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After some of the best movie posters, teaser trailer and various promotional materials we’ve seen for a movie, “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” has finally arrived. When it was announced there was much trepidation here at Bitter Balcony, because we were sure that no one could top the work that Noomi Rapace did as Lisbeth Salander. While we weren’t right, we weren’t right either, but it’s not for the reason we thought.

Naturally, comparisons between the Swedish version and the US version are going to be made. While the movie wasn’t a remake of the Swedish film per se it is an adaption to novel that had already been adapted to film. And as such comparisons are justified since we are given the choice on which to rewatch based on which film was better. The US version of the film does three things differently than the original: It has a different structure for the first act, it has various changes to some components of the story, and it has a different dynamic for the relationship between the two main characters.

It would be best to start this review with explaining that what you see in the trailer is what you get in the film. Anyone expecting depth, a dark/serious treatment of Green Lantern or for this movie to be a “Dark Knight” should watch the trailer once more because a Christopher Nolan film this is not. No, this is a super hero movie with heavy sci-fi involved in the story.

The movie, like any popcorn movie, is flimsy in depth and heavy on special effects. When you consider that we are watching a movie about a guy who creates giant hack hammers, trampolines and racecars to save people and fight bad guys you need to realize there is only so serious you can tell the tale. While I’m not totally unaware of the backstory for Hal Jordan, beside a few comics I read two decades ago, I can assume that most elements are pretty close to the original tale.