Film: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Cast includes: Daniel Craig (Casino Royale), Rooney Mara (The Social Network), Christopher Plummer (The Insider), Robin Wright (Moneyball)
Director: David Fincher (Se7en, The Social Network)
Genre: Crime/Thriller/Mystery/Drama (2011) Based on the 2005 novel by Steig Larsson
It’s Christmas, and another one arrives… as usual, there’s no note. Henrik Vanger needs closure on this 40-year-old mystery… the murder of his niece, Harriet. In the meantime, Mikael Blomkvist, editor of Millennium Magazine, has just lost a liable trial against a powerful financial institution, Wennerström. After stepping down as editor of Millennium, Vanger hopes Blomkvist will be willing to take on Harriet’s mystery. To make sure he’s right for the job, Vanger has Blomkvist investigated, and it’s Lisbeth Salander who prepares the report. We meet Lisbeth when Henrik’s lawyer meets her… against the advice of her employer. “We prefer she work from home. She’s different.” But despite Lisbeth’s antisocial demeanor, her work is credible, and Blomkvist gets a call from Vanger’s lawyer.
Mikael arrives in Hedestad on a cold and snowy day to meet the former head of Vanger Industries on the family’s island. Blomkvist doesn’t really want the assignment, but Henrik makes the offer very attractive… including useful information on Wennerström. On the day Harriet disappeared, there was an accident on the bridge… which means that no one was able to enter or leave the island. Her killer had to have been a family member. Henrik shows Mikael the collection of pressed flowers he received yearly from Harriet… along with the additional ones he’s receives each year from Harriet’s murderer. “Someone in the family has been trying to drive me crazy for the last 40 years.”
Like all families, there are some unsavory characters… including several with Nazi pasts. “Soon you will know us all too well,” Henrik tells Mikael with an apology. In reviewing the clues, there isn’t much that hasn’t already been investigated… except for a list of names and numbers. It’s not until Mikael starts making some connections that he realizes he needs a research assistant. And that’s when Mikael meets the socially inept Lisbeth. In the meantime, we’ve also been following Lisbeth and her struggles with her new guardian at Social Welfare. We know that Mikael couldn’t ask for a more resourceful collaborator.
If you’ve already seen the 2009 Swedish film, you may wonder why you’d want to see a remake. Although there are obviously many similarities, there are differences, too. This film is a bigger departure from the novel than the Swedish film. This version is a bit faster paced with a few added wrinkles, while it also simplifies other plot details. It would be hard to imagine a better Lisbeth than Noomi Rapace, but Rooney Mara is truly excellent. This Lisbeth isn’t quite as physical or as tough, but she’s every bit as compelling… even though she’s not quite the superhero of the 2009 film. This is a complex story with many subplots, and most of it holds together impressively well. But once the mystery of Harriet’s disappearance gets resolved, there are still several subplots to wrap up, and this version attempted to expand them a bit. The film runs over 2.5 hours and most of it is totally engaging. But after the first 2 hours, they start rushing us through the details of the needlessly expanded subplots. It feels as if the narrative style totally changes at this point… a pity. That said… most of it is very exciting and enjoyable, even if you’ve read the book and/or seen the Swedish film.
3 popped kernels
An absorbing crime thriller based on the Steig Larsson novel… 2 very exciting hours, plus 30 minutes of somewhat confusing epilog
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R
Primary Audience: Young adults
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Mainstream wide release
Mood: Both upbeat and somber
Tempo: Zips right along
Visual Style: High-end production
Character Development: Engaging
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Pure entertainment
