'The Girl in the Spider's Web' is Light in Action, and Heavy with Emotion

I find Claire Foy's take on Lisbeth Salander brave and admirable, not only because the role is complex and one-of-a-kind, but also it's inevitable that she will be compared with the prominent portrayals of Noomi Rapace and Rooney Mara back in 2009 and 2011 respectively. The latter even garnered an Academy Award nomination. Needless to say, Claire Foy held her own. The movie? A different situation. First, this is from a different book. Second, it's totally lighter in action, albeit heavy with emotions.

Claire Foy as Lisbeth Salander | Columbia Pictures

The previous adaptations focused on Lisbeth Salander's psyche. They're more of a character study capturing her substance. Fede Alvarez' adaptation is more interested in the action and back stories which made Claire Foy's Lisbeth a bit thankless except for that one scene at the end where we, once again, witness how great of a dramatic actress she is.

In Spider's Web, Lisbeth Salandar finds herself entangled into a violent web of intrigue and history after evildoers attempt to take encrypted nuclear launch codes, blasts her apartment, and leave her for dead. As she tries to retaliate, she is drawn to her mysterious past which dramatically connects the beginning of the film to the end.

To be fair, they made Salander the center of the film, a feminist that wants to make a statement. She's portrayed as a feminist savior and they made that clear from the beginning when she tortures and blackmails a misogynist pig who assaults prostitutes. That whole sequence is my favorite in the film and too bad, it's part of the beginning and did not pick up from there. The cinematography is top-notch which makes every black and white scenery breathtaking and slick. The score is a bit over-the-top but it helps the light action a bit more intense.

Alvarez shows his skills in executing big action set pieces. The blast of Lisbeth's apartment for one, is a great display of style. But the film still leaves you wanting for more. As polished as it looks, it demands more violence and surprises.

Overall, The Girl in the Spider's Web is a customary spy-action film at best. It's stylish, it's James Bond-ish, and it's well-acted.