Девушка с татуировкой дракона 2011 отзывы

Not quite in the top 5 of David Fincher’s best films (‘Se7en’, ‘The Social Network’, ‘Fight Club’, ‘Gone Girl’ and ‘Zodiac’) but it does come close. And this is somebody who found a lot to like about all his films, including his lesser ones like ‘Alien 3’ and ‘Panic Room’.

Despite being often considered a remake, personally prefer to call it a second adaptation of the book. The book is a fantastic read, and as an adaptation while it is condensed and has some changes Fincher’s film still adheres to the basic tone of the book as does the Swedish version. Of the two versions, the Swedish version just gets the edge for its incredible atmosphere complete with bleakness, chills, shocks and is more authentic, with Noomi Rapace burning the screen enigmatically with her presence.

Where Fincher’s film improves over the previous version are in four areas. One is the production values, which are far more audacious here. The cinematography, both bleakly moody and exquisite to look at, is more cinematic and perfectly captures the frozen landscape which is like a character in itself. The film is very tightly edited too in a way that is distinctively Fincher. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ music score is another winner of theirs, it is haunting and gives a really unnerving vibe, combined with some clever sound mixing. The script, even when condensed, is more polished and tighter and also has more flow. While Lisbeth is a fascinating and complex character in the Swedish film, the Lisbeth in Fincher’s film has even more complexity and more variation of emotions.

Fincher’s direction is exemplary, showing a mastery of visual style and mood setting, ensuring that the film stays intriguing throughout the length. In lesser hands and with less assured pacing, with the long running time ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ could have been a long haul but had plenty of intrigue. Much of the storytelling is gripping, and while not as authentic or quite as masterful in atmosphere like the Swedish counterpart was it has its fair share of chills, twists and turns (without being convoluted or illogical) and shock value as well as a murky bleakness. Contrary to what some believe, this second adaptation did have point (was fearing it wouldn’t), as it made the story more accessible and gave it more exposure.

Good acting helps. Daniel Craig is very wisely restrained, the character should have a quiet determination and dignity which Craig handles very well. Christopher Plummer is simply terrific as well, one of his best performances in recent years, while Stellan Skasgard is frighteningly demented and Yorick van Wageningen is unsettlingly sadistic. Robin Wright does her best with a shallow character. Best of all is a magnificent Rooney Mara, such a multi-layered performance and sees Mara not just playing the role but disappearing into it. See her appearance for example, so committed that when you see her in other films you would not believe that it’s the same person.

There are faults however. Did not think much of the Gothic James Bond-like opening sequence that just felt jarring and out of place. Nor with the accents, which were a mix for some of the actors of having one too heavy or thick (Wright) or not attempting one at all (Craig). The decision to use both English and Swedish in some scenes did have a tendency to confuse, while the central relationship (mostly successfully done) did feel underdeveloped and, even for characters that are the heart of the story, takes over the story a little too much somewhat.

All in all, almost as good as the Swedish version and better than both of that film’s heavily flawed but still worthy sequels. 8/10 Bethany Cox

After the announcement that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was getting an English-language film treatment, I decided that the hype had built up to a point where I just had to read the source material for myself. Though it is not without flaws, Dragon Tattoo is an excellent story with the important mission of raising awareness concerning violence against women. Mere days after finishing the book I watched the Swedish film. The hype train had me excited for an outstanding thriller.

The hype train let me down.

I was left cold and somewhat irritated by the Swedish adaptation. A ton of important plot elements were left out, some were inexplicably added (Blomkvist’s memories of the island became far too important and contrived), and Rapace felt all wrong as Lisbeth. She was brilliant and violent, but lacked the quiet pensiveness of the original character. She did not come off as autistic and emotionally disturbed, just bratty and rude. Worst of all, I was constantly confused by the extremely rushed, strange new take on the story.

As a lover of foreign films, I normally grind my teeth when I hear that America is developing a remake. However, I found myself desperate for this one. I needed a movie that actually gave me the experience of reading the book for the first time, that made me care for Lisbeth and that truly disturbed me. Thankfully, the American adaptation (not a remake) delivered exactly what I was looking for. Those who say this version is unnecessary or a rehash must have seen a very different Swedish Girl with the Dragon Tattoo than I saw. The American take is jam-packed with scenes that were either skimmed or completely left out of the Swedish version. Yet, despite being more robust, the English- language Dragon Tattoo is incredibly paced, feeling less rushed yet hitting all the important plot points. The characters have time to develop and grow on you, the clue-finding makes more sense, and the killer is more horrifying. Screenwriter Zaillian knows exactly what to leave out and what to change (though the ending, which mirrors the book’s ending, could have been arranged better). Craig, Mara, and even Plummer are spot-on in their roles and feel more fleshed-out as characters. Mara, in particular, inhabits Larsson’s Lisbeth in a way Rapace did not. She captures Lisbeth’s silent, borderline-autistic nature perfectly. Her fragile body and alien appearance even match the book’s description. She allows herself to be vulnerable, but clearly regrets it over time. It’s a captivating performance.

If someone were to ask me, personally, which version to see, I would have to say without hesitation that this is the rare occasion where the American adaptation is superior. I did not think it was possible to stay so true to the story under three hours.

Greetings again from the darkness. The character of Lisbeth Salander absolutely fascinates me. That’s true whether we are discussing Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy novels, the Swedish film versions, or this latest film version from director David Fincher and a screenplay from Steve Zaillian. It’s also true whether Lisbeth is played on screen by Noomi Rapace (Swedish films) or Rooney Mara. She is a brilliant character hiding in plain sight from a world that has fiercely mistreated her, and now misjudges and underestimates her. She is the oddest heroine I can recall … and I can’t get enough of her.

Let’s start with the source material. Stieg Larsson’s books are far from perfect, but addictive just the same. The first book (on which this film is based) is, at its core, a simple who-dunnit presented in a manner that is claustrophobic, paranoid and eerie. Moving on to this particular film, we find the director and screenplay holding the basic tone while making a few changes … some minor, others more substantial. These changes may irk those fans who are a bit more loyal to the books, but Fincher surely wanted to offer more than a simple re-telling of the story.

Daniel Craig plays Mikael Blomkvist, the journalist hired to solve the 40 year old mystery of the disappearance/murder of Harriet Vanger, niece to Swedish millionaire Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer). To research, Blomkvist must dig into the Vanger’s rotten family tree of Nazis, anti-Semites, sexual predators, anti-social fanatics, and a few just plain loony birds. You can imagine how excited this rich and once powerful family is to have someone uncovering long buried secrets. Circumstances allow for Lisbeth to assist Blomkvist in researching this.

Unlike many mysteries where assembling the clues is the most fun, the real heart of this story is the odd, somewhat uncomfortable developing relationship between Blomkvist and Lisbeth. This latest version allows this to develop relatively smoothly, but it nonetheless rattles our senses. We see the subtle changes in Lisbeth as she slowly opens up to the idea of a real friendship based on trust. Fear not mystery fans, the Vanger clan still provides more than enough juice to keep any film sleuth happy.

It’s truly impossible to avoid comparisons between the two movie versions and the respective casts. It’s quite obvious Mr. Fincher was working with a substantially greater budget than Niels Arden Opler had for the first Swedish film. While they are both enthralling, I actually lean a bit towards the rawer original. That takes nothing away from this latest version. Same with Noomi Rapace vs. Rooney Mara. Ms. Mara is excellent in her performance and I was fully satisfied, but Ms. Rapace brought a rougher edge to the role … one that made it even tougher to crack that shell. The biggest difference in the casts is Daniel Craig against Michael Nyqvist. Mr. Craig is just a bit too cool for the role, while Nyqvist captured the insecurity and vulnerability that Larsson wrote about.

All of that is nit-picking. Both film versions are sterling entertainment and hopefully the Fincher version will bring the story to a much wider audience. I would encourage those that are interested to check out the Swedish version, as well as the Larsson books. Maybe that will explain my fascination with this creature known as Lisbeth Salander.

The lights dim, the movie begins with a brief prologue, and the zany and incredibly weird opening credits begin, set to a creepy cover of Led Zeppelin’s «Immigrant Song.» From the beginning, we are in for a wild ride as Stieg Larsson’s incredibly popular novel «The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo» is brought to life on screen.

Scorned journalist Mikael Blomkvist is called upon by Henrik Vanger, a very wealthy man, while writing a book. Vanger is in search of an answer to the disappearance of his niece, Harriet, which occurred over 40 years ago. He assumes that Harriet is dead, and that she was murdered. He looks to Mikael to investigate her disappearance and who killed her. Then Mikael gets assistance from Lisbeth Salander, a dangerous but intelligent 24 year-old punk who is an accomplished computer hacker and a great contribution to the solving of other crimes. Together, Mikael and Lisbeth go on a dark, eerie journey into a world of crime, Nazism, and corruption that will lead them to Harriet’s assassin.

I walked into «The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo» with almost no knowledge of Larsson’s novel or the Swedish film made a few years before David Fincher’s version. The end result is ultimately an extremely satisfying, brutal, and complex thriller thanks to great direction by Fincher (known greatly for his work on «Seven,» «The Game,» and «The Social Network»), excellent writing, and an impeccably chosen cast.

After only a few years, the character of Lisbeth Salander has become an attention-grabbing heroine that is as iconic as Edward Cullen of the love-it-or-hate-it «Twilight» series. And we can understand why. After all the truly awful and hideous things that have plagued her life, Lisbeth doesn’t take any crap from anybody. She may be angry, violent, overtly sexual, demanding, and perhaps a little crazy, but she is a genius at what she does, and has reasons for all of her actions, no matter how gruesome they may be.

The mystery surrounding the film is sophisticated and white-knuckling, adding to the intensity and mood of the story and its characters. We’re not sure of who is Harriet’s killer, or if Harriet is even dead, until the last half hour of the film, and when we do find out the twist, it leaves a stupendous impact.

After cementing his reputation in brutal crime thrillers, and surprising us with «The Curious Case of Benjamin Button» and «The Social Network,» David Fincher was the right man for the director’s chair. Every film he makes, even a drama like «The Social Network,» sets up a tone of genuine suspense, tension, and fear for the characters. «The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo» isn’t any different as Fincher adds his signature touch to the movie.

Of all of the people they could have chosen to play these roles, the casting director landed in a pot of gold. Daniel Craig does a wonderful job as Mikael, showing us that he can play characters other than James Bond. With the amount of screen time she has, Robin Wright is also very good as Blomkvist’s business partner Erika Berger. Christopher Plummer and Stellan Skarsgård also turn in great performances as Henrik Vanger and Martin Vanger.

The person to really watch out for, however, is Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander. Getting her big break in the underrated remake of «A Nightmare on Elm Street» and later starring in Fincher’s previous film «The Social Network» (giving a dynamite performance in the opening scene), Mara has sealed her future with many more promising and exciting roles because of her portrayal of Lisbeth. This is not an easy role to play, knowing that Mara is the second person to play the character. She must endure two shocking rape scenes and a torture sequence, and there is a hefty amount of nudity involved. Mara embodies Lisbeth, immediately bringing immense intimidation, danger, and fury every time she comes on to the screen. Her eyes are wide and emotionless, almost as if you can see right through her. And with everything that has happened to the character, we understand that Lisbeth has a right to be that way. She may be smart, but she is not interested in attraction or friendships with another human being. Overall, Mara gives a sensational, fearless, dedicated, and electrifying performance that guarantees an Oscar nod.

Being released during the cheery time of the holidays, «The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo» is not a feel-good film, by any means. It is a harsh, gritty, and rough cinema trip that answers the question of leaving the kids at home with the babysitter. Also, if you’re squeamish, you will not like it. However, those who have read the book, and those who have not read it, should check it out. Even without having read Larsson’s novel, I left the theater completely satisfied. It is a movie experience that you don’t commonly get. Fincher has done it again. «The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo» is a must!

Chilling, haunting and relentlessly thrilling, director David Fincher has created the definitive film adaptation of Larssons best seller whilst at the same time improving on the source material. A brilliant performance from Rooney Mara only elevates the film to greater heights

The Review:

Ill cut to the chase: this is everything fans of the books could have hoped for, its miles better than the already good Swedish film, its more faithful to the novel, in some places it actually improves on the source material.

With «The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo» David Fincher has put his trademark darkness to fantastic use. Whether its sweeping shots of freezing, snow covered Sweden or wonderfully eerie interiors Fincher creates an unsettling atmosphere that is unrelenting and technically perfect. With Fincher i’ve learnt to expect a beautifully shot film and this is no exception, within this film are some of his greatest images. Regarding the disturbing nature of some scenes, Fincher is wise enough to show them in all their horror but doesn’t stop to linger or exploit.

The performances are perfect all round, Its clear Fincher and the casting production went to great lengths to pick not only great actors but those who embody the very essence of their characters. Of note in the supporting characters are Yorick van Wageningen who plays the sadistic Bjurman with unsettling believability and the always great Christopher plummer who is note-perfect as the desperate, loney grandfather Henrik .- As one part of our central duo Daniel Craig puts in his finest performance, normally cast as the tough hero Craig is more subdued here, he has Blomkvist easy charm down to a T but also captures the weak, submissive aspect of his character. — Lisbeth Salander is a character unlike anything fiction has ever seen….broken,pierced, clade in leather with short black hair and a body so slight the wind could break her, she is horribly victimised but refuses to be one. To sum it up she is one of the most interesting and difficult characters an actress could ever play. I could honestly write a whole review on the brilliance of Rooney Mara’s performance, she is the very essence of Lisbeth…as if the character just walked off the page. Mara commands every scene with a mixture of silent burning rage and a deep rooted venerability. Her eyes are the heart of the film, her reactions are the reason myself and the others around me laughed, gasped and even cried. The character requires an actress who can internalize her emotions yet at the same time convay a wide range of feelings. Mara does this such perfect skill, every glance is charged with deep feeling as if you’re looking directly into her soul. A brave performance, Mara bares all in the nude scenes and goes to frankly horribly dark places in the now informous scenes of sexual violence. Watching Rooney Mara is witnessing the birth of a star, this is the best performance of the year and if the Oscars fail to reconzie her i will lose all hope in their judgment.

The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is perfect, eerie and unsettling. It is as good as their Oscar winning score last year if not better, its more understated and does what every score should do….improves the scenes not overpower them.

This is by and large a perfect adaptation, my main issue lay with one singe sequence. There is a shot that seems to be there solely for the purpose of showing off, it serves no real purpose within the story.

The most touching scenes of the film come from the characters themselves, this is a character driven story and none are more powerful than Lisbeth and Mikeal themselves. Fincher makes their relationship the focus and it pays off, they are the heart of the books and Fincher rightfully recognises this.

Proving that sometimes «american» adaptations can actually be for the better this is a film nobody should miss…its everything the novel is, plus some. More than anything i was impressed by the humour that is added through-out, this film will make you laugh, it will break your heart and it will make you want to take a shower.

I liked both the Swedish version and the US version…I think both are great in their own right. Mara and Craig bring a very interesting chemistry to this version that I really enjoyed. The noir-esque feel of the film is really cool. The soundtrack is killer (Trent Reznor)! Worth a watch if you haven’t seen it already

Unlike seemingly almost every reviewer here, I did not read the book nor did I see the original filmed version of this story. Even if I had, I still prefer, as always, to view/review this film as a unique, individual work of art and not compare it to other works of art.

So, to that end I found this film to be heavy on style and a bit light on substance. The score was solid and very effective. On the other hand, Rooney’s character Lisbeth was for me not really a fully developed character. I bit more back story on her could have gone a long way I think to transforming her from a one dimensional person with lots of tattoos and piercings into a someone the viewer could take a greater interest in. Craig is fine and completely adequate. Despite some shortcomings i do think there is enough here to check out for those curious who have still not seen it.

I was really looking forward to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo ever since I learned that David Fincher had been attached to it. Now normally I’d be angry at the fact of a foreign film being remade, having seen and loved the Swedish version of the film, but I made an exception with this one because of the cast and crew for this film. Fincher, who directed films such as Fight Club, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, and most recently The Social Network (my favorite film of 2010 and what I thought should have won over The King’s Speech), has a fantastic eye for filmmaking and has always impressed me with his movies, save for Se7en which I wasn’t as huge a fan of as everyone else was and even on that film I enjoyed a good bit. You throw in the writer of Schindler’s List and Gangs Of New York, add actors like Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer and so many others, a score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (who also scored The Social Network), and base it off the best selling book by Stieg Larsson (that’s right, this isn’t a remake but rather a re-adaptation), it all equals out to, in my opinion, the best film of the year by far.

Now the first thing I want to say about this movie is Rooney Mara’s performance. She knocks it out of the park portraying Lisbeth Salander. She captured the mystery, the strangeness, the darkness, the out-of-the- norm personality that this character had. She was absolutely fantastic and I’m gonna be shocked as hell if she does not get an Oscar nomination. And she really makes you feel for her in the darker parts of this movie, which we’ll get to in a moment. And all the other performances are great as well. Daniel Craig is great as usual and there is great chemistry between him and Mara. Christopher Plummer, as little as he’s in the movie, does a great job as well, in fact all the actors do. This is a really well acted movie.

Another thing that a lot of people have been talking about with this film, as it was with the book and the Swedish film, was the moments where sexual violence appears on screen. And while there are some really uncomfortable moments in the film, that’s the reason why these scenes succeed. They shock you and make you want to look away. And that’s good, especially when the themes of this movie as well as the source material were about this sort of thing, and the movie conveys it perfectly. And while these scenes do linger in your mind, they never distract you from the basis of this movie, which leads into my next praise for the film.

The story is really engaging. Even though I had seen the Swedish movie and knew how the story as a whole was going to play out, I was able to be really engaged in the movie and not focus on other things. It really sucks you in, and Steve Zaillian, the writer of this movie, structures the film in a way that is both similar and different to the Swedish version, therefore doing what I hoped this film would do, which was taking something that I already knew about and had watched before and made it to where it was still interesting and there were changes made to where I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. And that’s great.

And everything technical about this movie succeeds. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is fantastic and really sucks you into the tone of the picture. Jeff Cronenweth, who worked with Fincher on both Fight Club and The Social Network, delivers fantastic cinematography. The editing, the direction, the shots, everything about this movie succeeds, making it a near perfect film.

Now one small complaint I have about this film stems a little bit from me viewing the Swedish version, in which they reveal a little more about who Lisbeth is and one of the things she did in her past that made it so troubled. And they didn’t use that here which kind of threw me off a little. However, the more I think about it, the less it becomes a concern because 1.) You can’t compare the two films and 2.) there are bits and pieces shown in the films climax that shows that Lisbeth deep down does have a soul. So the movie manages to overcome that obstacle, and overall, I have nothing to say bad about it.

Overall, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a masterful film, it’s one that you should definitely check out and I’ll definitely be checking it out sometime soon. It’s directed, written, and acted well, and succeeds in all that it sets out to do. You feel the emotion and darkness of the film, Rooney Mara blew me away with her performance (and that body, damn), and overall it lived up to my expectations. So out of ten, I got to be honest, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a 10. Go see this movie NOW.

I’ve never read Stieg Larsson’s millennium novels, so I can’t say how faithful this film is to the original material, but I am a big fan of the Swedish adaptation by Danish filmmaker Niels Arden Oplev. Now, I know the fact that Hollywood is obsessed with remakes annoys the hell out of us, but I think there can always be room for different interpretation, different vision and approach and that’s what David Fincher’s version excels in. It’s more detailed, more curious, and more unafraid. It’s a superb and chilling thriller with an astounding performance by Rooney Mara. Whether or not this version is better can be argued but it certainly is a solid film… Rooney Mara, with her skinny body and goth hairstyle and excessive piercings and tattoos and her attitude, I think Mara manages to give a more complex Lisbeth Salander than Noomi Rapace’s portrayal. But it’s mostly thanks to screenwriter Steven Zaillian who covers information that the previous adaptation would simply skim or just talk about instead of exposing it. Fincher and Zaillian want to seriously show how dark, troubled, but motivated Lisbeth is. And some may consider this approach to be too brutal or unnecessary but I think it’s no more brutal than Fincher’s previous thrillers like Se7en. This is after all, in its essence, a movie made solely for Fincher’s fans or those who are comfortable with his style. Jeff Cronenweth’s cinematography work is fantastic by the way, it plays on how much you can handle. It goes along with the script that tends to be explanatory. Whatever loopholes or gaps that the previous adaptation had, Fincher’s film fills it and explains it in its own way. Lisbeth Salander to me is a rebel, she lives by her own rules, but she’s also by herself, this version wants to instill in her mind the idea that perhaps she could be sociable or she could be considered normal if she just gets that attention that she never did, and that’s what warrants a different ending. Mara is absolutely phenomenal as Lisbeth, it’s a defining role for Mara, she’s made it her own. She’s fierce, highly driven, but there’s a sense of innocence to her as well. She thinks her anger and actions are justified and the film successfully encourages us to agree. All those tattoos and piercings are like ‘keep off’ or ‘stay away’ sign, perhaps because of years of rough background, going from one guardian to another, so when somebody genuine like Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) comes along, he represents the safety that desperately longs for but would never admit to. I think it’s smart that Fincher and Zailian shows the estranged family side of Blomkvist, they see it as important for Blomkvist to be able to relate to Henrik Vanger’s (Christopher Plummer) dilemma and I think that’s a smart move. Craig is the weakest link because his accent keeps going on and off, I’m not sure if he even tries to sound Swedish at all, it’s quite the distraction. But he works with what’s given to him, keep in mind that the title is not Blomkvist with the dragon tattoo. Of course nowadays you can’t talk about Fincher’s movies without talking a bit about the unconventional score by Oscar winners Atticus Ross and Nine Inch Nail’s Trent Reznor. In fact, the movie pays an amusing homage to NIN. Those of you film score aficionados would probably find Ross and Reznor’s tunes for this film rather eerie and chilling, which it then pretty much serve its purpose. Having said that, at times I find the score a bit forceful and it’s like the same soundwave echoing over and over again with the intent to hypnotize. I don’t think the opening graphic credit is all that impressive, it’s an interesting take but it looks out of place, it looks like it should be a separate music video and it doesn’t necessarily introduce the tone of the film that you’re about to see. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is definitely not a movie for the faint of heart, it’s a movie that would rattle your comfort cage, and I think audiences will be divided, you’ll either truly love it, or truly detest it, but there will hardly be a middle ground.

Lisbeth Salander knows exactly what to do, to the men who have no honour, morals, rules, without virtue, displaying little sympathy, for bigoted misogyny, wears a dragon on her back that takes the form of a tattoo — but sadly nowhere near as good as when Noomi Rapace passed through.

Together with Mikael she’s tracking down a killer, a little bit contrived but not a disengaging filler, skulduggery unwinds, over decades lost in time, an admirable transfer, non English theme to Hollywood thriller.

I have read all three of Stieg Larsson’s books and seen the Swedish movies. The Swedish version of The girl with the dragon tattoo(Män som hatar kvinnor) was very good but I feel it is somewhat overrated. Nothing particularly weak about it but still not as good as some claim. When word came about that David Fincher would direct the new one I was just overjoyed. My maybe favourite director working right now filming one of the best books I had read in years. With thrillers like Se7en and Zodiac to his credit he was the perfect choice. And he doesn’t disappoint.

The big question for many have been will Rooney Mara live up to Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander? The answer is She does! Who is better is difficult to say because they actually play the character quite different. Noomi is older and seems more secure and determined character while Mara feels more fragile and emotional. I feel Mara is more like how Lisbeth is described in the book. I like this movie better but regarding Lisbeth Salander it’s a draw. Daniel Craig is great as Blomkvist, and it’s good that even if he is a big star(James Bond) he plays the role really down to earth, the person the character should be. It is and should be Salander who is the main one and he lets Mara be the star. One actor who really surpasses his predecessor is Stellan Skarsgård. Considering his character has such a big role this is a big plus for the American version. Christopher Plummer should also be mentioned. As I’m now on the actors I should also mention the relation between Salander and Blomkvist. Craig and Mara are brilliant at creating chemistry. Not only does one focus on the mystery but at the end maybe even more about them. Do they really speak with a Swedish accent? Some of them yes and I admit it felt a bit strange a first but one gets used to it like with most other things so some time later in the movie I didn’t mind anymore.

Steven Zaillian deserves praise for the script. The original movie, even though it was not much shorter the plot at times felt rushed. Especially the ending where it went so quick and simplified. Zaillian succeeds in fitting the story without making it to fast or simple. Even if one hasn’t read the book you can follow what is going on. Very impressive and perhaps what lifted this movie above the Swedish. So there are some changes but for me, unlike how some feel about adaptations, the book isn’t something holy and changes don’t have to be wrong. Stieg Larsson’s novel was not without flaws and the changes they made make sense, necessary and some better. Fincher is a master of suspense and shows it again here. The atmosphere and tone of the settings fit the story perfect. The movie is brutal just like the book and also that is handled great. Neither reduced or overdone.

The music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is as expected amazing. Almost as great as for The Social Network. I loved the opening credits set to the tones of the Immigrant Song cover. Some may feel it’s a bit out of place but personally I loved it.

So are there any weak points in it? Well the last parts of the movie the story slows down somewhat but thats because Stieg Larsson’s novel was like that and those parts are also needed for the continuing of the series. And even if I really like the Millennium trilogy, the story is not perfect not as complicated as some might expect. Doesn’t mess with your head like Se7en.

If I’m to rank David Fincher’s detective thrillers The girl with the dragon tattoo is below Se7en and Zodiac but it doesn’t mean it is a weak movie, definitely not! I don’t think I can find much they could have done better. The Swedish movie was good but this is much better. It lives up to my expectations as a fan of the book. Also works great as a thriller on it’s own.

Part owner of Millennium magazine, Mikael Blomquist (Daniel Craig) is convicted of libel, but has some time before sentencing and is hired by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to find out what happened to Harriet, his niece, who disappeared 40-years ago and is believed deceased. Mikael hires Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) to help with his investigation.

I believe most movie goers have seen the Swedish version of this movie and are busy comparing notes of what was similar, different and so on. So let’s get to it.

For my part, I have also seen the Swedish version and it was excellent having watched via sub titles, but I must go on record as saying the US version is just as good but perhaps, more clear regarding the story line. The Swedish version had too many sub plots that had one memorizing them to see what impact they would have on the main story. None is the answer.

Differences……there are some. The setting is Sweden, but the currency is not touted in Swedish Kronas, but USD; no accents were heard and they were clever enough not to show us traffic direction signs that were in Swedish. In the Swedish version I do not recall Henrik Vanger purchasing controlling interest in Millennium magazine. Where Harriet is discovered is completely different in this version. Does it matter? No. There were no lingering shots of the landscapes as were in the Swedish version. Pity, I missed them.

One big difference is that in this version Mikael tracks down Lisbeth to help in his investigation whereas in the Swedish version it is Lisbeth who hacks into Mikael’s computer to give him clues re the disappearance of Harriet as she knows what he was hired for by Henrik. Then Mikael feels she can help him. Does this make any difference to the story? No.

Now for the question I just know you have: Who was the better Mikael? Michael Nyqvist or Daniel Craig? They were both excellent and no one outdid the other.

But, let’s get to the real question: Who was the better Lisbeth Salander? Noomi Rapace or Rooney Mara? Both were excellent, and could have been interchangeable, but……..this story made the Rooney Lisbeth softer, more giving. But, we cared more for the Noomi Lisbeth because we wanted her to be softer, more giving and she wasn’t. But we still cared more for her. See? Also, the Swedish version had more story face time with Noomi than with Rooney.

Both versions had the sex scenes between Mikael and Lisbeth but the US version showed them 2-times whereas the Swedish version only once. In this version, Lisbeth orally servicing her Guardian was shown more graphically and the rape scene seemed to go on longer here than in the Swedish version. More total frontal nudity was shown in this version.

Both versions are very good and quite engaging and the differences do not hinder the story, but in the US version things become clearer without the non-important sub plots that were in the Swedish version. If you didn’t see the Swedish version, this version will do. But, if you want to compare notes………..

Now for the question that still remains: Is there another country that will do a remake of this story? England? India? (hey, India makes more movies than the US. Why should they be left out? Huh?) And, yes there are two more stories to this trilogy. Any takers on the horizon? (10/10)

Violence: Yes. Sex: Yes, 2-times. Nudity: Yes, frontal too. Lesbian Kisses: Yes. Rape Scene:Yes and quite graphic too. Language: Yes. four F-bombs were counted.

Rating: A

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a thriller exploring crime and psychology. It stars Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomkvist and Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander. Supporting roles are portrayed by Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Steven Berkoff, and Robin Wright.

After losing an expensive legal case to a famous businessperson, Swedish journalist Mikael Blomkvist helped wealthy industrialist Henrik Vanger with writing his life story. Blomkvist understands that Vanger wants to find out who killed his dear great-niece, who disappeared from the family’s island in 1966.

Daniel Craig delivers an exceptional performance and is a perfect fit for detective roles such as 007’s James Bond or Detective Benoit Blanc in Knives Out. His cool, calm, and confident demeanor in front of the camera makes him stand out from the rest. Rooney Mara also carries a significant portion of the film’s weight with her dark and brooding character, which undergoes a significant amount of character development throughout the film, to the point where she is just as captivating as Craig’s Blomkvist towards the end.

This film is dark, with a haunting atmosphere and explicit scenes. The film’s portrayal of certain characters’ dark intentions was effective in keeping me interested. The plot’s twists and turns drew me in further, leaving me guessing until the final reveal. However, at over two and a half hours, the film’s runtime can feel too long and drag in certain places, which was my only complaint. Fincher’s skillful direction and the fantastic performances by the cast elevate this movie beyond the average crime thriller and make it one of his finest films. It’s a shame we never got to see Fincher’s remake of the trilogy.

I watched The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo last night for the first time and….well…what am I missing? Long, slow, boring really. Granted it was network TV so I’m guessing I watched a very edited version, but still, I can’t see what all the fuss was about. Daniel Craig was his usual flat self (missing what all the fuss is about him too but I’ll save that for another time.) Rooney Mara did an OK job as Lisbeth I suppose, but I thought I’d be watching a much more seething, angry, dangerous character. Disappointing is the only word I can think of to describe the film. Now I have to admit I did not read the book (yet- but I’ve got it right here) and did not see the original version (yet). But I have to guess the cut scenes must have added a lot of impact to the movie because what I watched was a fairly bland, not very interesting, overly long, disappointing effort.