Movie Review: "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
by Jenners • 05/27/2010 • Book Talk • 15 Comments
Now I know this is book blog, but when I impulsively decided to make it Steig Larsson Week to celebrate the release of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, I decided I had to write about the movie version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which I was lucky enough to see this past weekend.
If you happen to live near an “art house” theater or just a theater that isn’t afraid to show subtitled movies, you might be lucky enough to catch the film, which is a Swedish film and subtitled for American audiences. (All three films have been released in Sweden, and I hope they plan on releasing all three here in the U.S. Hollywood is also planning its own version … but who the heck knows when that will be released.)
The Casting
For a book with strong characters like Mikael and Lisbeth, I think the casting will either make or break the film. I personally think the filmmakers got it right with this film.
Noomi Rapace plays Lisbeth Salander, and I’m happy to report that she nailed the part. She brings just the right amount of menace, toughness and vulnerability to the role. Although she can be frighteningly tough (as when she takes her revenge on Nils Bjurman), she can touchingly vulnerable as well (just witness her limping home after Bjurman’s violation of her). It is easy in the book to forget that Lisbeth is a young woman who has been terrorized almost her entire life. Rapace reminds you of that. In some scenes, despite her leather jacket, huge motorcycle boots and tattoos, you can see the youth and fragility in her eyes. And when she is without her make-up, she looks positively youthful and vulnerable.
Michael Nyqvist plays Mikael Blomkvist, and again I was happy with the choice. Nyqvist has just the right combination of middle aged wear (which you definitely get a sense of in the books), but he still has a bit of swagger and definite sex appeal. (Those blue eyes!) I found him quite attractive actually … and I could definitely seem him being able to pull off Mikael’s ability to be catnip to women. (Though this aspect of Blomkvist’s character is definitely played down in the film. Only one woman falls into bed with him.) It was fun to see Lisbeth and Mikael working together and getting to know each other. It makes you see just how odd this pairing is … but you also see why it works too.
I won’t go into much more on casting other than to say that Peter Andersson is sickeningly creepy and vile in his portrayal of Nils Bjurman (I wanted to do to him what Lisbeth did). The only casting that really bothered me was Erika Berger, who is played by Lena Endre. I thought she came off as a bit wild-eyed and frantic, which is NOT how I see Berger at all. (Plus Berger barely registers in the film … but I knew who she was and I didn’t think the actress played her right.) The rest of the roles are fairly minor and were played well.
The Adaptation
These are big, fat complex books, and I imagine they would be fairly difficult to adapt for a movie. It is hard for me to tell if you would enjoy the film without having read the books. It seems that the plot is easy enough to follow … but you certainly don’t get the nuances and depth you would have if you’ve read the books. The plot of the movie focuses primarily on the events in Hedestad (solving the disappearance of a girl 40 years ago), which is the central story in Book 1. However, the filmmakers decided to bring in a bit of Lisbeth’s background from Book 2 (the events with Bjurman) into this film — probably to help demonstrate to the audience exactly what Lisbeth is capable of. This worked for me, and I was OK with it. (They also hint at Lisbeth’s past in a flashback scene and a visit with her mother.)
However, what I was NOT OK with was how they handled Lisbeth and Mikael teaming up to work together to solve the mystery of Harriet Vanger’s disappearance. I thought it was clumsily done and very untrue to the characters. In addition, I was VERY NOT OK with Mikael and Frode casually discussing Lisbeth’s hacking abilities. This is a big no no in the book, and I was really annoyed with this in the movie. It just didn’t have to be handled this way, and it really really rubbed me the wrong way.
Other than these missteps (and they were pretty big ones, in my opinion), I thought the filmmakers did a pretty darn good job. In fact, there is one area where I think the film actually excelled and improved on the book and that is bringing home just how horrible and horrific and vile the string of murders that Lisbeth and Mikael uncover. In the book, you get a sense of the murderer’s terrible acts, but the movie brings it home to you in graphic visuals that make the violence and horror all too real. (I had to look away at times.)
Which brings me to my last point: This movie is graphic and violent. There is a brutal rape scene, a torture scene and multiple visuals of murdered corpses of women. The violence isn’t gratuitous or glossed over. It is presented realistically and unvarnished …. making this is a film that is oftentimes disturbing. If you cannot handle realistic portrayals of violence, this film is probably not for you. (And the books might not be your cup of tea either.)
In the end, I thought the film did a good job adapting a complex book, and the casting was pretty spot-on. If the rest of the films are released here, I will definitely see them. (And I suspect they will be as the theater I was in was packed, and the movie has been out here for awhile now.) It is my guess that when Hollywood makes its own version, it won’t be nearly as good or true to the book, so this may be your best chance to see these books come alive on the big screen. And if you are worried about subtitles … don’t be. You really do get used to it, and I never felt like it intruded on my ability to watch the movie.
My grade: B+.
How about you? Did you see the movie? Had you read the books beforehand? What did you think?
A friend of mine and I have talked about going to see this movie, but we were afraid it would be too graphic for us. We may rent it instead. Somehow, it's easier to handle graphic scenes at home.
I haven't seen it. I don't live near an art house and it is not available for me in Netflix. Ugh! I am glad the actors are good. I was mostly worried about that part because Lisbeth is such an in-depth character.
Believe it or not, the marquee theater in downtown Fargo, North Dakota is showing this film in June….I'm going to be there towards mid-June and I am SOOOOO going to see this one. I think the casting looks fantastic!
Great review. I havent seen the film but would like to read the books first.
I usually find that book to movie adaptations tend to dissapoint some way or another. Its hard to get the feel of a book onto the big screen.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
I have been afraid to read this book. People have told me it is emotionally scarring. Am I just a pansy? This seems to be a book that everyone is talking about, and so I may try it. Unsure. I love your blog, as you know. A HUGE FAN. xo molly
i have heard rave reviews about these
but have not read them myself.
maybe this summer, oh wait, it IS
summer!!!
I'd love to be able to say I'd read the books, seen the film but I'm afraid the very violent nature of the story kind of puts me off. Who knows though, maybe one day when I'm feeling really brave.
A great review, you made some interesting comments re the casting of characters.
@Sandy Imo the death of the bad guy was spot on. Two reasons:
1. it showed the "bad streak" in Lisabeth, her vengeance. In the book we have much closer access to her thoughts, her attitude of trying to get rid of the guys who cause troubles (sic: euphemism). In the movie we don't have as much access to her thoughts. The scene when she leaves Martin to die is telling and going back to her attack on her father indicates why she is the way she is.
2. But more importantly it's a prelude to her discussion with Mikael at the hut later on. I for one can't imagine the movie without their discussion. It's important when it comes to showing development of their relationship.
As for the first meeting between Lisabeth and Mikael being awkward, I'm not sure what all of you mean. If you mean it was awkward in the sense like some other scenes were brutal, I think it was meant to be awkward. I liked the scene, but I know that Rapace was disappointed with it. She expected something else.
I don't even remember Mikael/Frodo discussion, but will check it out and get back to you in case I have anything to say about it.
Little chance I'll ever see this version of the movie. I live in the sticks and do well to make it to major Hollywood releases!
My copy of 'Hornet's Nest' arrived today so I hope to finish my current book later this afternoon so I can get started!!
I pretty much agree with everything you said. Erika didn't cut it for me…she looked like a haggard crazy woman in the movie. I had some gripes with what they did to the screenplay, including yours plus a few more. They changed things that I don't think they needed to change. Why on earth wouldn't they just end the "bad guy's" life the way the book did? I was kinda pissed about that. But whatever. Of course I'm going to see them all, probably even the Hollywood version. Which is scheduled to start shooting this fall. TBD yet on who will be Lisbeth, but Brad Pitt is on board for Mikael.
As you may recall from my review (because I'm sure you read and memorize all my blog postings) I agree with totally on Mikael, Lisbeth, and Erika.
I did feel that they had to discuss some things, even if it didn't happen that way in the book, just to get the info across in the movie. Because it was a pretty complex story and they had a lot to convey, so I was happy with the job they did. As for what I hated, it was the black lipstick in the opening scene. Glad they lost that later on!
I've read the book and seen the movie and I think your review is great. The movie did a really wonderful job with casting and many other things, but it's obviously not quite as good as the book. The violence/rape and such is hard to watch, but important to the plot.
I'm terrified of how Hollywood will ruin the new movie by glossing over everything and making Lisbeth a sniveling blonde or something. Then people who haven't read the book or seen this film will make their judgments based on that alone. Boo.
I have not read the book, or seen the movie, and I only read your grade.No spoiler alert..
I clicked over here from the Single and Sane blog because I saw the movie poster.
I saw this movie last month with a group of friends, all of us had read the book and I have to say, I thought the movie was awesome.
I get that the meeting of Lisbeth and Mikael was wrong and ackward, but it honestly didn't bother me that much because in a movie you are pressed for time. The hacking conversation I felt was a bit uncalled for though. Seriously out of character and it really wasn't needed.
I would give the move an A because I was seriously glued to the screen the whole time.
I think your observations are right on, although I might have given it an 'A'. But I have a weakness for subtitles.
I thought the casting for Lizbeth and Mikael was very good. I was not at all sure about Michael Nyqvist when I first saw him…somehow he is not how I pictured Mikael, but he grew on me.
As to your three issues, the one I noticed and that bothered me a bit was giving more background on Lizbeth than the book. But..as you said…it is a big, complex book and they may have been necessary to get the viewer to bond more with Lizbeth since, unlike in a book, we are not able to "hear" the internal information about her.
One reason the book is always better.
Even if I gave it an 'A'.