The Girl in the Spider’s Web found Golden Globe and Emmy winner Claire Foy (for her work on Netflix’s The Crown) stepping into those black boots that had previously been worn by Noomi Rapace, Rooney Mara and Tehilla Blad, in the gripping film, new to digital download, DVD and Blu-Ray.
The Girl in the Spider’s Web is a fascinating take on the iconic heroine created by the late Stieg Larsson. The character first arrived in a trilogy of Swedish movies and then a single American one, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (which starred Mara) that was critically acclaimed (even earning some Oscar nods, including one for Mara), did OK financially at the box office, but a sequel never seemed to come—even if it was talked about all the time. Instead of going back to Mara, Sony decided to start fresh. Mara was marvelous as the tattooed heroine who is there for women who men treat badly and must have been surprised that the studio decided to recast the role.
Foy, fresh from her success on The Crown could not have been a better pick. There is something subtly sensational about what the British actress brings to the table. She is, in my opinion, the best person to portray the heroine from Larsson’s imagination to date. Here’s hoping that The Girl in the Spider’s Web was successful enough so that Foy can once again go dark and portray her in a third American film in the series, either The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest or The Girl Who Played with Fire.
What I appreciated about The Girl in the Spider’s Web was that we get some backstory to Lisbeth that was never there in the Mara movie (that co-starred Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist, the journalist who hooks up with and helps Salander extol her own brand of justice).
This story introduces us to the fact that there is a Salander sister, Camilla Salander (piercingly played by Sylvia Hoeks). Her part in what happens in The Girl in the Spider’s Web will not even be teased here, for fear or spoiling the chilling plotline that she inhabits. What I can say is that she is at the root of a series of events that rock Lisbeth’s world, more so than anything that happened to Mara’s character in the David Fincher directed flick in 2011.
What’s fascinating also about this second American film is the journalist role, Blomkvist, is not as vital this time around, plot-wise. It’s a trade-off. I missed the relationship that Larsson laid out in his books between these two, but it clearly wasn’t needed for this particular story. Hopefully, again, Foy will get a chance to make a second film and they can pump up Sverrir Gudnason’s character for a third American film.
The action sequences are intense, even better than the first American one—which is saying something, because those were pretty spectacular. Now, anyone who follows The Movie Mensch knows that I am a huge appreciator of all-things Fincher. But there is something about The Girl in the Spider’s Web director Fede Alvarez and his use of action scenes that is utterly sublime.
Alvarez excelled at a whole lot for his third big screen feature and has us eagerly awaiting his take on Labyrinth and of course the follow-up to his surprise smash, Don’t Breathe… currently called Don’t Breathe 2.
Why this character is so popular is easy to see with Foy’s take on her. Salander brings justice to those who can’t achieve it on their own—particularly women. Yes, it resonates powerfully because we’re in the midst of the #MeToo movement era. But it wouldn’t matter, honestly. Salander is a vengeance icon of the highest order. What she does and how she does it lies at the heart of why the character has inspired so many. She’s a hacker, i.e. Lisbeth is wicked smart, and she backs up her IT knowledge landscape with an incomparable skill set fighting for what’s right.
The Girl in the Spider’s Web has some explosive Blu-Ray bonus features. Leading the charge is Claire Foy: Becoming Lisbeth. The actress (recently seen on home video in First Man), as we have documented above, was astounding in the role. It is such a welcomed featurette to discover how Foy approached the iconic character. It is especially interesting to hear about her take on the role, given that two other actresses have portrayed her prior. That’s a tough gig for any thespian, to step in to a part that has been done before—made even more challenging that the part is one of the most iconic female characters to come along in the last 30 years. The almost-ten-minute featurette is a delight. If it was even possible to adore Foy any more that we already do, this bonus feature did just that.
All About the Stunts is exactly what you would think it would be and does something truly special in shining a spotlight on Alvarez and why his touch on a Salander story was so special. His command of action sequences and inching up the tension factor can be seen on all his previous work. It all was leading up to The Girl in the Spider’s Web. This six-minute-plus featurette illustrates why the helmer is truly special. Don’t miss this look. If you haven’t seen any of his prior work, after experiencing this featurette, be prepared to be overcome with the desire to see everything he’s done before!
Creating the World: The Making of is a great, well thought-out and executed bonus feature. Clocking in at almost 16 minutes, it takes its time presenting how the filmmaker and his team (both behind and in front of the camera) were completely simpatico when it came to their mission with this film. It is rare that a making-of doc answers all the questions that arise from a viewer from witnessing the movie itself. This particular featurette does that… and believe it or not, more.
As we mentioned earlier, the Salander sisters brought the emotive power of this Dragon Tattoo film to another level of awesomeness. Imagine our joy when looking over the Blu-Ray bonus features and seeing that Secrets of the Salander Sisters was among the choices! After experiencing the entire film, viewers will want to dive into Salander Sisters. Hearing from the stars and the filmmaker will enhance the overall experience of Spider’s Web due to the sisterly relationship being such an enormous part of so many facets of the film itself.
The Girl in the Spider’s Web is most certainly a must-own for fans of the series and those—like me—who adore Alvarez’s work. The second time around watching this stellar flick, turn on that audio commentary because the insight from the filmmaker and co-writer Jay Basu is as informative as it is entertaining. It’s a supremely impressive commentary track that elevates the material.
Film Grade:
B
Bonus Features: B+