I’ve only read the first book in this trilogy, but I’ve seen all three of the films. I love foreign films, and I don’t know why more Americans don’t watch them. Especially in the case of book adaptations, you get such a better feel for the atmosphere of the story when the film is done by the country of origin. I can’t imagine the American versions of this trilogy being anywhere nearly as well done as the Swedish ones.
In my last book review, Crooked Letter Crooked Letter, I stated how I don’t like gritty novels. The same is true for films, and these films are pretty gritty (with the first movie probably being the worst). However, since I read the first book of the trilogy, I really wanted to see how the story played out. I saw the first two films, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire, in the theater. I really wanted to see the third installment in the theater as well, but I ended up missing it. So, last night I saw it on Netflix instant view.
I mostly loved the ‘Swedishness’ of the film. I loved seeing Swedish cities, Swedish apartments, Swedish offices and hospitals, and especially the Swedish people. I really just enjoy learning about different cultures and nations. If you’re a fan of the books, I definitely encourage you to see the original films before you see the American versions. As far as the story itself, I thought this was a satisfying way to end the trilogy, but there was still some open-endedness to it. I can’t help but wonder if Stieg Larsson had another book planned in the series. I’ll definitely keep thinking of the characters, especially Mikael and Lisbeth, for awhile.
Grade: B+
