Back in 2004, author Stieg Larsson died suddenly, leaving behind three unpublished novels known as the “Millennium” trilogy. The first in the series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
So when producer Soren Staermose decided to adapt the books for the big screen, you can understand why many were dubious — including the film’s eventual director, Niels Arden Oplev. “I had heard of the books, but hadn’t read them,” he has explained. “Furthermore, I didn’t have the time and intention to do a thriller for the cinema.” Over a year later, he finally picked up a copy of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and that changed his mind: “I saw it more as a mystery drama with strong and special characters who develop throughout the story.”
Flash forward to today, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the most popular film in Sweden’s history, and 2009′s top grossing film in Europe. Many would attribute this success to his heroine, Lisbeth Salander. She’s like the Harry Potter of crime fiction. “Lisbeth Salander is possibly the character in modern Scandinavian drama with the most expectations attached, and I can’t believe the luck we had in finding Noomi Rapace for this part,” Oplev has said. “Noomi has transformed herself into her character to a chilling perfection.”
The film opens with the trial of journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), the publisher of Millennium magazine in Stockholm. When he loses a criminal libel case against Swedish industrialist Hans-Erik Wennerström, it’s decided that it would be best for Millennium if Blomkvist distanced himself for a while. That’s why he agrees to take on a strange assignment from Henrik Vanger, a wealthy old man hoping to solve the 40-year-old mystery of his niece’s disappearance. Because the entire extended family lives on Hedeby Island, Vanger suspects that it’s a corrupt insider who was behind it.
That’s where hacker/private investigator/tattooed-bad ass Lisbeth Salander comes in. Originally hired by Vanger to check out Blomkvist’s credentials, she becomes obsessed with his court case when she realizes that he was unfairly set up. (Salander’s no stranger to victimhood herself — when her court-ordered guardian suffers a brain hemorrhage, his replacement forces her to exchange sexual favors for an allowance for personal expenses. Brutal rape scenes follow.) Even when her gig is up, Salander continues to remotely monitor Blomkvist’s laptop. When he hits a wall with the Vanger case, she sends him an anonymous email detailing what she’s been able to figure out so far.
Which obviously leads Blomkvist straight to Salander’s doorstep — something that he suggests a talented hacker like her must have at least subconsciously intended. She ends up joining Blomkvist on the island, and they’re able to piece together a series of violent hate crimes against women (particularly Jewish women) that seem directly related to Vanger’s niece’s disappearance. (There’s a dark, and rather recent history of anti-Semitism in the Vanger clan.) In Sweden, the film title’s literal translation is “Men Who Hate Women.” As the body count begins to grow exponentially, it’s obvious why.
Knowing that the reporter and his unlikely collaborator are getting close to discovering the truth, the extended family have a meeting with Blomkvist and they ask him return to Stockholm. (Henrik Vanger, who is in the hospital, has no idea what they’re up to.) When Blomkvist refuses to give up his search, he ends up getting shot at while jogging in the woods. That’s when the whodunit really begins to heat up. We won’t give away any more, but we will say that just like Let the Right One In, this is one Swedish import worth checking out before Hollywood adapts it into a formulaic thriller. No, seriously. They’re talking George Clooney for the lead.
The film finally makes its way to US theaters this Friday in select Flavorpill cities (LA, NYC, and Chicago). We’re also giving away five copies of the book here. To enter, leave us a comment with your favorite female action hero. Be sure to use a real email address so that we can contact you with your prize.
Comments (67)
Xena, Warrior Princess is my favorite female action hero. She’s flawed, has a great sense of humor and a big heart to match her over the top fighting skills.
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Hmmm,my favorite female action hero?…Abigail Whistler from Blade Trinity. How kick a$$ is she?
Lynda Carter – the one & only Wonder Woman.
Jodie Foster in The Brave One. Nothing like a little bit of trauma to set off a vigilante.
Hildigunnur Langbrok is the action hero/villain of my choice. A true strong Icelandic Viking woman from the Icelandic sagas. She uses manipulations and wits in a mostly mans world to get her agenda through. Loooots of action worth filming follows. And most likely she was also actually a real person around the year 1000.
Next would be Lisbeth Salander who kicks ass.
tank girl!!
Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). Last time I checked I’m pretty sure that she’s still some-how alive killing aliens over time and space in film after Alien film. Always poised, always fearless, always bad-ass.
It’s gotta be Milla Jovovich’s Leeloo character, from The Fifth Element. Sexy and badass!
Tara Chase, from Queen & Country
Sigourney Weaver, of course. Aliens!
I’ve always had a thing for Princess Leia, especially in her Return of the Jedi phase. It’s not too much action, but that girl certainly knows how to strangle a lizard…
Trinity from the FIRST Matrix. I forgot to breathe during that 1st pleather scene.
Selene (Kate Beckinsale) from the Underworld movies
Mine was She Hulk as a child, what’s not to like about a green woman in a one piece bathing suit?
My wife is my favorite action hero… right after Charlize Theron in “Hancock”. MMMM.
She-Ra, Princess of Power!
She-Ra!
Ellen Ripley / Sigourney Weaver
Catwoman!
Joan of Arc
julie newmar’s cat woman… obvee.
Definitely, Trinity from Matrix. FYI: I have all Steig’s books as audio downloads which are fantastic but I’d love getting the actual books as well
Kate Beckinsale in Underworld. No one looks better.
c’mon people. Phoenix from X-Men is the hotness!
ok, i can’t pick one favorite, so let’s go back to the first who made an impression… yvonne craig – batgirl from tv!
Ellen Ripley in Alien. Sigorney is one tough cookie!
Phoenix from Xmen is probably tied with LeeLoo from the Fifth Element with sarah conner from terminator 2 as a close close 2nd.
Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice. Hey, she saw a lot of action for back then, even before the version with the zombies.
la femme nikita
Milla Jovovich in the Fifth Element is definitely my idea of a strong heroin! She falls from the sky (almost) and cab driver Bruce Willis has to fight hard to keep up with her… She learns how to read and speak English, as well as the last 2000 years of history in an afternoon while eating microwaved chicken, and saves the world by the end of the movie! And all this while looking fabulous with her pale skin, her orangy hair, etc.!
VIVA MILLA
wonder woman. duh.
Nikita from La Femme Nikita (the French film, not that horrible American rip-off). Thanks in advance for the booty! ;-)
Princess Mononoke.
I gotta go with Sigourney Weaver in Alien. The movie set the bar. So many films have borrowed from Alien/Aliens. And Ripley can take them all on.
Matilda in Leon, The Professional.
Second would be Nikita in Le Femme Nikita.
He also directed The Messanger: The Story of Joan of Arc, the penultimate female action hero.
All Luc Besson movies.
Marisa Mell as Eva Kant in Diabolik
Tamara Dobson as Cleopatra Jones! My childhood role-model growing up…Badd-assed, beautiful and brainy just can’t be beat.
Favorite real-life female action hero: Mother Teresa.
But entertainment is another matter: Foxy Brown.
The Most Heroic Trio from the Chinese Action flick of the same name. Maggie Cheung (Thief Catcher), Anita Mui (Wonder Woman), and Michelle Yeoh ( Invisible Woman) are the most kick ass super warriors ever.
Buffy Summers. She is a vampire slayer, after all.
Esperanza Spalding could be an action hero if she wanted!
Since Buffy is already taken, I’ll go w/Princess Buttercup of The Princess Bride. She is totally ill-equipped for the adventure she’s launched into…and she still gets the guy. Inconceivable!
Dark Angel (Jessica Alba)…to bad that show was canned.
Asia Argento in XXX. Stone Cold Russian Fox.
It took 40 comments to get to Buffy Summers?
And 45 to get to River Tam…
Princess Leia. Period.
Barbarella, as immortalized by Jane Fonda – if only because she has, like, ten costume changes in a 98-minute film.
I have to agree with Marguerite, Milla Jovovich is the ultimate kick-ass hot girl, but more so in the Resident Evil films…yes I know the films were not great but she made them more than watchable!
She-ra forever. That or Strawberry Shortcake…
Denise Castanaveras.
Since no one will know who that is, how about Thursday Next?
Whisper?
Christine Spar’s Grendel?
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not a one for Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in the Terminator films? c’monnn folks….
Love Lara Croft
I second Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. Those muscles were so impressive!
Movies: Coffy. Pam Grier
Real Life: Aung San Suu Kyi,
Lisbeth Salander: She portrays a brilliant woman in a man’s field; endures regular emotional/ physical trauma for being different in looks and behavior, yet doesn’t allow society to impose gender roles on her; and she exacts her own justice when the opportunity presents itself. The character is an interesting study in childhood trauma.
See the movie before it’s adapted into some T&A movie resembling Tomb Raider.
Lola… in Run, Lola, Run. Clever, funky, amusing and bad ass. With a ridiculous soundtrack to boot….
felicity shagwell of austin powers: the spy who shagged me
Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. People think only shoot ‘em up and stab ‘ems mean action. But sex as a weapon, especially when you’re in control, is powerfully kick ass.
Sacagawea, a real-life female superhero! Lewis & Clark would’ve died without her! She traveled thousands of miles as their guide / interpreter (over snowy mountains, down white-water rapid river runs, through uncharted land full of dangerous wildlife and limited food supply) from the Dakotas to Oregon for 2 yrs in the early 1800s! The kicker, she was PREGNANT, had the baby “on the road” and continued to travel with her NEWBORN! Amazing woman!
Being a bit sappy here but…my mom. She was a professional wrestler by the name of Tiger back in 50′s,early 60′s. Had 3 kids and found a way to support em wrestling in the midwest US. Then raised the 4 of us by herself in a truly remarkable and of course unselfish fashion.
The One and Only Sigourney – of course. Piercing-glanced proud heroine when she wants to be, tall mother-like protector of the weak when she wants to be that, and finally cold calculating killer of aliens with no stop-button to be seen anywhere. Need I say more…?
Lisbeth Salander is a super heroine and a child of a real society – not a superficial heroine of some made up fantasy world. Here revenge on the man who takes all sorts of advantages of her is priceless!
looks like interesting.
I have visited your site before. Sexy femme photo. By the way you have a informative port
Um I cannot believe more people aren’t making “firefly” comments here – or how about any of the girls from “dollhouse” ?
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