When David Fincher was announced as the director for the English language adaptation of Steig Larsson's bestselling thriller two things came to mind.
1. Perfect choice
2. He's done this before
There are a variety of problems looming over Fincher's latest film, not the least of which is the already strong Swedish adaptation of the book that bares many of the same beats that this version does, but the largest is Fincher himself.
His films Se7en and Zodiac follow investigations into serial killers, and The Game and Panic Room mark out his further entries into the thriller genre. Whereas those films felt strong, assured, fresh and, occasionally, historic The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo feels by-the-numbers. Not to do the film a disservice (it is after all in my Top Ten) but this is the first time in Fincher's career it doesn't feel like he's breaking any new ground. Undeniably, his style is toned down here, feeling more like a professional as opposed to a master of the medium. There are no quirks or flourishes of style that mark out the film. There is no IKEA catalogue scene, as there was in Fight Club, nor a visceral foot chase a la Se7en.
If anything one of the main problems with the film is that it lacks incident. The ‘incident’ that everyone talks about is undeniably visceral and shocking, but to what end? The film, at the end of the day, is about trying to catch a killer and the incident does not serve the narrative in the least. These problems are at the core of the book, rather than the film, its talking points outweighing the narrative drive.
But enough about the problems, why is it a good film?
The answer here is the leads. Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara excel in their respective roles. Neither outdoing nor in the shadows of their Swedish counterparts, Craig and Mara are every bit the equals of the parts. Craig displays an everyman quality often absent from his other works. It is the first time we have seen the actor play vulnerable for quite some time, and it reminds you (as Layer Cake did before) that when he is good you remember why he is now firmly in the A-List. Mara also brings a fragile anger to her portrayal of the sociopathic Lisbeth. She is at times both horrifyingly vulnerable and respectably fierce. Mara's interpretation brings more warmth than Noomi Rapace's interpretation but that is not really a problem, given the film's tangent into the progress of her relationship with Craig’s Blomkvist. The final shot is all the more painful, given the glimmers of humanity in Lisbeth. The film as a result stands alone, as opposed to a curio, down to these two performers.
Despite the hesitations one has about Fincher's 'for the money' approach to directing this film, when he responds to a scene he seizes the occasion. A dolly shot of a closed door does more for unsettling the audience than the graphic scene that follows it. Similarly, the scene in the killer's lair at the end is an undeniably chilling experience that ranks alongside the horrors in Se7en. When the moment strikes him Fincher takes the audience by the head and slams their senses against a brick wall.
DP Jeff Cronenweth, a long time collaborator of Fincher's, shoots the whole thing with a cold sleekness that makes every shot in the film evoke a sense of decay and malaise. The film's primary theme of long forgotten history is suggested in every frame. Equally, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score is utterly spellbinding. Always hauntingly beautiful and driving the key themes home - it is a departure from their Social Network score, far more melodic and less synthesised - without sacrificing their signature in the process. Its signature movements will haunt longer than any image will.
Steve Zaillian's screenplay displays scenes of absolute power and force. His dialogue provides characters a humanity that often lacks from thrillers of this ilk. Rapists seem civilised, rather than sociopathic (for our heroine holds those traits). Many scenes are downright horrifying given the sheer normalcy of these people.
However, the film is Fincher's least interesting film. It feels entirely commonplace rather than wholly unique. A first for the director. That does not mean that it lacks vision; many elements impress. Even if this is a 'for the money' job for its director, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is still the best thriller of the year, bar none.
BLOATED, OVERLONG BUT WITH MORE THAN ENOUGH ON DISPLAY FOR YOU TO ADMIRE.
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