It all started with the upsurge Swedish crime novels back in early 2005 when original author Stieg Larsson’s series was posthumously published after an untimely heart attack, so began the phenomena Millenium. So popular was the original story ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ the first introduction with Lisbeth Salander a post-punk cyber hacker.
Hero to the downtrodden, Lisbeth is up to her old tricks again as she takes revenge for those that cannot do it for themselves. With a third actress filling the shoes of our favourite cyber punk femme fatale, whether by stringing up husbands that aren’t behaving the way they should or by hacking government computers for evidence of illegal dealings, Lisbeth is an anti-hero for the modern age. She is a bisexual, crime fighting, cyberpunk fighting the good fight, with Claire Foy fresh from awards success with her time on royal drama ‘The Crown’, and she fits as Lisbeth perfectly.
After the success of the first book in the series we didn’t have too long before the story continued on, the second and third novels were instant success stories.
With the ongoing success of the Millennium novels it wasn’t long before the franchise saw a movie deal in the works for a release in the native Swedish language with Noomi Rapace. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was well received and all but guaranteed that the two subsequent sequels each just as popular as the original would go on to be filmed with Rapace for the big screen as well.
The original trilogy went on to spawn an American remake with Rooney Mara creating a new audience for Miss Salander though unfortunately this didn’t see the original trilogy recreated whole with the latest cast. The story didn’t stop there though, no sir; after a decade on the shelf after the original posthumus release the Larsson family hand picked a new author to continue Lisbeth’s story. After Stieg Larsson’s untimely death in 2004, enter David Lagercrantz and a new trilogy with ‘The Girl in the Spider’s Web’ the first in the new work to be released followed by a second new novel. David Largercrantz released his second Millennium inspired novel and rumours abound that Lisbeth’s current muse Claire Foy may well return to carry on the new effort ‘The Girl Who took an Eye for an Eye’ has been just as successful as all the previous entries so here’s hoping it doesn’t take too long to hit the big screen.
The Girl in the Spider’s Web features new actors and actresses filling the roles of characters we know well, with the source material being dear to the fans. Only a first rate thriller would satisfy the critics, and thankfully it doesn’t disappoint! Featuring a great soundtrack and all the series regular characters get appearances, the movie has a fast pace and a solid plot with the main concern being the potential hacking of a military project called Firefly which can take control of nuclear missile launch sites across America. The perpetrators might not be who they seem as events take a worrying turn when past secrets Lisbeth has long buried come back to haunt her.
Author: Dave, Plymouth store
