It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
^ Back to Top
The MI6 Community is unofficial and in no way associated or linked with EON Productions, MGM, Sony Pictures, Activision or Ian Fleming Publications. Any views expressed on this website are of the individual members and do not necessarily reflect those of the Community owners. Any video or images displayed in topics on MI6 Community are embedded by users from third party sites and as such MI6 Community and its owners take no responsibility for this material.
James Bond News • James Bond Articles • James Bond Magazine
Comments
@barryt007 been working way too much overtime, a mini break is a godsend lol
Clints reserve is great in that stadium scene as he struggles against the blast of the helicopter filming it!
The original and the best! Don Siegel was an excellent action director!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one movie I try to get to every year around wintertime, simply because its atmosphere puts me more in the mood for the season than any Christmas comedies with their holiday hijinks could ever hope to. Considering the very dark and twisted subtext and imagery that come along with this film, that may say a bit too much about me and my own twisted nature. ;) I caught this film at the end of the season I usually choose it to transition into, so this watch of Dragon Tattoo did lose a special something for me simply because it was April and not January when I was watching it. That being said, my town still had a snowstorm going on outside at the time and so I thought it was fair game to view it since the weather hadn't changed from how it was during the Christmas season. I'm glad I jumped on it, as I don't think I could wait until next winter to see this, and I refuse to watch it in summer (just doesn't feel right).
I've definitely seen this movie a lot, which can make some sections not as engaging to get through anymore, but I guess that's the same with a lot of films. The things that struck me when I first watched it, however, are extremely evergreen, and the scenes I originally found hard to watch (those who've seen it will know the major two) are those I still struggle with. David Fincher's mastery of mood and atmosphere which he imbues with a twisted edge are the real centerpiece here with some of the most haunting visuals made out of very normal locations. He can make a beautiful Swedish mansion outside town look like the devil's manor, and that speaks to his amazing talents as a visual storyteller. The disturbing and unconventional score of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is another treasure of the film, as the music does as much for the mood of the piece as the visuals; I've seldom seen a movie that uses its visuals and sounds in such perfect union, in fact. The score of this film reminds me of how Kubrick used sound in his movies, where you can pick up on a sort of white noise or skin crawling buzz or tone underlying a number of scenes that provides a distinct otherworldliness. A very simple effect, but very effective in making you uneasy that the characters are in immediate peril even if they may not be (at that moment).
The other centerpiece of Dragon Tattoo outside its brilliant sound and visuals are definitely the performances which still make an impressive statement. Rooney Mara is a wonder here, and it's amazing just how effortlessly she slips into the character of Lisbeth. The movie does one of my favorite narrative tricks with Lisbeth where we're introduced to her character through the opinions other characters have of her before we every actually see her on screen. This instantly colors our impressions and expectations of the character leading up to her debut as we become shocked or vindicated in feeling what we do about her. I have personally always related to the antisocial loner Lisbeth is, and part of the fun in watching Mara is how well she nails the character's resentment for small talk and human interaction in general. Lisbeth is also so terrifying at times for such a small, svelte little woman, and that's a testament to Mara's performance and the places she can go to as an actress; her inherent innocence belies her resourcefulness and strength. She truly becomes Lisbeth here and, speaking as someone who has loved the books, she really feels true to the character I enjoyed reading about.
A special mention must also be made of the costume and makeup departments of Dragon Tattoo for how they took a very beautiful woman in Mara and really crafted her into the gothic, asocial and bohemian woman we see here in Lisbeth, a very remarkable feat. I also really like the subtle ways that the film visually characterizes Lisbeth through her clothing, hair style and piercings. She is constantly changing her appearance, giving her a chameleon-like presence, but her appearance is also nicely used to show how she changes as a character as the narrative progresses. She starts the film in full piercings, a wild mohawk and clad in leather but as the film goes on and she and Daniel Craig's Blomkvist grow closer (and she becomes more accepted for who she is by him) she loses more and more of those piercings and the other style items she used to hide herself underneath. In that way, a sub-story of the film is about Lisbeth truly coming out of her shell and stripping away a lot of the defense mechanisms that she finds herself never having to use with Blomkvist because, for once, she doesn't feel judged, vulnerable to harm or cast aside. A nice touch that truly makes Lisbeth and Blomkvist feel like a strong and supportive team who compliment each other despite their vast differences as characters, much like Holmes and Watson before them in that grand mystery tradition.
Speaking of Daniel Craig, he still impresses here. It's a testament to his talents that he can effortlessly scare the living hell out of me as James Bond but can then feel so meek, breakable and anxious here; he truly becomes a chameleon. He plays Mikael Blomkvist as he should be done, with an everyman mix of bemusement, self-deprecation and vulnerability as he becomes overwhelmed and gradually more in over his head due to the film's central case that he's been tasked to unmask. He truly feels raw and a shell of a man coming off a big journalistic faux pas at the start of the film, and Dan crafts a compelling character out of that human drama. He also shows off his knack for extremely dry humor, as he takes on the role of the straight man to a cast of characters who he often doesn't realize are making jokes. Always feeling ten steps behind the punchline, Dan often gives Blomkvist an endearing sort of innocence or naivete. That doesn't detract from the character's intellect, however, as Dan can also effectively fall into the troubled detective of such rich cinematic tradition. Like the greats before him taking on similar roles, Dan perfectly represents the exhaustion, anxiety and fear that the best film detectives express while being overwhelmed by their own cases. While I still find it a tad odd to hear Dan using a British accent while a lot of the cast are going for a more local, Swedish one, the kinds of things he brings to every performance still keep me glued to the screen no matter what. It's because of films like this that make me see him in anything, no matter the role or genre he's taking on.
Dragon Tatto contains only minor issues for me, as I can easily fall into it and forget that the film is nearly three hours long. It really is a ride and you just hop on it as it takes you to ordinary locations that are given an extraordinary spookiness and inherent danger; basically, the Fincher standard. This movie fits in perfectly with Fincher's other twisted mysteries, including Se7en and Zodiac, where very troubled characters are taken down haunting and bizarre alleyways of terror to solve even more bizarre and haunting cases. One day I'll have to use a weekend to watch the "Fincher Twisted Mystery Trilogy" from Friday to Sunday, one for each night.
In closing, I do think that Dragon Tattoo could be trimmed in places, as it can have some false starts and emphasize certain moments that aren't as important as others in the film itself. Some changes were made from the book that I actually think were improvements, but the focus of the film could have been more honed and instead of taking the narrative down certain alleys it would've perhaps been more effective to allocate that time to more relevant and pressing aspects of the story like the central case.
Very little to complain about, really, and I would recommend this movie to the same sorts of people I recommended Shutter Island to: viewers who don't mind mysteries that emphasize character over said mystery in a film that presents very real and uncensored content that will make you uncomfortable because of how based in reality it is. As with Scorsese's work in that film, here Fincher uses the volatile content not to shock you raw, but instead to present the very real horrors of the world that man is capable of committing, another timeless theme of the detective genre that often shows how far humans can fall in their own desperation or selfishness. In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo you will confront man and beast not as separate entities, but as one, with no holds barred. If that doesn't bug you, I invite you to take a train and join Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara on the grounds of that spooky manor.
I forgot to mention another positive in my most recent impression of the film: it's one of the only remakes that I think actually makes the case for its existence. While far too many reboots or remakes are done for easy profit or to retain rights, this movie truly represents a team going for it to make the best project they can in the name of the art itself.
@0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Interesting you should pick on The Fincher touch. I want to add that it's been a while since I saw both adaptations, but the thing that made me feel the Swedish adaptation was better (other than the casting), is the focus on mood. I felt like the Fincher version was too "Fincher" for it's own good. More like Fincher taking on TGWTDT, rather than TGWTDT, directed by Fincher. The original had more of the Scandinavian crime procedural style (of course), that makes the story more as it should be, to me. You definitely should see the original. With the Swedish adaptation you also have the opportunity to watch the sequels.
Need to read the novel again, too. Haven't read that in a long, long time.
Blasphemy. Go to your room.
I actually think Noomi Rapace's performance was better than Mara's. Rapace sold the character more for me. Same in the case of Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist, compared to Craig. I think you'll find the Swedish adaptation to be just as good as the American one, and - depending on your own preference in tone, etc., maybe even better.
In any case the Swedish adaptation is more a Scandinavian noir, like Bron/Broen (The Bridge), for example. Also, I may be mistaken, but I think I read somewhere that the English translations of the books were heavily edited?
As gritty as I imagined it (and early 70's Tyne and Wear) to be. Shame I haven't seen it before now!
LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH.
Yup. Legendary stuff.
Really enjoyed it. Was a bit surprised to see Britt Ekland having such a brief role, when her name is included on the poster. Probably for advertising purposes, or because of that phone scene.
Glad you like it Torg,its a great British gritty revenge thriller.
It's been on my list for years. Haven't seen anything with Michael Caine that I didn't like, and Get Carter didn't disappoint, either. Reading about the film, it ranks high on lists of the best British films, too.
It does..its a film that is generally loved here...thats why the Stallone remake was just laughed at over here.
Take it the remake wasn't well received anywhere!
Absolute shite !
Some films are just so good you cant remake them,and this is one of them..who would give the green light to remake a film like Get Carter ?
(Whoever it was i hope they were sacked).
Think you can count on one hand (possibly two hands) the amount of remakes that bettered the original. Never seem to work. American remakes of European films generally loose their appeal once they go across the pond.
I was very impressed with this film when I first saw it upon release. It was the first time I saw Ray Winstone in anything and I made note of him as someone to keep a look out for. However, it was Ben Kingsley who blew me away with his against type performance as Don Logan, a Cockney gangsta who visits Winstone's retired thief Gary 'Gal' Dove at his home in sunny Spain in order to coax him back to London for one last job. Gal would rather not go back to his old life, but Don is quite persuasive.
Director Jonathan Glazer does a marvelous job with this film in my view. It combines grit with style and flair. The eclectic soundtrack by Roque Banos is first class as well, and includes tracks by Henry Mancini, The Stranglers and UNKLE/South among others. There's a bit of Danny Boyle in Glazer's approach, which incorporates a youthful, colourful energy, a bit of eccentricity and some weird camera angles. There's also a bit of Scorsese. Most importantly, the acting and characterizations are first class here. Not only Kingsley and Winstone, but also the always superb Ian McShane in a role he was born to play.
I don't want to give anything more away, but you must watch this film if you are a fan of English gangster genre. You won't be disappointed. It's one of the best of the last 20 years. A masterclass in how to build tension & make the viewer unsettled without breaking the budget.
Blu ray ? ..wow it must be fantastic to watch on that !
Hopefully Sky will offer it to buy on digital download..i dont need the DVD i have that..fingers crossed !
You might want to try 'Donkey Punch'...another British film,starring Ray Winstone's daughter as well...a compelling watch.