Provokr Pick
The Girl In the Spider's Web, Lisbeth Returns
It’s been a long time coming, but Lisbeth Salander is back, if not in the sequel many were expecting. Originally created in the pages of The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson, the character was first brought to the screen in a 2009 Swedish production, with Noomi Rapace in the role of the righteous vigilante and computer hacker in a trilogy of adaptations of the original novels. Extended versions of these films are currently streaming on Netflix.
In 2011, Rooney Mara appeared as Lisbeth in the big-budget Hollywood adaptation of the franchise, directed by David Fincher. Although critically acclaimed for its unwavering approach to the subject matter and excellent acting from Mara (and co-star Daniel Craig), the film ultimately failed to produce a direct sequel, which puts The Girl in the Spider’s Web in a tricky situation.
The new film, starring Claire Foy, is not a direct sequel to any of the earlier versions, but it’s not a traditional reboot, either. In 2015, The Girl in the Spider’s Web was published. The book, written by David Lagercrantz, marks the start of a new story arc for the Salander character, and serves as the source material for Hollywood’s latest attempt at turning the provocative heroine into an action thriller franchise for grown-ups.
Sverrir Gudnason (Borg vs McEnroe) co-stars as Mikael Blomkvist, the role played by Daniel Craig in the previous film and the late Michael Nyqvist in the original Swedish version), and the ensemble cast also includes LaKeith Stanfield (Get Out), Stephen Merchant (Logan), and Sylvia Hoeks (Blade Runner 2049) as Camilla, Lisbeth’s long-lost sister who turns out to be a major player in the criminal underworld.
While the deck may be stacked against adult-oriented reboots – and against adult-oriented fare in general – we have high hopes for this one. Claire Foy is perfectly cast as Salander, and the story looks to be her most personal and visceral outing yet. Audiences may sometimes hate to admit it, but we love vigilante stories. When the law fails, or when certain people consider themselves to be above recompense, we need to believe that someone is out there who is willing to punish the corrupt, protect the innocent, and strike fear into the hearts of those who prey on the weak.
In today’s troubled political climate, in which the President of the United States brags about his own record of sexual assault and brags about women not being attractive enough for him to rape, it’s even better when that hero is a woman who specializes in protecting other women. In its original language, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is known as Men Who Hate Women, which we would argue is a superior title, since it’s what these stories are all about. Lisbeth Salander is a woman who hurts men who hurt women. Say what you will about the ethical ramifications of vigilante justice, but when an evil human being gets exactly what he deserves… Well, there’s more than one type of justice in this world.
The Girl in the Spider’s Web is in theaters now.
