There’s nothing so attractive to Hollywood as a money-making franchise. The Scandi-noir novels about the idiot savant Lisbeth Salander (Claire Foy) has definitely come of age. Their version has all the tropes deemed necessary for a serious money-making film. The title sequence is heavily CGI driven, which I personally enjoyed. There is an action scene at carefully spaced intervals, which included (in a tragic lack of imagination) diving off tall buildings/cliff edges on four separate occasions. Lisbeth also has numerous opportunities to show her spectacular motor cycling skills.

Hollywood isn’t finished yet. They introduce an American Special Agent to ‘help’ the Swedish security forces. Following diversity training for producers he’s black. So Hollywood can now tick two boxes. An action movie starring a woman with a black American resolving issues. Dropping into the ridiculous this American is also a super hero with tremendous skills. He, and none of the dozens of Swedish police, security forces or firefighters, can see the box video camera that Lisbeth has perched on a wall. That he promptly destroys evidence appears to be an example of American exceptionalism- It must be right because an American has done it! The denouement is a combination of his sniper skills and a Swedish geek.

Hollywood has a final fling with the boy idiot savant Augustus reunited with his mother at a Swedish airport. Needless to relate Lisbeth disappears in a cloud of motor cycle dust and the franchise lives to fight another day.

Why you should see this film: Americans and Swedes defeating Russian baddies is a rare combination.

Why you shouldn’t see this film: You’ve read and loved the Larsson trilogy.

Chris