The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [2011]

First of all, let me say that no matter how talented the team behind this movie is (and there’s some serious talent here), knowing every single thing that’s going to happen beforehand (I’d already seen the original movie adaptation and read the novel) absolutely kills the suspense and threatens the enjoyment. Still, this American take on the best-selling novel by the late Stieg Larsson, spearheaded by the masterful David Fincher, is a step up over the original adaptation, 2009’s Män som hatar kvinnor, in almost every respect: it’s sexier, smarter, much more violent and stylish. The principal characters have improved as well: Dragon Tattoo has a ballsier ‘Lisbeth’, played with no fear by Oscar nominee Rooney Mara and a more accessible Mikael Blomkvist, courtesy of Daniel Craig. I thought the original version was visually striking but it actually pales in comparison to Jeff Cronenweth’s work behind the lens. On a side note, this movie has the best sweaters captured on film ever.

Category : Film Reviews