Arts & Entertainment

Movie Review: “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (+)
December 27, 2011
 
         The original 2009 Swedish version of this film, directed by Niels Arden Oplev, was far better than this American adaptation directed by David Fincher.
 
         The cast was also better in the original movie. The two principal actors in the English version, Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, do a competent job, but their performances don’t compare with the extraordinary acting of Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace in the Swedish picture.
 
         That is usually the case when a movie or play is revived for the screen or the stage, but not always. In my opinion, Patti LuPone’s portrayal of Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of “Gypsy” was equal to or better than Ethel Merman’s portrayal of the character in the 1959 Broadway production. Alan Cumming’s performance as the Master of Ceremonies in the 1993 revival of “Cabaret” was also equal to or better than that of Joel Grey who originated the role in the 1966 Broadway production of the show.
 
         “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” based on a novel written by Stieg Larsson, is a brilliant film noir. This was the first book of his trilogy known as the “Millennium series.” The manuscript of his uncompleted forth novel is, I believe, the subject of an estate dispute between Larsson’s family and his longtime partner, Eva Gabrielsson. 
 
         The story in both films is the same. A magazine investigative reporter, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), loses a libel action and is ordered to pay a large fine and spend three months in prison. Because he is considering bankruptcy, he accepts an assignment by an industrialist, Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), to investigate the disappearance and purported death of Vanger’s niece 40 years ago. 
 
         Vanger also asks Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) to use her investigative skills to check out Blomkvist’s background. When she vouches for him, she is asked by Vanger to team up with Blomkvist on the investigation. They ultimately discover what happened to the young girl and during the investigation learn details about the twisted Vanger family which includes several brothers and their children. Two of the brothers are identified as Nazis. Although they live in mansions on the same island, the brothers’ families do not speak to one another. 
 
         Before it is over we see Michael subjected to torture and Lisbeth involved in both a heterosexual and lesbian affair. We learn that Lisbeth was recently released from a mental institution and is required to report periodically to her guardian, Bjurman (Yorick van Wageningen). One of the most memorable moments in the story is Lisbeth’s response to the sadistic conduct of Bjurman which was carried out far better in the original film.
 
         The new movie is very entertaining and I’m glad that I saw it but, as I stated before, the original version topped the copy.