The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – DVD Review
It took a few years, but it seems that the book that was a hit in Sweden has become a worldwide sensation. For the record, The girl with the dragon tattoo it has no wizards, vampires, or werewolves. What she does have is the most fascinating character to appear in mystery literature in a long time. Her name is Lisbeth Salander. She is the titular heroine in this tightly plotted and sometimes violent crime novel in what is the first in a trilogy of Stieg Larsson mysteries.
The mystery unfolds when journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is found guilty in a libel suit against Swedish industrial magnate Hans-Erik Wennerström. After the verdict, and to his surprise, Mikael is courted by wealthy patriarch Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Taube) to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl. The girl was Vanger’s niece, Harriet, and she had been missing for more than forty years. Mikael, disgraced and jobless, takes over the case, causing him to relocate to the small island where the disappearance occurred. Following his movements is Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace), the investigator assigned to do a background check on Mikael on behalf of the Vanger family. Lisbeth is a polarizing character; her aloof demeanor and goth-inspired attire make her invisible to those who dare look in her general direction. Twenty-four years old and underdeveloped in areas that men like to ogle, Lisbeth is an emotional basket case. Working alone on the case, Mikael is good. But when Lisbeth offers to help, the case takes a dramatic turn. At her insistence, the two work together, going through old photos and documents. Distrusting others, Lisbeth finds that she trusts Mikael more and more, but that trust is soon tested as they grow closer to a possible serial killer.
Seeing the film at this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival, only to read the novel afterwards, the writing team of Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg must be commended for condensing Larsson’s 590-page work (if taken in counts the US softcover release) into an investigative mystery masterpiece. A labyrinth labyrinth of names, faces and theories, dragon tattooThe narrative of sways and weaves throughout the Swedish landscape. Directed by director Niels Arden Oplev, the film is procedurally heavy, metering each scene to allow the viewer to examine the situation alongside Mikael and Lisbeth.
At 150 minutes it never feels too long. If Arcel and Heisterberg hadn’t taken liberties with Larrson’s novel, the film could have been a six-hour miniseries. Subplots are omitted, as is the novel’s rather lengthy epilogue once the mystery is solved, and much of the confusion that comes from reading about the Vanger family tree is simplified for viewers. What remains is a fascinating mystery about ritual murders while examining the rape of women. (Before having a name change The girl with the dragon tattoo was called men who hate women.) The scenes involving Lisbeth and her state-appointed guardian will make you wince, but the payoff will leave you jubilant. It doesn’t make the film any less watchable, but it does help process a character like Lisbeth, whose past discretions are tied to those who prey on women.
When the story goes into “detective mode” dragon tattoo it becomes a fascinating movie. With each photograph or illegal hack, the evidence piles up and we sit with excitement, as if reading a page turn. Supporting the evidence is Oplev’s photograph of the Swedish island that holds the secrets of a mystery that has been colder than the evocative landscape it projects. The lovely couple of Nyqvist and Rapace are not put off; his characters form a bond based on mutual respect without forcing the issue. And the respect they gain from each other is vitally important once the dynamic investigative duo is targeted for assassination.
Steig Larsson’s cinematic interpretation of the international bestseller isn’t just one of the best investigative procedurals of the moment, it’s one of the best films of 2010. The girl with the dragon tattoo it even captivated the likes of producer mogul Scott Rudin (No country for old men), who secluded himself for a week in order to devour the novel. Rudin is currently developing a Hollywood adaptation with David Fincher, a director no stranger to thrillers (Seven, Zodiac). Although it is the first of a trilogy, the film does not end on a cliffhanger. The girl with the dragon tattoo it sets the tone to be expected in the second and third entries as well as the quality of the characters, which is the lifeline of any great mystery.
The girl with the dragon tattoo it is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and the sound is Dolby Digital. The language is Swedish with English subtitles, or you can listen to an English dubbed version. Unfortunately, the copy I received is a watermarked screener disc, so an accurate description of the visual and audio quality of the disc cannot be achieved. If I get a street copy of the release, I’ll include an A/V quality update.
This screen disc did not come with bonus features, but the final version is scheduled to include interviews with Noomi Rapace and director Niels Arden Oplev, and a feature film titled “The Vanger Family Tree”.
when looking The girl with the dragon tattoo at SXSW, the movie quickly shot up to sit at the top of my list of the best movies I’ve seen this year. Seeing it again on DVD has only helped reinforce its greatness. Superbly acted and intricately plotted, the film has a striking tone that casts a long shadow over the unfolding mystery. forget the Harry Potter Y Twilight nonsense and watch Noomi Rapace’s screen presence as Lisbeth, a heroine who doesn’t use a magic wand or glow sticks to put you into a trance.
Music Box Films Home Entertainment Presents The girl with the dragon tattoo. Directed by: Niels Arden Oplev. Cast: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Sven-Bertil Taube. Written by: Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg, based on the novel by Steig Larrson. Duration: 152 minutes. Rating: R. Released on DVD: July 6, 2010.