I don’t read much in the mystery/thriller genre. But Fiona, one of my best friends, is all over it. And she was really into Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy a couple of years ago. Then our other friend Heidi, who was pregnant at the time, read the first one, and just days before giving birth, became so obsessed that she hunted down Fiona for a copy of the second. When that happened I was like – what’s this Girl With The Dragon Tattoo excitement all about? So I borrowed it too.

Needless to say, if you’ve read it, you know. It’s a quick, gripping little read. But the standout of course is Lisbeth Salander, a complicated modern heroine with her own morality and an attitude problem. Lisbeth takes care of her own business on her own terms. And she doesn’t always do the right thing according to the standards of the after-school special. Lisbeth won’t call the cops when a piece of sh-t tries to take advantage of her. No, Lisbeth simply burns his balls off. Vigilante justice is wrong? Well, some would argue that as a woman it’s your only option. But while she may not conform to the MiniVan value system, Lisbeth Salander is vicious, vengeful, and violent and also, at the same time, a pure incorruptible character. Love her so much.

As you know, the Millennium Trilogy is an international phenomenon. The critically acclaimed original Swedish adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was the most successful movie in Europe last year. It was just released in America last weekend and will premiere in Canada in April. Can’t wait to see it. With subtitles and not dubbed. Because dubbing takes away half the acting. What’s the point when you can’t hear the inflections and the nuances?

But here comes Hollywood.

Of course Hollywood wants a shot at it. Of course Hollywood wants to remake it. F-cking arrogant, non? Because North Americans don’t think it’s a proper movie unless it’s in English. So they’ll cast English speaking actors and send them to Sweden to make the SAME FILM. Because we’re too lazy to read subtitles? Because George Clooney and Tom Hanks and Brad Pitt need to play Mikael Blomkvist before he really counts? Because Twi-Hards think Kristen Stewart is the perfect Lisbeth?

There already IS a perfect Lisbeth. Her name is Noomi Rapace. And she reportedly delivers an asskicker of a performance praised universally. This is Noomi when she’s not being Lisbeth. Trippy, non?

Go see the Swedish movies. That’s how they were intended.


Photos from Wenn.com