Based on the
2005 book The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and a
remake of the 2009 Swedish version, I enjoyed this movie for what it
is—a well-crafted crime thriller that captures your attention from the start.
As much as I
enjoyed this movie, I believe the
Swedish version of this film is better. The
Swedish version has a grittier, more understated feel, especially in the performances. The actors come across as less polished, which makes the world feel more raw and real—like they’re just dealing with whatever life throws at them. Their reactions and facial expressions really add to the thrill and make the movie feel more realistic, which makes it all the more exciting. In contrast, the 2011 version feels more like I’m watching a movie (yes, we know it's a movie), and while the directing and acting are solid, they don’t pull me in the same way. It doesn’t feel like I’m witnessing something that could actually happen, which the Swedish version does so well.
Here, it seemed
more like the actors, like in most American films, were confident, strong, and
always had a look of determination.
The movie starts
with Mikael (Daniel Craig) losing a libel case. On the other side of things, we
have Lisbeth (Rooney Mara), a socially awkward lady who clearly has a dark
past.
She was sent to
investigate Mikael by a lawyer—an investigation that made us understand that
Mikael was actually set up. Lisbeth, because of her troubled childhood, had a
legal guardian watching over her. Her old guardian fell ill, and a new one was
assigned to her. He took advantage of the situation to control her financially
and exploit her sexually, something Lisbeth handled in her own way.
Later on, Mikael
is hired by a wealthy man to investigate the disappearance/murder of his ward,
Harriet. Mikael started to investigate, and when he asked for help, he was sent
Lisbeth. The two began to investigate Harriet’s murder, which led them down the
path of numerous murders of other girls all over the country happening over the
years. The two felt they could handle how deep things went and the complexity
of their predicament, but as we watch, we too are dragged down the path, as
things are never what they seem.
If you compare
the performances of the leads, the actresses who played Lisbeth—Mara in this
version and Noomi Rapace in the 2009 version—I believe, from my view, Rapace
was better by a hair than Mara. Rapace got a lot of recognition for her
performance, and so did Mara for her role here. On the other hand, when it came
to the male lead Mikael, Craig, to me, was better than Michael Nyqvist in the
2009 version.
I fully enjoyed
the way David Fincher (director) depicted the gruesome events from the book. As
in the first movie, the cinematography here is top-class, which further carried
the thrill needed for this crime thriller. The movie was both a critical and commercial
success, and Mara received an Academy Award nomination for her role as Lisbeth.
The movie had a
sequel done some years later, with none of the two main cast members returning
to reprise their roles.
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