Truly as good as I had heard and read. I saw it at the theater first, then bought it so I could show it to my husband and friends. I'm glad the DVD has a choice of dubbed English or subtitles, because it is harder to watch subtitles at home than it is in the theater, especially if you are not alone. It is very brutal in some scenes, so I wouldn't recommend it for minors or your grandparents. My friends who have read the book say it follows the book very well. We've already seen the 2nd film, " The Girl Who Played With Fire", which is just as good, and I can't wait to buy that one as well.