The Girl in the Spider’s Web is an aesthetically pleasing, very entertaining addition to a franchise that started with a low-budget surprise
This latest offering from the Dragon Tattoo franchise is less of a low-budget surprise and more of a female version of The Bourne Identity - treat it as such and you'll have a blast.
THE Dragon Tattoo franchise has had a curious journey.
First saw the low-budget yet effective trilogy starring Noomi Rapace nearly a decade ago. Then a couple of years later director David Fincher gave it the Hollywood treatment, parachuting in Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara to brilliant effect.
While this is classed as a sequel to Fincher’s, none of the original team returned. It focuses on Swedish goth-hacker Lisbeth Salander – played by Claire Foy – who is hired to “steal back” some software from the National Security Agency.
Naturally, it falls into the wrong hands, someone from Salander’s past, and she must overcome all that malarkey while getting her hands on the program without either the NSA (represented by the excellent Lakeith Stanfield) or the baddies getting it back. Looking around, this film has been mauled as sacrilege and cliché. Poppycock. Aside from some pretty ludicrous plot holes, I really enjoyed it.
There are some incredibly entertaining set pieces that much larger films would be proud of. Aesthetically this pushed all my buttons – mainly because I have the same motorbike as Salander.
Treat this as a female Bourne/Ethan Hunt and you will have a great time.