The Girl Who Played With Fire (2010)
By Renee Longstreet,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Part 2 of subtitled crime trilogy has same brutality, sex.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In this middle chapter of Swedish author Stieg Larsson's brutal trilogy, Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace), the "Girl" of the titles, once again teams up with reporter Mikael Blomqvist (Michael Nyqvist) to bring evil criminals to justice. An expose on sex trafficking results in the murder of two of Blomqvist's colleagues; circumstantial evidence places Lisbeth at the scene, and she's wrongly suspected of the crime. Both Lisbeth and Mikael, working separately, set out to prove her innocence and find the real perpetrators. In doing so, Mikael uncovers astonishing facts about Lisbeth's mysterious past, while Lisbeth herself must confront the villains in a longstanding conspiracy against her.
Is It Any Good?
A worthy follow-up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE continues using a dual plotline. Salander and Blomqvist solve a crime and, concurrently, the layers of Lisbeth's backstory are peeled away. This time the two tales intersect, raising the stakes for this extraordinary young woman.
In spite of the fact that the two lead characters are together on screen for only one brief interaction, the relationship between Lisbeth and Mikael builds as well. That said, the sparks between the two that lit up the screen in the first movie are sorely missed here. Overall, it's a violent, tight, suspenseful two hours, with unusual characters in great jeopardy from remorseless evil. But it's definitely not for kids or the faint of heart.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about your reaction to the movie's violence and brutality. What purpose do you think they serve? Would the movie have been as effective without them?
The phrase "you can't tell a book by its cover" could apply to Lisbeth Salander. What did you learn about appearance versus reality from this movie?
If you've read the book this movie is based on, how did you feel about the movie version? What did you miss? If you haven't read the book, did seeing this movie make you want to read it?
The staff of Stockhom's Millenium magazine, led by Mikael Blomqvist, are courageous journalists with a profound sense of right and wrong. Which newspapers and/or magazines that you've read live up to these standards?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 9, 2010
- On DVD or streaming: October 26, 2010
- Cast: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace
- Director: Daniel Alfredson
- Studio: Yellow Bird
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 129 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: brutal violence, including a rape, some strong sexual content, nudity and language
- Last updated: May 21, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate