A Twisted Sister, Rebooted, Re-envisioned, and Reviewed

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2012)

The film is highly recommended.
Many have questioned the rationale to remake this film. After all, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was a well-made successful foreign film just two years ago, appearing on numerous best film lists. Did it really need to be redone? Too many subtitles? Too graphically violent for American audiences? Too much of a European sensibility? Too much of a cash cow to ignore?
Rather than go into any of the detailed plot of Steig Larson's popular novel which most people already know, I decided to list 10 reasons for its existence:
1. The director is David Fincher. No one does creepy better than this talented filmmaker. ( Think back to Se7en, Fight Club, and Zodiac to remind you. ) His films have shown a prurient bend in the past and he is a gifted director whose films have a diverse cult following. Fincher's visual tricks carry with them his unique style and he can say more without words than most directors. So this film treatment suits him to like a leather glove ( pun intended ).
2. It stars Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. The diverse coupling of Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander now is embodied by these two fine actors. Craig has the less flamboyant role as the journalist reporter and plays him with a dogged but world-weary spirit. . Mara plays out Lisbeth's rage in a fearless and bold performance. She also manages to hide the character's vulnerability beneath the sexual and emotional scars left by conspirators and powerful men in general. These actors' strong chemistry elevates this version to a slightly higher degree of excellence due to their credible and realistic portrayals.
3. The mystery still involves its audience. Did a family member kill Henrik Vanger's niece, Harriet, who disappeared almost 40 years ago? Blomkvist and Salander investigate and go on a convoluted journey to solve the case. These damaged individuals need to unravel the mystery as they begin to trust each other and tend to their own personal issues. Just as before, the initial story takes its time to have the characters converge and their subplots, while explaining their motivations, do little to advance the on-going mystery and subsequent investigation.
4. The supporting cast remains strong. Christopher Plummer, Robin Wright, the superb Stellan Skarsgard, Joely Richardson, Steven Berkoff, Geraldine James, and especially Yorick Van Wageningen all do yeoman-like service in their respective roles. Their casting is spot-on and the actors take special pleasure in defining their roles.
5. There are some minor changes in both films. Some minor characters are missing in the American film and some flashback actions are merely mentioned rather than shown in the English language version. Both films have a different visual sense, with Fincher's film less conventional and more edgy and hyper-kinetic. Also, the Blomkvist role seems to be more expanded in this newer version and the romantic pairing of both investigators has been augmented and feels unmerited with its gratuitous moments of nudity. The film's ending differs from the novel also.
6. The sexual content and violent nature of the film is on the edge of a NC-17 rating. This latest reincarnation is more graphic in sexual content and violent overtones than its Swedish predecessor. The camera seems to linger on Mara's body and exploits the actress, which became completely disturbing at times. However, that Mara / Salander connection yielded a veiled discomfort for the moviegoer, adding to the sinister subject matter while stressing the objectification of women in this society.
7. The film boasts an innovative score and a clever use of pop music. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross create a dissonant and effectively soundtrack which adds so much to the visuals on screen. Their use of sound effects melding into the musical background heightens the tension. ( One misstep: the title music by Led Zeppelin in a 80's music video opening credits that is too reminiscent of a James Bond flix, failing to capture the film's more somber tone by choosing a stylish high fashion biker chic. One smart move: the use of Enya's new-age song, Orinoco Flow, to underscore a particularly unsettling and memorable moment in the film's climax. )
8. Technical values are top-notch. As with Fincher's other films, his creative team never fails to astounded its movie-going audience. The cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth, editing by Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, and the production design by Donald Graham Burt are exemplary.
9. There's nothing on television right now except reruns and marathons of vintage series. Enough said.
10. We need an adult violent mystery / thriller to celebrate the holiday season. With so many films being family-oriented fare this December, it's refreshing that adult-oriented films are still available to view to a more discerning moviegoer. This film dazzles in its shocking content and its full- frontal assault on the viewers.
Voyeuristic and racy, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo has a takes-no-prisoners attitude. The violence is brutal and twisted. It makes no excuses for its sensationalized story and boldly stays the course. ( Be forewarned, the film is not for the prudish or the squeamish. ) The 2011 version has been visually updated and efficiently rebooted with only a slight improvement over the excellent Swedish import. Log in to either version. GRADE: B+
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