A Classy, Streamlined Retelling Of Larsson's Novel

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A Classy, Streamlined Retelling Of Larsson's Novel - 29/12/2011 10:46:40 PM

blaud

Posts: 722
Joined: 13/12/2007

I was somewhat apprehensive when I first heard of this effort to turn the Swedish Millennium phenomenon into a piece for western audiences. However, when I became aware of the cast and crew, I was immediately on board, and now, having seen the film, I'm very glad I gave it a chance. Fincher's direction is superb as it has ever been; moody lighting, visceral camera movements and clever technical aspects make the cinematography smart and engaging. The production is also very good, with the editing being sharp and never choppy, and the music (by NIN member Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) fitting the mood perfectly. Performances are also very good, with Craig's Blomkvist comfortably nestled in the character's shoes. Rooney Mara is a touch miscast, but she does an exceptional job of playing up her character. There are deviances from the book, and there are certain scenes that maybe borrow a bit too heavily from the Swedish film, but in the end, this is still a nice, neat little drama-thriller, and an excellent edition to Fincher's filmography.

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Post #: 31

Disapointed is an understatement - 29/12/2011 11:10:18 PM

thx 251275

Posts: 1
Joined: 3/11/2005
From: birmingham

Ever since the teaser trailer for this film came out i've been looking forward to christmas for a change-i went out and bought all three books and all three films and i waited for David Fincher to deliver me my long awaited birthday present-------Noomi Rapace is so much better as lisbeth--- rooney mara didnt look right and looked too light weight Also i felt that the US version felt rushed in places where as the swedish version took longer to play out and the murder mystery much more involving . This is by far David Fincher's weakest film

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Post #: 32

RE: RE: - 29/12/2011 11:11:42 PM

garvielloken

Posts: 879
Joined: 23/10/2011

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dr Lenera

Being extremely disappointed with the Swedish original when I finally got round to seeing it a couple of weeks ago, I wasn't expecting much from this American remake by David Fincher, a director I used to love but has really gone downhill with his last two movies in my opinion. Well, it does improve on the original film somewhat; Fincher's tight direction makes for a much more cinematic experience and Steven Zaillian's script gives the material more shape, though he can't prevent the film from seeming to end at least twice before it actually does. Again, far too much of the story consists of the hero alone in his shack looking at pictures, while tension is sorely lacking until over half way through. The rape and revenge subplot is just as pointless, though admittedly does liven things up for a bit. The characters are far more engaging, though I couldn't stop getting irritated by the fact that Daniel Craig is the only cast member who doesn't attempt something approaching a Swedish accent. Trent Reznor's and Atticus Ross's strange and unnerving soundscapes do give the film a powerful atmosphere, and it's all quite convincing. I think it's possible that a nice, tense, dark thriller could be made from this material with about an hour removed; however with now two average films made from it, I doubt that will happen. Very well made, but distinctly mediocre.

5.5/10

This is all a setup for the second and third films. The whole rape/revenge plot plays a big part in the overall story.

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RE: RE: - 30/12/2011 2:50:28 PM

Timon

Posts: 14545
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: Bristol

I love the Swedish film, but whereas that was almost 3 hours long, it never really felt it. This felt much longer and was much more flabby.

The murder mystery scenes were done with more tension and intrigue in the Swedish version and despite its TV movie roots, it looked and felt more cinematic. I love Fincher and him and his cast did a good job, but there was something missing. Aspects felt rushed, others felt glossed over, you knew who the killer was as soon as he was introduced whereas the Swedish film played its cards closer to the chest.

I know it sounds like I'm comparing the two, but it's impossible not to do so. I know it's another adaptation of the source material, but I'd say Sweden nailed it. Apart from an excellent opening sequence, I'd say this seemed to be missing meat on its bones.

3/5

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Post #: 34

RE: The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo - 30/12/2011 3:01:22 PM

samiianne

Posts: 1
Joined: 28/12/2011

Although I agree that David Fincher's adaptation of the book is a brilliant watch, I still believe that the original was the better version and that they really didn't require any re-make, however brilliant. I agree wholeheartedly that Rooney Mara did play a very good Lisbeth Salander but I personally prefer Noomi Rapace's rather darker and more complex portrayal. I thought that some of the other characters were not as well played as in the original films, for example the portrayal of Harold Vanger was completely wrong in terms of the book, where he is meant to be a very nasty piece of work who hates everything to do with the family and particularly hates Mikael Blomkvist, which is portrayed brilliantly in the original. However, here he is portrayed rather more as an old, frail man who is quite happy to allow Blomkvist into his home. The idea that Harold Vanger and his son Gottfried where Nazi's is extremely downplayed in this adaptation which may be to appeal to a larger audience but in doing so takes out a key point as to why the killings took place by Gottfried and later on Martin. What is also not mentioned in this review at all is how much the ending has been altered which I found very disappointing. For one thing, having read the books and watched the Swedish films several times, I was expecting them to travel to Australia to find Harriet and when Anita turned out to be Harriet I was left very confused. For the people I went to see this film with who hadn't watched the orginal films, or read the books they were left even more baffled as to who was who by the end of the film as there was never a very clear explanation as to who Anita really was. I also believe that the buzz surrounding this film and how spectacular it is was rather overhyped and I was left feeling a little disappointed after watching it.
Having said that, the film was a very enjoyable watch and I am interested to see what the other two films will be like when they come out.

< Message edited by samiianne -- 30/12/2011 3:07:04 PM >

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Post #: 35

RE: The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo - 30/12/2011 5:07:11 PM

Wild about Wilder

Posts: 1483
Joined: 9/4/2010
From: Hertfordshire

Was plesantly suprised by the English language version Rooney was exellent though not on a par with Noomi's version although who would've been? I Thought the picture was at times slightly too dark & found it diificult to make out what was going on though that may just have been the screen I was in? I also thought the bit after the end of the main story was a bit drawn out & took away from the film slightly.
But all in all an exellent movie well worthy of 4* roll on the sequels.

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Post #: 36

Much more than just a remake or and adaptation. - 31/12/2011 1:41:27 AM

Dilwar Jones

Posts: 1
Joined: 31/12/2011

This film is amazing, from the intricately crafted title sequence to the end credits, this film fails to disappoint. It is much more than a remake and an adaptation, this is unique from all other interpretations of the story. It has been beautifully written and directed, whilst Rooney Mara's portrayal of Lisbeth Salander was mind blowing. This was a very tidy, confident and fearless take on the story and delivers what we failed to see in the Swedish version.

Edit - please post reviews here. Using posts to direct users off-site to personal sites is advertising.

< Message edited by elab49 -- 31/12/2011 9:49:23 AM >

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Post #: 37

Ugly - 31/12/2011 8:56:59 AM

Sanya

Posts: 23
Joined: 8/4/2010

The hall movie focused on sex scenes and director choose actress uglier then in Swedish version. how is that

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Post #: 38

RE: Ugly - 31/12/2011 3:41:53 PM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14564
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanya

director choose actress uglier then in Swedish version.

Rooney Mara is quite attractive without all the make-up and tats.

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Post #: 39

RE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 31/12/2011 4:32:58 PM

MonsterCat

Posts: 6217
Joined: 24/3/2011
From: St. Albans, Hertfordshire

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanya

The hall movie focused on sex scenes and director choose actress uglier then in Swedish version. how is that

Charming.

Rooney Mara is beautiful, but shouldn't we be focussing on her acting abilities instead of her looks? She crushed this role.

< Message edited by MonsterCat -- 31/12/2011 4:33:48 PM >

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RE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 1/1/2012 12:27:07 PM

garvielloken

Posts: 879
Joined: 23/10/2011

quote:

ORIGINAL: MonsterCat

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanya

The hall movie focused on sex scenes and director choose actress uglier then in Swedish version. how is that

Charming.

Rooney Mara is beautiful, but shouldn't we be focussing on her acting abilities instead of her looks? She crushed this role.

Fuck it, Rooney Mara is freakishly sexy as Salander.

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RE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 2/1/2012 6:46:34 PM

theEqualiser

Posts: 15
Joined: 2/1/2012

It was slow and moody,and the best compliment i can pay the film is it didnt seem long.
Craig was decent here and Fincher does what he does best,draws you in.

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BEST FILM!!!!! - 3/1/2012 12:33:07 AM

Ciaran McDaid

Posts: 51
Joined: 16/10/2011

Seen two days after Boxing-Day it was very good. Great performance from Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. David Finchers made a great film so far looking forward to see the next one.

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Post #: 43

Redundant remake but good if you haven't seen the original - 3/1/2012 10:02:21 AM

jimmynew

Posts: 5
Joined: 15/12/2005

I enjoyed the original but was looking forward to seeing this for David Fincher's 'stamp' on it as one of my favourite directors. However while the film was entertaining it offered little over the original as some shots/scenes were indistinguishable between the two films. Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara were both very good and perhaps I preferred them to the original's cast but I was still left thinking 'What's the point?'

There are two things that made this adaptation worse than the original in my opinion (1) why set it in sweden and have everyone talk in english with a swedish lilt (some noticeably better than others!). Change the location or the scenario but having both was just odd. (2) you will feel you have sat through a 2 and a half hour apple mac advert!

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Post #: 44

RE: Redundant remake but good if you haven't seen the o... - 3/1/2012 12:44:31 PM

Rob

Posts: 2411
Joined: 30/9/2005

Well I absolutely loved it. I loved the original but thought this was better in pretty much every way. Rapace was utterly brilliant but for me Mara was just as good if not better. I thought she absolutely nailed Lisbeth's vulnerability which I thought was a little bit missing from the original.

I do find it quite odd that people are calling the box office a major disappointment given that it's done pretty solid numbers in a heavily congested line up, it's dark, adult and pretty damn long. Bring on the sequels.

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Post #: 45

Top remake - 3/1/2012 1:47:08 PM

Bliff

Posts: 14
Joined: 30/9/2005

Was a massive fan of the original so I was really interested what Fincher would bring to it as seemed an odd choice for him (no odder than a movie about facebook seemed when that was announced though i guess). I was really impressed, especially with Craig, Mara and Plummer. For a fairly long film the time flew by.

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RE: Redundant remake but good if you haven't seen the o... - 3/1/2012 2:22:57 PM

jimmynew

Posts: 5
Joined: 15/12/2005

I agree with bring on the sequels. I felt the original trilogy lost their way after the first film and feel fincher could make much sleeker versions. So while I think what is the point of remaking the original I am looking forward to seeing what he does with the remaining two films as he does now have two good central leads set up

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Post #: 47

RE: Redundant remake but good if you haven't seen the o... - 4/1/2012 1:53:40 PM

Wild about Wilder

Posts: 1483
Joined: 9/4/2010
From: Hertfordshire

That would be because they changed Directors on the Swedish ones. Lets hope the same doesn't apply to the US versions.

< Message edited by Wild about Wilder -- 4/1/2012 1:54:51 PM >

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Post #: 48

RE: Redundant remake but good if you haven't seen the o... - 4/1/2012 2:02:17 PM

jimmynew

Posts: 5
Joined: 15/12/2005

Ah, didn't know that. I had heard that it was made originally as a mini-series and got edited for a film release in the UK-which led to some discrepancies between scenes

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Post #: 49

RE: Redundant remake but good if you haven't seen the o... - 5/1/2012 1:00:15 PM

Wild about Wilder

Posts: 1483
Joined: 9/4/2010
From: Hertfordshire

Yeah I think that's true of the 1st one not sure about the other 2 though? As to what it's called it might've been the name of the magazine Millennium in the film though not too sure about that?

< Message edited by Wild about Wilder -- 5/1/2012 1:03:32 PM >

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Post #: 50

Only as good as the original - 5/1/2012 7:33:12 PM

Whistler

Posts: 2277
Joined: 22/11/2006

I enjoyed it exactly the same amount as the Swedish version. Apart from the much deeper, more kinetic atmosphere due to the excellent soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, there wasn't much new here. Watch either version and you'll be satisfied.

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Post #: 51

RE: RE: - 5/1/2012 8:06:11 PM

Emyr Thy King

Posts: 2153
Joined: 13/4/2006
From: The Grid

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dr Lenera

Being extremely disappointed with the Swedish original when I finally got round to seeing it a couple of weeks ago, I wasn't expecting much from this American remake by David Fincher, a director I used to love but has really gone downhill with his last two movies in my opinion. Well, it does improve on the original film somewhat; Fincher's tight direction makes for a much more cinematic experience and Steven Zaillian's script gives the material more shape, though he can't prevent the film from seeming to end at least twice before it actually does. Again, far too much of the story consists of the hero alone in his shack looking at pictures, while tension is sorely lacking until over half way through. The rape and revenge subplot is just as pointless, though admittedly does liven things up for a bit. The characters are far more engaging, though I couldn't stop getting irritated by the fact that Daniel Craig is the only cast member who doesn't attempt something approaching a Swedish accent. Trent Reznor's and Atticus Ross's strange and unnerving soundscapes do give the film a powerful atmosphere, and it's all quite convincing. I think it's possible that a nice, tense, dark thriller could be made from this material with about an hour removed; however with now two average films made from it, I doubt that will happen. Very well made, but distinctly mediocre.

5.5/10

Interesting way of looking at it.

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Post #: 52

RE: RE: - 5/1/2012 8:45:23 PM

matthewforan

Posts: 21035
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: My Hometown

Wasn't a fan of the original Swedish film which really disappointed me but loved this thought it was a lot truer to the book, the characters got a lot more fleshed out and the ending was brilliant it sets up the next two installments very well and I really hope that Fincher is back for those two as well. The direction was fantastic, the filming of the rape scene was handled really well the shot of backing away from the door completely fooled me I thought it wasn't going to be done. I thought Mara was superb it would be mean to try and compare her against Rapace, both performances were great however I'd definitely say Craig was the better Blomkvist and Plummer was outstanding as well. The score was another personal highlight, the credit sequence was jaw dropping.

If I had seen this in 2011 it would be my film of the year, but as of now it's the film to beat in 2012.

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Post #: 53

Fincher trumps it for me - 5/1/2012 10:50:09 PM

bnicholson50

Posts: 126
Joined: 25/5/2008

Seen Both twice now and I have to admit to prefering Fincher's version. It's more cinematic, darker, more brooding. The score and cinematography have alot to do with this atmophere but overall Fincher makes the film a much more cinematic experience. I think the characters are much better layered here. I loved the ending. It gave Lisbeth a much clearer character arc as we watch Mara become stripped untill she succombs to her feelings for Blomqvist. Their first meeting is also much better as Craig comes bearing breakfast and a job offer rather than threats of the police. This is a much better approach to build repport between the characters since all other males in Lisbeths life use the law as power over her. In Fincher's version Mikael does not. These are just some examples of why I preferred this version but each to their own.

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Post #: 54

RE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 6/1/2012 12:19:51 AM

demoncleaner

Posts: 2166
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Belfast

Probably my most moaned about film of the last two years. My quandary was to do with how upset and depressed I was by the original next to how much I dig Fincher, and how I had long ago vowed to see all his output on the screen they call big. Even the thought of sitting through this tale again was exhausting. So the full marks given here is really tied to the result; pretty much a true opposite to the frayed expectation. I sat through this conscious of a polite and mild mannered form of elation � I blame the ridiculously out of place title sequence with its ridiculously sustained enthusiasm. As orgiastic and unsubtle as it was it's right up my strasse � Fincher, Reznor, a Bond title-sequence fetishised by a serial killer, great stuff altogether. Perhaps it set the tone for me. What I said about the original film is that it upset me without anything to mitigate it. It was unremitting, which wouldn't be a bad thing, but it does remain a bad thing when what you're dealing with essentially is airport fiction. Tat. Here, we get the mitigation, and it's all in the poise and in the elegance in the way it's mounted. There might be some jiggery-pokery in the edit but Fincher's shot for shot direction is efficiency fore-most; I'm a fan because you always get the sense that you've seen something visually pleasing with him, but when you really look at the piece you can also see the egregious simplicity of it. So I think a reputation of being �slick� is unwarranted and it's really just a case of being expert. And I thought this was bloody expert.

I won't dispute the redundancy of the US large print version. It is totally redundant. Its reason for being is superficial and so I suppose applauding it has to come from some superficial style-obsessed angle as well. And for this, I'm happy to admit this is most likely where I'm coming from. But dude, it's kinda like Total Cinema man, every facet of film making it calls upon really, really works for it. What isn't superficial about the remake is probably the wry kick its director got out of attributing the perfect excuse to put R-rated imagery back into mainstream cinema. The 2011 Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a half a revisitation of Eighties crass sex inflected thriller mixed with the wherewithal of Seventies procedural. Fincher is the type of wry bastard that has views on the former and a love of the latter, so no wonder he can convey and sustain such enthusiasm for this thankless iteration. Ultimately, for me an anticipated chore became an abject pleasure. So for that, I give it...
5/5

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RE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 6/1/2012 8:43:01 AM

sugarbabe1978

Posts: 2
Joined: 6/1/2012

I saw the old one and found it interesting! I like the cyber hacker she was cool. The only let down for me is there wasn't investigation of several family members which would of made viewing more exciting . It needed more information.

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Post #: 56

RE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 8/1/2012 7:58:13 PM

Gazdance

Posts: 1237
Joined: 3/10/2005
From: Southampton

I have not read the book. I have not seen the Swedish film adaptation.

I really enjoyed this film. It was engrossing and adult in a way that many films aren't these days. That's not to say that the harrowing nature of certain scenes "made" the film; they didn't. But in a world where Hollywood panders to the widest demographic, an 18 certificate film is a rare beast.

It's very telling that this film has only two pages on the Empire forums whilst many other, lesser films generate pages of debate on the basis on a star rating. These forums used to be better.

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Post #: 57

RE: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - 9/1/2012 5:37:30 PM

genejoke

Posts: 1783
Joined: 5/10/2005
From: bournemouth

guess it depends on hpw much there is to discuss, here people are largely on the same. not masses of arguments except on the nature of remakes.

I saw it having neither seen not read any other versions and it id one of the best films i've seen in the last year and would say it is Finchers second best film after se7en. Sorry fight club while good never really did it for me. The only downside was the running time in relation to the comfortability of the cinema seat factor.

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Post #: 58

Not sure if I want to see it now. - 10/1/2012 10:48:18 AM

Shinymetalass

Posts: 12
Joined: 10/1/2012

I read the books first and loved them. Saw the original film and wasn't impressed. Thought it was too quick and left out major characters. I was really looking forward to seeing this hoping it was better than the original. THEN. For christmas i got the films on DVD, the extended versions. Basically there was a TV series which put each film into about two, two hour parts. They're superb. Faithful to the books. Now I'm not too sure if I want to see this version now. Will need to but will compare.

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Post #: 59

Not sure if I want to see it now. - 10/1/2012 10:48:19 AM

Shinymetalass

Posts: 12
Joined: 10/1/2012

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Post #: 60