The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo--the movie

[BigB08822]

I watched all 3 with subtitles. I knew to not watch them with dubbing as it would completely ruin everything. I think it is always better to find a version with subtitles if at all possible. I don't mind reading and watching but I know some people hate it.

[Theatregirl1122]

I saw the Hollywood movie tonight. I haven't seen the originals but I saw it with a friend who had seen them. I read the books and she hasn't. I felt that, overall, the movie did a good job of portraying the story of the book. There were certainly details left out or changed but that was probably necessary.

So I give the movie good grades for accuracy, but poor grades for pace. The pace was VERY fast. Too fast, for me. I ended the movie feeling like I had whiplash. My friend felt that the original is similar in that respect. She thought that the movies were quite similar although the portrayals of Lisbeth were different. The styling of Lisbeth in this movie was really taken to the nth degree but I didn't think that was necessarily bad. I thought Mara did an excellent job with the character. She also felt that there were some scenes in this movie that made a lot more sense than the original, specifically the ending when Lisbeth is in disguise. She also felt that the rape scene wasn't glossed over for American audiences and was just as disturbing as the original.

Overall, we liked it from both the perspective of someone who'd read the book and someone who'd seen the previous movie but the pacing was a pretty serious issue.

[IceAlisa]

Saw the US version the other day. IMO it was very American--big budget, polished and relatively high paced. But I don't necessarily think it was a bad thing. I was prepared to be critical of Mara, having admired Noomi Rapace's performance but Mara held her own.

She was a more vulnerable Lisbeth, the way the American remake of La Femme Nikita had a more vulnerable heroine.

I have to say it was well-done and did the book justice. One (small) thing I don't understand is why Daniel Craig wore coats a couple of sizes too small. It wasn't flattering or showed off his physique, just looked ill-fitting.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised--a good movie.

[MacMadame]

I watched the Swedish version on Christmas day. I loved it. Hopefully I'll see the US version in theaters and not end up waiting until it comes out on DVD.

[HisWeirness]

I saw the US version last night. My husband and I have listened to all three books on audio book (I technically haven't read them ) and seen all three Swedish movies.

We both felt that the US version was very well done and did a better job of developing the characters and their motivations than the Swedish version of TGWTDT did. The overall visual appearance and mood of the US movie really matched my mental picture of the book (perhaps because I am American). I felt that the screenwriter/director did a good job of distilling the book's story to the film format. I felt that the Swedish movie had a faster pace than the US movie. If I was not familiar with the books, I feel that I would have had a harder time following the plot of the Swedish version than the US version.

We both disliked the opening (credits) sequence of the movie. I get what they were trying to do, but it came off as too heavy and artsy . I was pleased when it finally ended. Maybe the sound was just too loud in the theater...

I'm looking forward to the next two movies.

[Vash01]

I have only seen the US version (saw it last weekend) and liked it a lot. I have not seen the Swedish movies and have not read the books. I plan to read the books now, but that may spoil the sequels for me. I thought both main characters acted very well, especially Rooney Mara. I had seen her in The Social Network. Based on that I would not have imagined her in this role but she did a fabulous job. The cinematography was excellent and I liked the fast pace and the suspense. I am also happy that they went with a relatively unknown actress.

Now I can't wait to see the next two movies. I am going to hold off on the Swedish ones, to avoid comparisons in the middle of it.

[peibeck]

I saw the movie yesterday. I loved Rooney Mara, but I actually felt the film was a bit plodding in places. Until the two main characters begin working with each other (at about the mid point in the movie), I felt the pace was a little languid. I also had a problem with how Daniel Craig played his part (or was directed to play his part), he seemed like the least tenacious reporter I've ever seen.

For those who have read the books, I assume

Spoiler

Lisbeth's actions with the stolen funds

in the third act are what trigger the sequel(s)?

[Kasey]

Not completely

[Yehudi]

For those who have read the books, I assume

Spoiler

Lisbeth's actions with the stolen funds

in the third act are what trigger the sequel(s)?

The sequel stems partly from

Spoiler

where she explains why she needs to be a ward of the state and what she did to that sick pervert who was managing her affairs.

The swedish version did a better job of setting up the sequel

Spoiler

They intercut scenes of a young Salander setting her father on fire with the scene where Martin catches on fire

[Mozart]

though

Spoiler

the stolen funds did help her though

[IceAlisa]

We both disliked the opening (credits) sequence of the movie. I get what they were trying to do, but it came off as too heavy and artsy . I was pleased when it finally ended. Maybe the sound was just too loud in the theater...

ITA. They were too high tech as if this were a Terminator movie. But I think the American crew saw the Swedish opening credits and decided they would go bigger, MUCH BIGGER. Bigger is not always better IMO.

I'm looking forward to the next two movies.

Me too. I spoke to a friend who hasn't yet seen the US version and he sneered that the US Lisbeth is surely going to be prettier and more glamorous than the Swedish and I told him that he was wrong.

[Lainerb]

Well wasn't the music produced or written by Trent Reznor? So, the start was basically a music video.

I felt like the US adaptation sexually exploited Lisbeth's character a lot more than the Swedish film.

[IceAlisa]

I felt like the US adaptation sexually exploited Lisbeth's character a lot more than the Swedish film.

[Lainerb]

Well, the rape and sex scenes are far different from eachother. The US one had more gratuitous nudity scenes. It's not even the nudity that bothers me but rather the way it was used. The sex scene with Blomquist was a huge difference.

[IceAlisa]

Some people have sex in the nude. I don't see anything particularly wrong or exploitative in the way the sex scenes were filmed. Le shrug.

[Marge_Simpson]

I've seen all 3 of the Swedish films (sub-titled) and thought they were very well done. Noomi is fab. Is the American version worth seeing?
Having read the books beforehand, I knew that the rape scene was about to happen, and kept my eyes firmly planted at the floor until I was sure it was over.
Does the American film show the scene with the dead cat? I wouldn't care to watch that scene, either.

[IceAlisa]

I was one of the skeptics when the US version was announced but have to admit the movie is good. And Mara did a great job, different from Noomi Rapace but still great.

The rape scene is just as brutal and hard to watch. Yes, they had the cat scene in this one. The cat, btw is adorable (when alive).

[Lainerb]

Some people have sex in the nude. I don't see anything particularly wrong or exploitative in the way the sex scenes were filmed. Le shrug.

Oh, am I the only one to wear a habit while screwing?

[IceAlisa]

Oh, am I the only one to wear a habit while screwing?

Kinky.

One thing didn't make sense to me:

Spoiler

Why did Lisbeth had to stitch up Mikael with dental floss? Yes, they were on an island but surely they could have driven into town for a couple of stitches?

[Evilynn]

ITA. They were too high tech as if this were a Terminator movie. But I think the American crew saw the Swedish opening credits and decided they would go bigger, MUCH BIGGER. Bigger is not always better IMO.

Oh, so THAT was what they were riffing off of! I had no idea why the hell there was a rubber and oil cheap-knock-off-of-Mark-Romanek music video as the opening credits.

Well wasn't the music produced or written by Trent Reznor? So, the start was basically a music video.

It was written and performed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, but the intro is actually a Led Zeppelin cover with Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on vocals. It's a one off collaboration, so the weird music-videoiness of it all can't be used to launch a band or anything like that. The end credits is Reznor's band with his wife & Ross, so that bit might be a case of I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine.

I felt like the US adaptation sexually exploited Lisbeth's character a lot more than the Swedish film.

I was looking at the posters for both at the cinema and thought they were quite telling:
Swedish movie poster, US movie poster (although in Sweden we get the X-rated version where you see Mara's boobs).

I thought the Fincher movie was good, but despite being 2:40 long it felt rushed. I'm not sure if they could've cut more, it's a thick-ish book and it's plot driven, so I think they boiled it down as best they could.

I've seen the Swedish/Danish movie and read the book right before watching Fincher's movie, and in some ways it seems like the Fincher movie stuck closer to the book (admittedly it was quite awhile since I saw the Swedish adaptation). I find it more realistic that a young woman would jump Craig than Nyqvist, but I thought Mara did a lot better job than Craig overall in this movie.

I'm also feeling sort of sorry for all the Swedish actors who had to put on an exaggerated, awful accent.