloomkvist tries to find out as much as he can about the man,he discoverers that the "Blonde Hulk" may be trying to hide some extremely disturbing details about Salanderes childhood,that involves very senior members of the police and the government

The screenplay: writer Jonas Frykberg makes the structure of the film surprisingly similar to the second Lord Of The Rings films (The Two Towers),with the two plot lines of Salander and Bloomkvist,having both of the characters trying to reach the same conclusion, (in the same way as Towers,where the three main plot lines show the characters trying to reach the same destination in three very different styles)and whilst this does allow Frykberg to give the Lisbeth Salander character some extra depth,by having Mikael look into Salanders past,which allows for some very interesting flash-back scenes to show the troubles that Lisbeth has had to face since she was in her very early teens.

The only problem with the idea,of not having the two main characters meet up at all for (most) of the film,is that the fantastic chemistry that the characters (and the actors) share,which helped to make the first part feel so strong,is sadly completely left out in this film,which sadly makes the movie lose some adrenaline-powered moments,that would have helped to make the films plot move at a more break-neck speed. Thankfully,the performances are still able to reach up to the high standard of the first part.With Noomi Rapace giving another stunning performance as Lisbeth Salander.

For this film, director Daniel Alfredson allows for Noomis feminine beauty to be shown in a good part of the second section of the film,as Rapace shows Salanders desperation to try and remain in hiding,whilst finding out who is setting her up for the murders. For the main sex scene,and the very last scene of the film,Alfredson smartly expands on some of the ideas in the previous part,with Salander being very masculine and dominant during the bed room scene with her girlfriend.And for the last 15 minutes of the film,Rapace and Alfredson astonishingly show Salander turn into a brutal and intelligent force,who even when left to decay and rot,having been completely broken,is still able to get her batted body to rise up to fight back at the people that have tried to destroy her life,ever since her childhood. Although noticeably slower than the unforgettable first part,this is still an extremely enjoyable drama- thriller,that along with some fantastic performances,gives a huge amount of extra depth to the amazing characters.

Good try - missed the book's Carribbean prelude.

[countryhouse-890-431440 · 8/10 · 5 November 2010]

The second movie does not start as the second book of Steig Larsson's trilogy does, and we are the poorer for it. Book II begins with a stunning insight into Lisbeth's developing character: At the end of a year of settling into the new wealth she's appropriated by computer magic from the doomed bank accounts of a bad guy, and restlessly looking for purpose, she collaborates with a walloping Caribbean hurricane to relieve a woman of her abusing husband and deliver a native boy into safety. Thus established as a champion of the helpless, she heads back to Stockholm and the tangled web of her life, and to Nyquist. It's at this point that the movie starts - with only nod toward the Caribbean prelude. I wish the director had found a way to be true to Larsson's introduction.

Good, but not great

[grantss · 6/10 · 10 August 2020]

Good, but not great. Like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, it is overly long, taking too long to get to the point. This time though, there is less intrigue - much is known in advance, whereas the first movie revealed very little until the end.

Still, it is as edgy and dark as the first movie (which are good things, by the way). Noomi Rapace is once again excellent in the lead role.

Swedish ( A+ Movie ) My Ratings 8/10

[THE-BEACON-OF-MOVIES-RAFA · 8/10 · 18 February 2022]

The mysteries deepen and the ramifications of the original title "Men Who Hate omen" multiplies across the plotlines. Every time I see this I feel I see more in it. It presents a deeply depressing world but one horrifyingly real.

fire down below

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 27 July 2010]

I had never heard of Stieg Larsson when "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" came out, let alone his Millennium trilogy, so that made it all the more of a treat. Now that I know all about Larsson - he reported on slimy deeds in Sweden's high finance before dying of a heart attack at the age of fifty - "The Girl Who Played with Fire" ("Flickan som lekte med elden" in its native Swedish) doesn't have the same impact as the first installment, but it's still worth seeing.

In this one, journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) has to clear Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) of murder, all in the midst of an investigation into human trafficking. As in the first one, the characters' histories develop throughout the story until we discover a key plot point.

While the second one might not have the same force as the first one, I still recommend it. If nothing else, this is definitely an important topic. I'll be eager to see part three.

Trafficking in the sex trade with blackmail.

[michaelRokeefe · 9/10 · 8 November 2011]

Daniel Alfredson directs visual part two of the trilogy of Swedish crime novels by Stieg Larsson. Maybe not as urgent as THE GIRL with the DRAGON TATTOO, but still leaves its mark. Blackmail by sex, a relentless killer in a barn with a chainsaw, graphic sex scenes and car chases. Damn, is that not enough? A sophisticated plot about two young journalists being hired by Mikael Blomkvist(Michael Nyqist), publisher of notorious Millennium magazine. Ready to launch an expose of the Swedish sex trade that involves notable politicians, police officials, attorneys and public figures. The two young writers are murdered and Blomkvist goes into overdrive to prove the innocence of friend and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander(Noomi Rapace), who is suspected of blackmail, robbery and murder. The allusive Lisbeth has garnered a wealth of info concerning the expose as it also contains facts she wants to put her puzzling past together. Strong sexual content, language, violence and nudity. This movie runs a little over two hours at a throbbing pace and enough action to sustains interest. Also in the cast: Lena Endre, Peter Anderson, Reuben Sailmander, Yasmine Garbi and Georgi Staykov.

second installment of "The Girl ..." trilogy

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 13 June 2013]

I'm going with the Swedish films for this trilogy, which is also being made in the U.S. starring Rooney Mara. Haven't seen the one that's been released.

I'll be honest here. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" was hard to watch in some sections. I thought it was good, but rape and violence aren't really my thing.

This trilogy was made for Swedish TV, so these films have been cut. Apparently "The Girl Who Played with Fire" has 60 minutes missing. Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) goes away for a year and then returns to Sweden. Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is still editor of Millennium magazine. An investigative journalist has approached them about a tell-all article on human trafficking involving women from Eastern Europe and some major buyers, and the journalist is ready to name names. Blomkvist gives the okay for the story, but the journalist and his girlfriend, who was working on another aspect of the story, are both murdered. As well, Lisbeth's awful court-appointed guardian is found dead also. Lisbeth is suspected of all three murders and has to go on the run. She and Mikael both work on trying to find out who framed her, which has to be connected to the trafficking story.

The case winds up bringing some of Lisbeth's family secrets to the fore.

Very well done, less gritty than the first, with a wonderful performance again by Rapace. It didn't have the hard edge to it that the first film had, possibly because of a change in director. However, well worth seeing.

Incomplete, disappointing

[apeternier · 4/10 · 10 October 2009]

Same writer, same saga, different director. And you notice that.

The second chapter of Larsson's trilogy is almost a single continuous story split into two parts (tome II and III), while the first episode is more stand-alone (and IMHO the best one, both on paper and celluloid).

Unfortunately, most of the thrilling elements of the first episode disappear: there's less drama, less time to develop characters (and some are missing), the narration is sometimes incomplete (mainly if you read the book).

A few examples: the initial episode with Lisbeth in holiday is completely skipped (only a very short cut-scene survives), Lisbeth financial help to improve her old tutor Palmgreen's health is missing (and you see Palmgreen two times: the first one with a very pronounced handicap, the second almost healthy, just a few days after...), how did Lisbeth find Bjurman's vacation home?, what about the moto-club?, why is Lisbeth remotely deactivating the apartment alarm and not Bloomqvist with the WASP-on-phone-keyboard trick?, etc. etc. etc.

When compared to the previous cinema transposition (and generally spoken to the original book), tons of details and information creating and enriching the Larsson's world have been removed, resulting into a flesh off sub-version movie adaptation of what originally was an interesting novel, now reduced into a mediocre detective film.

A most excellent second in the series, Rapace still carries the movie.

[TxMike · 19 May 2011]

My wife is a constant reader and she spoke highly of the trilogy of novels, the second being the book this movie was made from. So now we are in the process of watching all three, which were apparently all filmed in succession over about 18 months. This is actually our last one, we watched the third one first. We watched with the dubbed English sound track. The dubbing is done very well, fairly closely matching the mouth movements.

Noomi Rapace is of course back as Lisbeth Salander. We see in flashbacks some of the things in her early life that caused her to be sent to a mental facility for youngsters. After the first movie she made herself scarce with all the money she obtained, and spent a year or two hanging out in various parts of the world.

Michael Nyqvist too is back, as investigative reported Mikael Blomkvist, working for Millennium. He has served his 3 months' jail time for the conviction covered in the first story. This time they have been tracking a big story, implicating many high up officials and businessmen in sex trafficking. But as they go about giving those accused a chance to make a statement, being careful he doesn't set himself for another prison term, three key people turn up murdered.

As luck would have it, Lisbeth's finger prints are on the weapon used, from an episode where she went into the owner's home at night to "reinforce" her demands. So she quickly becomes the prime suspect and goes on the run. Blomkvist knows she is not guilty and goes about proving it the best way, finding the actual killers.

In some ways I actually enjoyed this second movie better than the first, especially for the ending scenes, which also serve to set up number 3. The critic Ebert has a good, complete review.

SPOILERS: When Lisbeth follows a courier from a mail pickup at a PO box she was watching, it takes her to the remote farm where the real killers are, her father who she had burned badly when she was 12, and her half-brother that she didn't know about. Outside, in the dark, as they are about to execute her, she throws dirt into their faces, tries to run, but her dad shoots her 2 or three times, and they bury her, taken for dead. The next morning she is in the barn, bleeding, wounded and dirty, when her dad goes to investigate a noise. She gets the best of him with an axe, the last blow embedded in his leg. Blomqvist shows up to get her to the hospital as the big dude manages to run away. This sets up the opening of the third movie, where Lisbeth and her dad are both in the hospital.