The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

          David Fincher’s version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is by far one of the best movies I have seen this year, but it is also one of the darkest. Although behind the veil of darkness lies incredible lessons and morals that are usually not talked about. That being said, this film is not for everyone so please research it before seeing it. To be honest, I am surprised that nobody walked out of the theater during this movie.

          The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo has the best title sequence I have ever seen. Much like the beginning of a James Bond film, there are various human forms that appear within the scene. Fincher’s goal for the title sequence was to show Lisbeth Salander’s mind as she’s going through a nightmare, which he accomplished flawlessly. Everything is dripping in a black liquid that consumes the viewers, which symbolizes both sex and powerlessness. This opening is one of the best hooks I have seen in a movie and this scene alone should win awards.

          For the film as a whole, David Fincher’s version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is better than the Swedish version because the actors are more accurate to the characters, the cinematography is better, and the film sticks more closely to the book.

          One of my biggest problems with the 2009 Swedish version is that Michael Nyqvist doesn’t look like Mikael Blomkvist. I felt that Daniel Craig, despite not having a Swedish accent, fit the look of the character more accurately. 

          Also, I felt that Rooney Mara looked played Lisbeth Salander more accurately. Noomi Rapace did a phenomenal job in the Swedish film but I felt that she looked more violent and aggressive than she should. Mara, looked innocent but could quickly turn into a ruthless, violent woman which made her character more lovable and believable. It is because of her emotional innocence that the viewers feel terrible about her getting raped.

          As shown in the title sequence, the cinematography is breathtaking and absolutely astounding. Jeff Cronenweth, the cinematographer of Fight Club, and The Social Network, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo did a terrific job. He is known for his dim lit scenes and his shallow depth of field in order to “keep the audience focused on what we wanted them to see.” 

          The biggest reason why The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is such an amazing film is because of how close the script sticks to the novel. Things that were left out in the Swedish film made this story much more accurate and enjoyable such as Mikael’s daughter, Erika Burger, Millennium's financial troubles, and Lisbeth’s previous guardian. Sometimes, it is the minor details that makes us feel like the film is real. These seemingly innocuous facts were added to David Fincher’s film thus making it better. Some of my favorite examples of this are Lisbeth’s hilarious T-Shirts, Tjorven the cat, and Lisbeth getting a tattoo after she was raped.

          Known for his films with dark plot lines, Fincher did a magnificent job with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which revolves around rape.  While the rape scenes are not enjoyable to watch, they are very crucial to the plot of the film/book.  These are some of the most disturbing scenes I have watched, so beware. However, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was successful at exposing me to the absolute horror that is involved in rapes.

          Overall, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is one of best movies I have seen this year. This is one of those films that I could analyze for hours and watch repeatedly. I would advise you to see the film, but be careful because the material is highly disturbing. I cannot wait for it to come out on DVD so that I can buy it and watch all of the bonus features. All I can say is that there is a reason why The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was on the best seller list and sold 30 million copies.