The Stieg Larsson legacy was too good to be true; 65 million copies of the novels, a scandal from his intestate partner and three subtitled films. Hollywood simply could not resist. Secretly I hoped that they would fail. How could they improve an original which, sub titles apart, was close to perfect? I immediately started looking for flaws.
They were not in the storyline, a magnificent, multi-layered canvas, imperiously unfurled. A dysfunctional family and a young missing child, a bisexual, multi-pierced and tattooed anti-heroine (Rooney Mara) and a serial killer who had never been found. The foundations were excellent, the structure outstanding and the denouement quite stunning with nothing left to chance. Two and a half hours flew by in an instant.
They were neither in the direction, David (Fight Club and The Social Network) Fincher’s reproduction, slick and fast-paced notwithstanding an out-of-place introduction and a deafening score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. They certainly weren’t in the heroine herself, Rooney’s performance surprisingly strong.
Courageously cast – until now only known for a short cameo in The Social Network - she does not disappoint. Less savage and raw than Noomi Rapace’s definitive original - her piercings and haircut just a little too neat, her feelings for Mikael (Daniel Craig) just a little too sweet - she has violence in her eyes and retribution in her heart. The problem surprisingly, lies in 007, Craig’s journalist, Mikael Blomqvist, too flippant and light, his relationship with Lisbeth too superficial and lacking depth.
The rest of the characters are thoughtfully cast - from Christopher Plummer’s – he gets better with age - head of the household to Stellan Skarsgård’s family CEO. Robin Wright however, is sadly underused, her dialogue thin and her relationship with Mikael, barely explored. If, as Fincher has hinted - two more films are to follow – Wright must surely be developed as her role running Millennium is central to the plot.
Despite minor misgivings, the movie is good, screenwriter Steven Zaillian capturing the essence of the book. Craig’s invitation to Mara to “catch men who kill women” – her reaction is stunning – without doubt an allusion to the book’s original, no-nonsense title; “The man who hated women”. Larsson’s premature death is a loss to us all.
A surprisingly good reproduction of an irreplaceable original. 8/10
DM
December 2011
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