The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (English Version)

Fashionably Late to the After Party Movie Reviews - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (English Version) - Daniel Craig plays his weakest male of his career alongside Rooney Mara, of the New York Football Giants' family. This movie, based off the book by the same name, is intentionally hard on everyone. Combine the screwed up world of Criminal Minds with the screwed up world of Law and Order: SVU, put it on HBO after hours and also add Nazis. You might be close to the truly demented world of Sweden. Apparently, the book's original title directly translated is "Men who hate women". The amount of hype/buzz/taboo about Steig Larsson's creation combined with the opportunity to cheaply watch it at home with no other audience but my pets lead me to this viewing. Also, I'm always keeping an eye out for more book series to Nook.

I'm not going to ruin the plot, but you need to know going into it just how messed up it is. The Nazis are the nicest part. Plot devices include brutal murders, violent rape, and torture. The movie doesn't shy away from it, and I bet the book is worse. Yes, I watched this without reading the book. I did my research on the internets to have a clue for what I was getting in to. So no, this will not be a comparison to the book, nor do I want it to be.

Instead, I want to open by giving a lot of credit to David Fincher, the director. He has a way of making the environment and the atmosphere surround and pressure the audience, and it amps up the tension to impressive levels. "Support your work Chris?" Don't mind if I do! Fincher also directed Panic Room. The bad guy in that movie wasn't Jared "30 Seconds to the end of his movie career" Leto, or Forest Whitaker's multi-directional glare, or even young Kristen Stewart's only performance that could be considered acting. It was the Room itself. You felt the panic of the room (see what I did there?) because it was the oppressive obstacle to our heroes' freedom.

Seriously, KStew peaked early

So in TGWTDT, Fincher once again shows his mastery of closed doors, narrowing hallways, exitless rooms, and suffocating silence. The source material will (and should) make you uncomfortable. The added weight of Fincher's direction and cinematography will make you feel it physically. It's fantastic and traumatizing all at once. There are multiple "What. Woah. Ohhhhhh Shit." moments that leave alasting mark. 

Secondly, Fincher's pacing feels like you are working through a book. I really appreciated this slow read...to a point. The last half hour or so is largely wrapping up various points that could've been left out of the film, or at least cut down. Not bad, but by that point I just wanted credits and a stiff drink.

Daniel Craig is certainly present and passable, but he doesn't quite fit the character he's trying to portray. He felt like he wanted to go back to wearing a tux and shooting guns, but had to keep remembering "cardigan" and "no". It certainly doesn't help that Ms. Football McFootball (FYI - "Rooney" as in Steelers organization Rooney? Also related) is extremely solid. Lisbeth Salander is beyond the category of damaged goods. Mara does a great job of being a shell of a person, with a deep hidden interior and a unique accent. She also is scarily believable in the abuse she takes, and what she does as a result. While I wasn't always captivated by her, she was extremely good. 

I've had a lot to say on this version of the movie, and that's probably because it made me feel. It is a twisted, horrific, dark piece of work, that I have a hard time not calling art in some form. It forces you to feel a broad range of uncomfortable emotions. Still, I expect people that subjected themselves to the book will find myraid flaws with the movie. I say that, because I have no interest in reading the book series, and it will be a challenging decision to see any of the subsequent movies (or Danish versions, even with the chance to compare Noomi "That Surgery Scene In Prometheus" Rapace ). I imagine the books are a step beyond in every direction, and that the next movie will work to top Dragon Tattoo, or give us more of the horrendous tragedies inflicted on the characters. I'm not sure that I need that in my life. I'm also sure that the movie gives a perfectly serviceable telling, but I completely understand fanboyism (Half Blood Prince was unacceptable, and everyone involved with the decision making should be rolledupinacarpetandthrownoffabridge).

I'll close with this: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a slow moving, tense, violent and abusive movie that doesn't look for your comfort or forgiveness. Watch it at your own risk. If you are willing to bravely cross the velvet rope after knowing some of what you're getting, I think you will appreciate the experience. Just remember, the velvet rope is there for a reason, and it is okay to stay in line for something else.