The spectacular, supercharged and oily-black opening sequence to David Fincher’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo kicks in, the strains of Immigrant Song given an industrial hard-edge by soundtrack composer Trent Reznor, collocated by Katie O’s ethereal screaming vocals. An impressive and engaging choice, the imagery of which largely sets the tone for the rest of the action, but there’s no denying its flaws. Still, having seen all three of the Swedish movies, and read the books, it was with an open mind and high expectations that I embarked anew upon the journey into the world of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’…
The carefully weaved story sees the disgraced lead journalist of Millenium magazine – Mikael Blomqvist (Daniel Craig) – offered a chance at redemption by rich industrialist Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), who hopes to finally find the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of his niece, a riddle that has haunted him for decades. Meanwhile, the enigmatic computer hacker known as Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) is hired by Blomqvist to help to discover the macabre secrets of Vanger Island; fiery Lisbeth finds herself increasingly embroiled in personal warfare against a tide of violence – not only in the Swedish cityscape of Stockholm – but also the beautiful wilderness of the Vanger stately island.
Previously adapted from the first book of Swedish author Stieg Larsson’s original trilogy – with Lisbeth played by recent Prometheus star Noomi Rapace – for those who have seen both, Fincher’s Dragon Tattoo (abridged title) may at first glance appear as much more of the same. Due to the reliance upon the original source material, the narratives and characters in both films certainly share a ton of common ground; the Swedish language versions were well-received critically and DVD sales were good for all three which begs the obvious question of why do it in the first place?
From an artistic point of view – on paper at least – it may be hard to tell the two versions of Dragon Tattoo apart, each scene executed similarly by the motivations and story arcs of its various characters. The answer is not necessarily purely financial, though the proven success of the originals in the European markets both in cinemas (where applicable) and DVD sales certainly seems to have been an inspiration; Fincher’s version is, however, a more stylish, oily-black and slick affair throughout – somewhat Westernized by the strange hybrid accents on display, certainly. Whilst Daniel Craig’s Anglo-Saxon-Ikean voice work may sit somewhat uncomfortably with some, his portrayal of Blomkvist is one of the high points of a film full of great performances, with he and Christopher Plummer in particular stealing the show with refined, nuanced performances that benefit the on-screen drama greatly. Rooney Mara as Salander plays a fantastic gothic super-heroine, rooted in the harsh realities of her own life – able to demonstrate the vulnerable introvertedness of the character, still utterly fierce and increasingly vengeful when provoked.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo really finds its necessary visual moodiness in the understated palette of Fight Club cinematogapher Jeff Cronenweth, with every scene – set in a country dependent on a harsh climate – rendered beautifully with shades of green, grey, black and silver – cold, clinical, calm, and irresistible from start to finish. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails provides a brooding, esoteric score: much like its protagonist Lisbeth, the films score is crucial to the film, formidable but delicate and vulnerable.
I enjoyed this character-driven thriller, full of clever visual juxtaposition, dark imagery, brought to life by interesting performances; it may lack surprise for those familiar with the previous movie incarnation – it may not be different in every way – but David Fincher’s interpretation feels fresh and original, and emotive, defined by the pitch black sense of foreboding that pervades throughout.
Deryn O’Sullivan (@silverscene_)
Deryn Paul O'Sullivan 