The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo

Rob Babcock · « **on:** 26 Dec 2011, 08:46 am »

I just caught a late Xmas showing of the new American version of The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo; overall I thought it was fantastic! The casting was great (with one minor exception) and the acting was stellar. Rooney Mara in particular was spellbinding! It's a very suspenseful movie, and it effectively kept me guessing for good portions. The film does a great job of developing the characters and their relationships. As one critic says, there are no boring characters in the film. I felt the look and feel of the film was very good.

For the record I've never read any of the books nor seen the first movie version- I'm just looking at this version on its own merits.

On the minus side, the soundtrack was dreadful- just long stretches of unlistenable noise. Can't recall who did the soundtrack (will have to Google it) but it fell flat on its face. And while the acting was great I don't feel Daniel Craig was a good choice. I think he brings a little too much Bond into it. In the scenes where he was in peril you half expected him to pull out a PPK and shoot his way clear. And there's a scene where his character is winded from an uphill walk where he admits he's "a little out of shape", a line that elicited quite a bit of laughing in the theater as the guy is obviously still pretty ripped. All the while I kept wishing they'd have cast Ewan McGregor or (an aging and somewhat doughy) Russell Crowe.

Overall I thought the film was brilliant, and I can't wait for the next two.

DeadFish · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Dec 2011, 02:44 pm »

Thanks Rob!
I don't get out much, but keep thinking I want to see this, and you might have just pushed me over the edge! Looking forward to it!!

Best Regards,
DeadFish

JackD201 · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Dec 2011, 04:42 pm »

I thoroughly enjoyed the original trilogy. Problem is, I now know all the twists and turns. Lucky you Rob, you got to see this adaptation with fresh eyes. I'll probably get around to watching this but I'll most likely wait a while until Noomi Rapace's portrayal fades from memory a bit.

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Dec 2011, 05:20 pm »

This version of the movie filled a lot of what the first movie left out that was in the book.
I enjoyed watching but the movie didn't have a great flow to it, the film editing left a little to be desired.
Loved the characters and can't wait for the other two films to be released.
I do believe the 4th book which was going thru the court system as to you has the rights to it, has been settled.

Don_S · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 Dec 2011, 05:24 pm »

Rob,

Thank you for the detailed comments. And thank you for stating your perspective--trilogy newbie. Many people will approach the film from the same perspective.

I have read the books and seen each video three times. I guess that makes me a fan. It also places a "mental bar" set by Noomi Rapace et al. I am wondering if the American version will follow something I observed in La Femme Nikita compared to Point of no Return. The foreign film emphasized moody character development while the American version had better action sequences. More of a lets-do-a-lot-of-shooting-and-blow-something-up attitude. Both approaches worked but for different reasons.

In the foreign "The Girl" trilogy there was not one main character whom I thought was physically attractive. American audiences expect the hero and heroine to be attractive or approachable at least in some way. I am curious to see the casting for the American versions. From the previews Daniel Craig seems too much like a semi-dangerous private investigator instead of a bookish-journalist.

WGH · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 Dec 2011, 08:11 pm »

Quote from: Rob Babcock on 26 Dec 2011, 08:46 am

On the minus side, the soundtrack was dreadful- just long stretches of unlistenable noise. Can't recall who did the soundtrack (will have to Google it) but it fell flat on its face.

The sound track was composed and performed by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Atticus Ross. The duo previously won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Social Network.

Terry Gross interviewed Trent Reznor just a week ago on her program Fresh Air. The interview can be found here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=12-19-2011

I like his musical scores but have never made it through more than 2 NIN songs at one sitting, usually 1-1/2 is enough for me.

Wayne

Andre2 · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Dec 2011, 08:20 pm »

I saw this first three movies, great stories and great acting. I wonder if this version is worth the time and money.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 12:45 am »

Had I known it contained very graphic scenes of rape and torture, I would have passed on it. There's nothing, absolutely nothing entertaining about watching rape and torture. It would not have weakened the film one bit if these elements implied rather than put on display.

Folsom · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 12:49 am »

Quote from: WGH on 26 Dec 2011, 08:11 pm

The sound track was composed and performed by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Atticus Ross. The duo previously won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Social Network.

Terry Gross interviewed Trent Reznor just a week ago on her program Fresh Air. The interview can be found here:
http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=13&prgDate=12-19-2011

I like his musical scores but have never made it through more than 2 NIN songs at one sitting, usually 1-1/2 is enough for me.

Wayne

Actually the only reason I want to watch this American version is the sound track... The Downward Spiral on 180gr vinyl is... something other fucking special.

DavidS · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 03:59 am »

I devoured the books after a reluctant start, have seen the swedish version, and today saw the american version. Loved it - big upgrade on the Swedish version. Looking forward to the next two. Acting was great across the board. Music was great across the board. Speakers in Martyn's place weren't Marten's - thought MBL's but don't think so - what were they?

django11 · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 04:08 am »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 27 Dec 2011, 12:45 am

Had I known it contained very graphic scenes of rape and torture, I would have passed on it. There's nothing, absolutely nothing entertaining about watching rape and torture. It would not have weakened the film one bit if these elements implied rather than put on display.

Ditto for the books. I read the first and enjoyed it save for this stuff. I will not read the other two. I like shootem up movies as much as the next guy but watching (or reading about) very graphic, realistic violence gives me nausea. In this vein, I remember leaving the movie "Seven" thoroughly disgusted...

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Dec 2011, 06:02 am »

I actually like NIN. I guess the soundtrack played back at such high volume for 160 minutes was grating. It was interesting at first that you got the really intense "noise" just when the story focused on Lisbeth, sort of an idee fixe for her character. But they overdid it IMOHO.

It's interesting...Rooney Mara is incredibly beautiful (ie she "cleans up well") but many of her looks in this movie are very unattractive. Her hideous haircut, attrocious makeup and aggressive tats & piercings do an effective job of concealing her attractiveness, so much so that in a scene late in the movie where she's in a disguise you're floored by how great she looks. I think she's a spectacularly good actress, and this is the sort of role that can make a career. Interestingly Kate Mara is her sister. She's also a fine actress but I wonder if she's jealous of little sis?

I saw pics of Kate at the TGWTDT premier party, and I wonder if she's thinking to herself, hmmm...Rooney got this role and I decided to do Shooter.

Again, I'm really becoming a fan of Craig. His performance was fine. It's just that it's hard to not see him as a badass. I guess that's more to do with me than him. I still think some should've had someone a little softer and pastier as Mikael.

I'm not in any rush to see the foreign version. While I suspect it's a great movie (perhaps even the superior version) I don't want to "ruin" this version until the other films are done. It sounds like the books would be a good read but that can wait, too- it's fun watching a movie adaption where you don't know what's coming.

maxwalrath · « **Reply #12 on:** 28 Dec 2011, 06:39 am »

I saw both, and while the new version is worth seeing, I think I enjoyed the Swedish version more. I thought there was way more plot and character development in the original (despite, without giving anything away, the added "layer" to the relationship between the lead characters in the final minutes). The interaction between the two leads felt more authentic with the slightly darker, more comfortable in her own skin, original Salander character; and whatever it was between the two leads was given time to legitimately develop, even if things intensified suddenly in both versions.

The audience was given a lot more information about the mystery in the original, and we saw a lot more of it being discovered jointly by the two leads rather than having it unveiled in a "CSI" kind of way where a montage of evidence brings the pair from no viable "suspect" to one person in a matter of minutes. I'd love to see a word count of the two scripts, I bet the 1st version has 10-20% more...none of it wasted in my opinion.

wushuliu · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Dec 2011, 09:26 am »

Slightly tempted to see this but Fincher is all head and no heart. Sure he can give Kubrick a run for his money with the immaculate direction and visual style but there's just a fundamental lack of emotion or humanity that I find hard to overcome with his films.

I'm sure it will look great on blu-ray though!

Redefy Audio · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 Dec 2011, 09:37 am »

i read the trilogy, and saw the swedish version.

the movie was nothing compared to the book, i thoroughly enjoyed the book.

the acting from swedish version is dissapointing except for noomi.

cheers
henry

cujobob · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Dec 2011, 10:36 pm »

For the most part I enjoyed the movie, however I found it very graphic which sort of killed the mood with my gf for the evening haha...

vondoom88 · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Jan 2012, 02:37 pm »

I really liked this film as well. However I disagree with the OP on the soundtrack. I thought the visuals in the opening titles were EPIC, I do however wish that Led Zeppelin would've let them use the original Immigrant Song.
The movie was a bit graphic at times, kind of wished they would have went with the implied route rather than in your face.

Ronm1 · « **Reply #17 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 09:35 pm »

Saw Finchers take on Dragon Tattoo yesterday. Certainly better production than the Swedish version. Liked the soundtrack minus the opening which IMHO was the usual industrial drivel. Had some subtle humor that the Swedish version did not have or if it did I didn't get it. Enjoyed the movie quite a bit, wouldn't say its way better that the other. Their both similar but different,what they add/omit is not the same.

Mike Nomad · « **Reply #18 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 10:10 pm »

I haven't read the books, nor seen the Swedish films. Fincher's take thoroughly engaged both the I Want To Be Entertained and the I Used To Be In The Movie Making Business nodules in my head. For me, it doesn't get any better than that.

I thought the opening titles rocked, along with the Zep cover (and the rest of the soundtrack). I'm glad they didn't use the original Zep track. It would have been horribly out of step with the visuals.

On another level, the opening titles are pretty funny: Alien franchise meets James Bond franchise.

The second rape scene is _very_ intense. The thing is, all you see is a bit of Mara's bottom. That's it. Everything else is in the mind's eye.

The third rape scene (payback) is no less intense, and even less is shown.

While not my preferred way to make the point, they are two sequences that show the power of film. A lot of people had the same reaction in 1960, when they "saw" Janet Leigh stabbed in the shower...

nonoise · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 Jan 2012, 12:43 am »

An adult movie for adults. Kept close to the book (finished in 1 1/2 days which made me purposely take my time for the other two) which accounts for its non-hollywood pace and plot. I thought Craig was perfect as he did his level headed best to be anti-Bond (even wussy at times) and Mara simply shined in her performance.

Difficult to do, let alone perform and not for the weak at heart. Remember, Steig Larson wanted the title to be "Men Who Hate Women" and had he not died of a heart attack after submitting the manuscripts, the title would have been different. He witnessed a gang rape in his teens and was ashamed for not trying to stop it. The plight of women was addressed in his books and so in this movie and for that, this story had to be told the way it was. Anything less would have been a disservice.

As for the soundtrack, it was well neigh pitch perfect. Fincher wanted texture, coldness and something to propel the pace (like in The Social Network) and Rezner and Ross did it again.

I can't wait for the Girl Who Played With Fire in 2013. The big loss here is that Larson made plans for 10 books in the series and had the 4th 3/4 finished and the 5th completely outlined.