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Do I mind? NOPE :P
You can’t take your eyes off Rooney Mara as the notorious Lisbeth Salander, in the American movie version of Stieg Larsson’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (opening December 21st). Slender, sheathed in black leather, with short ebony hair standing up in a tuft, her fingers poking out of black woollen gloves as they skitter across a laptop keyboard, Mara (who played Mark Zuckerberg’s girlfriend at the beginning of “The Social Network”) cuts through scene after scene like a swift, dark blade. Salander is a twenty-four-year-old hacker with many piercings, of herself and of others. She’s both antisocial and intensely sexual—vulnerable and often abused but overequipped to take revenge. She lives in an aura of violence. Salander obviously accounts for a big part of the success of Larsson’s crime novels—both men and women are turned on by her—and Mara makes every scene that she appears in jump. She strips off and climbs right onto Daniel Craig, as Mikael Blomkvist, the investigative journalist who takes Salander on as a partner, and whom she makes her lover. Craig looks a little surprised. In this movie, he is modest, quiet, even rather recessive. It’s Mara’s shot at stardom, and he lets her have it.
Much of the movie is set on a private island controlled by the Vanger clan, a wealthy Swedish industrial family peopled with criminals, perverts, solitaries, exiles, dead Nazis, and a grieving old man, Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), who has never got over the disappearance of his grandniece, forty years earlier. In one last attempt to find her, he hires Blomkvist, who has been temporarily discredited in a libel suit, and sets him up as an investigator on the island, a place that no American one-per-cent family would ever dream of owning. It’s way up north, windy, snowy, and treacherously beautiful; once you cross the bridge to this enclave, you enter an icy hell. Blomkvist and Salander, warming each other, conduct their investigation from the island, hacking into whatever files they need; they leave only when they have to, with Mara, head down in the wind, tearing around Sweden on a motorcycle like—well, like a bat out of hell. The movie zips ahead, in short, spiky scenes punctuated by skillfully edited montages of digitized photographs and newspaper articles. David Fincher, who directed the picture (working with Steven Zaillian’s screenplay), moves at a much faster pace than he did in “Zodiac,” his 2007 movie about a murder investigation. In “Zodiac,” every time a piece of evidence trembles into view, it quickly recedes again. That movie is an expression of philosophical despair: the truth can never be known. “Dragon Tattoo” says the opposite: it celebrates deduction, high-end detective work—what Edgar Allan Poe called “ratiocination.” Everything can be known if you look long and hard enough, especially if you have no scruples about hacking into people’s bank accounts, e-mails, and business records. Salander is a criminal, but she’s our criminal.
At heart, of course, the material is pulpy and sensational. The Vanger men committed atrocious crimes against women in the past, and Salander, who is a ward of the state, is twice brutalized by a smarmy social worker who controls her money. There are certainly lurid moments, but I wouldn’t say that Fincher exploits the material. When Salander is raped, the scene registers as a horror; it’s prolonged and discomforting. And her revenge, however justified, and however much it may amuse the audience, is another horror. This is a bleak but mesmerizing piece of filmmaking; it offers a glancing, chilled view of a world in which brief moments of loyalty flicker between repeated acts of betrayal.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/cinema/2011/12/12/111212crci_cinema_denby
It frustrates me when most of a review just tells me what happens in the movie. I could have written that just based off the Swedish version -_-
I suppose we'll have to wait a while longer (the 13th) to see the reviews we're really waiting for.
So, it seems Sony won. They wanted a film of two and half hours whereas Fincher's first version was three hours. I hope that makes its way to DVD/BD in the future.
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/BFF279624/
I doubt, or at least hope, the lesser run time will hurt the finished product. Sony want more showings per day, so a slightly shorter version should allow for this.
That said one should wait best for the Director's cut on dvd/bluray, since that is bound to come.
Amazing that Fincher matches the Swedish tv episodes that make the first book 3 hours as well. From what I saw of the trailer there ware a lot similar imagery going on.
;)
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_girl_with_the_dragon_tattoo/
:D
It seems that's at least three films I need to see this month then. Now to find the money. ;)
Here is a review, that mirrors more or less the lot
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/1166881/the_girl_with_the_dragon_tattoo_review.html
It’s a cold film, certainly, bearing a similarity to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy in that regard. But where it differs from that movie is that there’s a slightly easier way into the story for the audience. And it comes in the shape of Daniel Craig’s Mikael Blomkvist.
Appreciating that it’s Rooney Mara’s performance as Lisbeth Salander that’s going to – with some justification – get the lion’s share of the acting plaudits (and we’ll come to her in a minute), it’s Craig’s understated turn that holds the film together.
This isn’t action-man, 007 Daniel Craig. Instead, this is the first class actor that earned the James Bond gig in the first place (think back to films such as The Mother) His portrayal of Blomkvist - a man not short of shades of grey - is one of his quietest, most controlled, and effective pieces of work.
Dragon Tattoo currently at 92% on RT - 12 reviews, 1 bad.
Read the reviews here...
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_girl_with_the_dragon_tattoo/
Question: Given the compression of the last two books, if you direct the whole series would you consider shooting them at the same time?
Fincher: Yes, the second two books are very much one story and it doesn’t seem prudent to me to go to Sweden for a year. Come back for a year. Put out the second one. Go to Sweden for a year. Come back for a year. I don’t think Rooney wants to be doing this four years from now. So I think that would be crazy especially given the sense that it’s really one story that’s kind of bifurcated in the middle.
http://collider.com/girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-sequels-shooting-back-to-back/132975/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/18/daniel-craig-on-intimate-piercings-dragon-tattoo_n_1156399.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
So yes, as @Germanlady said, there would be 2 sequels, but shot back to back.
When it comes to remakes it's rarely they are worth it or even more rare the equal or better than the original, a critically acclaimed remake of Thomas Alfredson's Let The Right One In was released last year directed by Cloverfield's Matt Reeves but due to my love of the Swedish version I have not bothered with it, I'm sure some will be of the same opinion of this Hollywood version of the late Steig Larrson's best seller and first book of his Millennium trilogy The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. All the ingredients were in place for this to be a watered down version for those who can't be bothered to read subttiles. In all fairness for all the acclaim levelled at Niels Arden Oplev's version it is Noomi Rapace's highly acclaimed powerhouse reading of Lisbeth Salander that is the real draw, the books themselves are effective page turners and although not plummeting to the depths of Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series they aren't works of literary genius, they have a tendency to get bogged down in details and conspiracy, the books certainly have their critics but they have all sold millions of copies worldwide creating an audience for any film adaptation, the Swedish one got their first but is it the better film?
Oplev's film was a highly entertaining film but it took more than a few beats from a number of films, yes inevitable Silence Of The Lambs comparisons are justified but the two films which are more than evident he has taken a few pages from are David Fincher's Se7en and Zodiac. Se7en practically reinvented the serial killer genre and raised the bar so high that cinema has been struggling to match its power ever since. Zodiac saw Fincher then approach the genre from an entirely different direction and deliver is outright masterpiece. Which begs the question why this same director be the one who signed on to helm a Hollywood remake with Sony Columbia when he has already made the definitive statement on the genre? Taking Rapace's performance out of the equation we have a competent thriller but nothing particularly new or surprising and Oplev for all his efforts is no Fincher.
Fincher is on record as saying what gravitated him towards the project is the fact that it was an adult franchise (the Swedish version has already had two inferior TV sequels released theatrically here and the U.S strangely directed by Daniel Alfredson Thomas' less talented brother) and this was something we rarely see, It's a credit to Sony Columbia that they agreed with Fincher and allowed him to deliver a no holds barred version. In all fairness though to Rooney Mara's Lisbeth Salander her take is far more than just a cover version of Rapace's. More down to age but Noomi always seems like a woman in the Swedish version, this is no detriment to her performance it's narrowly superior but in the book Salander reads as been mistaken for a 14 year old boy or girl, this is never evident with Rapace, where Mara's appearance perfectly illustrates it and it is only when she takes control notably in two sequences that she is undoubtedly a Woman. Fincher takes a big gamble casting her, having obviously seen the potential with her brief but pivotal performance in his last film the masterful Oscar winning The Social Network. The role was coveted by number of high profile female actors and non actors according to Fincher and one British tabloid hinted that Hermoine Granger herself Emma Watson was with her new shorn barnet looking for an audition, it was quoted as being the most sort after role since Scarlett O'Hara.
The other key role in the story is that of the Investigative Journalist Mikael Blomvist as essayed by Michael Nyqvist in Oplev's film, rumours circulated that Fincher's regular leading man Brad Pitt was considering the role, now while I have allot of time for Pitt particularly with his work with Fincher, this role is just to every man for him to be believable. Craig has shown although not that recently that a role like Blomvist is more than in his grasp. All the plaudits will no doubt be directed towards Mara who gives a terrific and confident performance but unlike her Craig gives a superior reading to his Swedish counterpart. Craig delivers a far more vulnerable Blomvist, Nyquist came across a little smug and knowing whereas Craig exudes a vulnerability and a a loss of confidence due to the liability suit he has lost that we see the conclusion of at the beginning of the film. Steven Zallian's script wisely opting to dump the element of Blomvist going to jail in the book and the other film, tightening the narrative. Fincher stated that their film had jettisoned the parts of the book they felt slowed the pace down. Fincher and his DP Jeff Cronenweth display the intricacies of the investigation through the documents and photographs, showing Blomvist pouring over the evidence extracting information in order to aid his investigation. The film shows an obvious combination of both Se7en and Zodiac but also with development that Fincher has displayed a maturing as he moves into his 50's. Criticism could be levelled at Fincher and Zallian depending where you sit, if you are looking for the detail contained in Larrson's book you might feel short changed, Fincher didn't sign on to make a serial killer film he's already done that, he said he was far more interested in the relationship between Mikael and Lisbeth. With his two leads he has lucked out, although Nyqvist and Rapace you felt a kinship with Craig and Mara you feel more emotion their chemistry is far more effective and deep, for a director regularly levelled with criticism of being a technician and cold here he elicits two performances with moments of genuine tenderness, Mara displaying a level that no would have thought capable and Craig finally getting a chance to flex his acting muscles rather than his physical ones since becoming 007.
We also have a rich supporting cast, Christopher Plumber an actor who in his twilight years is getting some real plum roles, relishes the role of Henik Vanger, else where similar
quality from Stellan Skarsgard and it's nice to see Steven Berkoff in the role of Henrik's right hand Frode. Other brief players Robin Wright as Erika Berger Blomvist's business partner and lover. Yorick van Wageningen is suitably creepy in the role of Salander's recently appointed replacement guardian Bjurman, Wageningen and Mara both quite brilliant in their pivotal scenes in the first half of the films, both the rape sequence are handled with a brutal realness and Fincher does not shirk from this one bit, those expecting a dumbing down will be refreshingly relieved although both sequences won't be for everyone. The quality of the supporting cast might make some feel they are wasted but I can only think that actors desire to work with a director with Fincher's reputation were all than happy to sign up for brief appearances, this is about Salander & Blomvist and Mara and Craig's quality are worthy of their supporting players efforts.
Coming off the back of a richly deserved academy award for his score to Fincher's The Social Network Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor and his regular collaborator Atticus Ross didn't hesitate to work with the director again and signed on to provide the musical accompaniment to Tattoo. A real synthesis with Cronenweth's cinematography adding to overall atmosphere. While not a score apart from the most diehard Reznor fan that is likely to be listened to independent from the film like Ennio Morriconnie's score to John Carpenter's The Thing it is vital to the proceedings.
No this doesn't touch the level of Se7en, Zodiac, Fight Club or The Social Network for that matter, this is more down to the source material being of such a servicable nature and not the efforts of Fincher and his cast and crew, Fincher has taken somewhat of a potboiler and invested it with more depth and in my view despite the superior Salander in the Swedish film has delivered a overall superior version of the best seller. With the likelihood of two more films and everything to play for, both the Swedish versions of the subsequent books The Girl Who Started Fires and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest being two very disappointing television films. If Fincher stays on and pray he does I am most intrigued if he and Zallian can continue to continue to elevate Larsson's source material above it's rather pulpy nature.
9.5/10
The bigger news is the muscular performance of “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” which suddenly looks like it will be over $60 million at the end of Monday. Like Lisbeth Salander herself, the early numbers looked mousy, but it turns out there might be a chance there’s a fighter here after all. “Dragon Tattoo” wasn’t cheap (it is David Fincher, after all), but it’s not far-fetched that Sony pushes this to nine figures. Get those pyrotechnics and hornet experts ready, we might have ourselves a franchise!
source: http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/weekend-box-office-strong-rebound-numbers-for-entire-marketplace-with-mission-impossible-on-top-again
Also it went up on RT from 85% like it to 90%.
Great review @Shardlake, I'm yet to see it and your review only wants to make me watch this, even more.
Here's to the sequels. Hope they don't interfere with the Bond release schedule.
=))
As for the sequels, they'll be worked around Craig's schedule. It helps that his character is not in the next two novels as much, so everything should be fine.
Thanks, I was most impressed with it and others I've spoken to are as well but it's not been glowing reviews all round, I am a self confessed Fincher fan so I went in wanting to like this and left not disappointed.
I knew Mara was a given as all the reviews had gone on about her but for me it was getting to see Craig in a proper film allowing him to act dramatically rather than punch people and look moody, I feel is choices of late of done nothing but ammunition to those who feel he's a one note actor, those who've seen him in the likes of Our Friends In The North (still DC's finest performance) know he's capable of much more and David Fincher gives us the film with just that.
There is some beautiful chemistry between him and Mara and his Blomvist is so much more human than the previous one, his vulnerability shows in his performance and unfortunately he's not getting enough praise, yes he's generous to Mara but if he wasn't there her performance wouldn't be as good.
The James Bond star appears to be re-growing his designer stubble, which featured in some "Skyfall" scenes shot on location in London last month. As the production is once again filming in the capital city, it would appear that Craig is getting his look ready again to rejoin the cast this weekend and continue shots for those sequences.
<img src="http://www.mi6-hq.com/news/images/craig_jan_2011_tattoo_premiere_madrid1.jpg">;
<img src="http://www.mi6-hq.com/news/images/craig_jan_2011_tattoo_premiere_madrid2.jpg">;
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He was joined once again by his Nike trainers with orange laces that have divided Bond fashion fans.
Craig hit back at critics who say he needs to lighten up. "There’s no point," he said. "It’s just not the way I’m constructed. I think it would show me up in a worse light – 'Oh look, he’s trying to make us like him now. What a c***”'."
<img src="http://www.mi6-hq.com/news/images/craig_jan_2011_tattoo_premiere_berlin1.jpg">;
<img src="http://www.mi6-hq.com/news/images/craig_jan_2011_tattoo_premiere_berlin2.jpg">;
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