Cinema: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Posted on 16th Dec 11 by Brian Lloyd | 
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‘…a dark, uncompromising vision from a director who knows what he’s doing…’
There are some directors who work only within a certain genre. They find a particular cabal of actors who they enjoy or prefer to work with and a style of filmmaking that suits their particular skills. There are others who jump from genre to genre, either attempting them so as not to limit themselves or to, perhaps, find the latter – the genre that fits their style of filmmaking. You could argue that it’s not brave; that, as artists, it’s their duty to be bold and try new things – and this is true. But, if you found your calling and your best work is with this, then why do anything differently? With David Fincher and THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, he is in familiar territory. Having expertly directed such fantastic films as ZODIAC, SEVEN and THE GAME, David Fincher‘s set the bar for thrillers in the 21st century. Of late, he has delved into dramas with somewhat middling results. With THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, what could have been woefully schmaltzy was turned into a poignant tale of love and loss. As for THE SOCIAL NETWORK, it was a far more honed-in morality story of two friends and the destruction that ambition causes. Both of these are fine films and are, for the most part, a credit to Fincher’s abilities. Yet, for some reason, they did not fit him. His camework is too focused and laser-perfect, his visual style too designed and deliberate and his treatment of screenplays make for a cold view on films that need a warmer heart. Fincher is the closest thing the modern generation has to Hitchcock. Therefore, it seems incredulous to think that Hitchcock would be able to direct something like THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. Yet, Fincher, wanting to prove himself, set out and attempted it. He didn’t fail at it – but he didn’t score big either. Here, with THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, he is fully in his element.
For those who haven’t seen the Swedish film or read the trilogy, the story follows Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) as he investigates the murder of an industrialiast’s niece in Sweden. Aiding him in this is Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a tattooed she-punk / hacker with poor hygiene and worse social skills. The plot sees the two form a deep friendship as they uncover dark secrets of the Vanger family, ranging from incest, Nazism and corruption. Daniel Craig excels in his role as the investigative journalist – his most dialogue-driven role in some time. While it is impressive for an actor to be able to convey content with a look and as few words as possible, it can be sometimes be construed as laziness. Not so here with Craig; the power of the script fully fleshes out his character and provides an emotional core to the film. Rooney Mara, in the role of Lisbeth Salander, is quite stunning. A relative unknown, she earmarks herself as an actress to watch out for. Indeed, based on the strength of her performance in this, she’s set to star in a number of upcoming films. The level of commitment she puts into the role is commendable – her accent is flawless, her physique and how she carries herself, right down to the rigid power-walk is spot-on and perfectly conveys Lisbeth’s need for people to keep a distance. The supporting cast is numerous and all give excellent performances; Christopher Plummer and Stephen Berkoff give the gravitas and pathos of men who are nearing the end of their lives and wish to see matters resolved. Likewise, Stellan Skarsgard and Joely Richardson are equally deft at showing how deeply they are affected and crushed by their family’s deep secrets and dark past. Robin Wright, as well, plays the long-suffering editor of Craig’s magazine with enough grace to know that she doesn’t need to eat scenery to make herself known.
As mentioned, David Fincher is in familiar territory and it shows. His direction is flawless throughout this film, particularly in one of the final scenes of the film. The use of sound design in it is spectacular – you’ll know it when you see it / hear it. As well, Trent Reznor continues to demonstrate his considerable skill as a composer – like Fincher, he’s in charted waters as the soundtrack calls for a very deep, electronic sound with sharp tones and drone-filled soundscapes. Steven Zaillain, the screenwriter, is a dab hand at adapting novels into prize-winning screenplays, such as THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN, SCHLINDER’S LIST and AWAKENINGS. If there is a flaw with this film, it’s pacing. The first half of the film moves along a decent speed, covering everything from Blomkvist’s early investigation and a particularly grisly rape scene. However, by the second half, the pacing slows down considerably and breaks the flow of the film. Indeed, the last twenty minutes brings it to a very quick conclusion and wraps everything up neatly. It’s a slight criticism to an otherwise brilliant film. With Fincher, Craig and Mara set to return and complete the trilogy, we have the beginnings of a cultural touchstone for hard-edged thrillers. A dark, uncompromising vision from a director who knows what he’s doing is a sight to behold. Go see it.
DROP-D RATING: 9 / 10
Tags: Cinema, Culture, daniel craig, david fincher, rooney mara, Thriller, Trent Reznor
