The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The majority of dissatisfaction in the reviews is caused by the usual comparison with the book and ends with the usual lamentation that certain characters, motifs, or elements are missing or do not get space in the film (logically). I was not affected by this problem because, since the birth of my children, I have dramatically less time, and the time that remains, I dedicate to the film world. So best-selling books like "Millenium" regularly reach me only through film. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo can be jokingly referred to as the European version of dark thrillers like The Silence of the Lambs. The search for a long-lost girl from a wealthy business family gradually turns into a pursuit of the demons of the past and culminates in the revelation of the culprits behind a long series of brutal murders of young women. It differs from routine Hollywood blockbusters in its slower pace, and certain moderation (I can imagine a disproportionately more action-packed, bloodier, and overall more effective version of the same). The Swedish film deliberately avoids big names and familiar faces, which European cinema could easily provide without any problems. The unfamiliar actors, however, act exceptionally well and score points alongside excellent camera work, which, together with the great unsettling soundtrack, creates a gloomy atmosphere of a world where you can expect a strike from anyone rather than kindness and friendship. Thanks to its hardness, the Swedish language also plays a significant role - it is better to choose to watch the subtitled original. However, the foundation of the film's success is a well-crafted quality script and, above all, the characters, where the contrasting duo is formed by the stubborn yet reliable and personally conservative investigative journalist Blomkvist. His more action-oriented and rebellious counterpart is the punk hacker Lisbeth, who enjoys investigating crimes she did not commit. Her character constantly teeters on the edge, whether it is her actions or her abilities, and she is a character who seems to have emerged from the pages of a comic book into the story. Thanks to her unconventional upbringing by her father and sexual lessons from her guardian, she does not trust men and experiments with lesbian relationships. Noomi Rapace, an Icelander, portrayed her convincingly and gave her an interesting and attractive appearance, but Lisbeth is already so inherently "cool" that I have some problems with accepting her, and if the film pushed a little harder, her credibility would be completely lost. Thanks to its professionalism, the film can be considered a quality challenge to the current American dominance in this commercial field. It is not exclusive and detached art, but a smart, suspenseful midcult film for a wide range of moviegoers. Overall impression: 80%. (07/20/2010)

A traditional thriller framework of Hollywood genre movies refreshed with new faces of high-quality European actors and taken apart by a superb multi-layered, detailed script that deals with a lot more than what is sufficient for a good thriller – and handles it with admirable complexity. Two and a half hours bursting with tension while the audience gets to know interesting characters and uncovers the well-concealed secret of a dark world. I am looking forward to two more films from Stieg Larsson’s trilogy of novels on which this movie’s screenplay is based, and I’m curious about the American remake. David Fincher is a sensible choice. He may be the only one who is able not to screw it up. (07/12/2010)

I can't resist comparing it to Fincher's version. The world of Millennium in Oplev's version is less flashy, but surprisingly enough, it's so inventive that many times the American version had no choice but to literally copy certain scenes along with the type casting (whether intentional or not). In this version, the intertwining of Blomkvist with the Harriet case is somewhat more logical, and the Vanger family tree is presented more clearly. Yet Blomkvist is less charismatic and his relationship with his wife seems to be non-existent. Lisbeth Salander is much more grown up and more mature overall. This form of Lisbeth is more in line with her new custodian, who is in many ways more disgusting and dangerous. Blomkvist's storyline lacks the cute relationship with the cat in the cabin on Hedestad Island, and Lisbeth doesn't give us much of her one-night lesbian romance. The Swedes are simply not as ethereal as the Americans, which is most evident in the character of Martin (Stellan is Swedish). One of the major changes is the guide to biblical references. The way in which the rapprochement between Lisbeth and Blomkvist comes about is different only in the delicate details, which is nice. However, the meeting with the Vanger family in the hospital, which is smooth in Fincher’s version, has been replaced here by dry Machiavellian babble. The Swedish film is also much less tolerant of Nazism, lacking the figure of the archivist, but the key catharsis associated with Lisbeth's past is considerably more raw and realistic. Contrastingly, the Australian chapter feels otherworldly, just as Lisbeth's loading of the property at the end fits somewhat less into the big picture. So what about the point? In the Swedish film, the last shot is of a man in love (!), while in the American one, the new-age heroine is struggling with a broken heart. Hmm.... (01/12/2012)

I've read the book as well as seen the film and I'm happy with both. A perfect example of how to make a crime thriller with a grim, dark atmosphere and very little frantic action. The choice of the two leads was atypical, Lisbeth wasn't just unpleasant but unpleasant to look at, Mikael Blomkvist was a middle-aged man with fat rather than muscle, but it worked surprisingly well. This uncontrived look gave the film a much more down-to-earth and realistic vibe. It just goes to show the difference between European and American filmmaking. Instead of melodrama, you’ll get a good dose of chilling atmosphere. I can't go below five stars. (01/03/2017)

From the very beginning, every scene got darker and more depressing with each passing moment, and yet none of the final moments or catharsis moved me in any way. Maybe it's because there are so many emotional walls built around Lisbeth that I watched her from a distance the whole time, and I was much more fascinated by Mikael. Or maybe the adaptation simply skipped a few scenes that would have greatly helped me, it's hard to say. The only certain thing is that this wave of depression passed right by me, even though the investigation line had me quite attached. (12/17/2011)