The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Like To Know More About Her

(2011) ★★★☆☆

I’m a fan of David Fincher. I love the style of his works. That’s why I still went for it even though I saw the Swedish version already few years back. It’s hard to say which’s better. I guess both of them are good in terms of how the story’s presented as well as impressive characterizations. David’s version, however, has an advantage that the original version doesn’t seem to have—the outstanding score. It makes this atmospheric crime story much more breathtaking than it’s supposed to be.

The case itself is not at all complicated, but thanks to David’s ingenious direction, it looks so much so. It seems to me that it’s not the missing-person case that the director wants to thrill us with. It’s the dark side of human nature as a matter of fact. Why have there been sickos, sadists, rapists, racists and abusers? Is it simply because they’re rich Nazi? Okay, why’d they want to join the crazy Party and become one in the first place? What made them think that they were the best race of the world and all the Jews should go to hell? Why’d they buy such a dangerous, ridiculous, extreme ideology? Now, can’t we see who’s gone to hell already? Are we still buying it?

This film is all about the Girl, a talented computer hacker there to help solve the case. She’s got a typical gothic look with piercings and tattoos on her body. She seems cool and tough on the surface but deep down she’s been traumatized and haunted by something yet to be explained in the coming second and third adaptations of the Trilogy. Rooney Mara’s performances are absolutely stunning but I prefer the original Girl by Noomi Rapace. I don’t know. It’s all personal. Daniel Craig’s Mikael looks too confident and undaunted as he’s supposed to be a bit scared and frail sometimes. He’s better fit for a 007 actually!

As a crime thriller, ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)’ is less thrilling than David Fincher’s previous work, ‘Zodiac (2007)’, but still it’s intriguing enough to get you involved for two and a half hours. Not sure if he’ll direct the next two. Wish he would!