You know when you hear about how great something is for so long it feels like you’ve already experienced it and agree completely with its greatness. But then you actually take the time to experience it for real and you’re like: What, why didn’t anyone tell me this was so fucking great? But of course, they did. You were just were too busy/tired/preoccupied/frazzled/dumb. Yeah, that’s me with “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.” Also, holy good God, Noomi Rapace.
Besides being a brutal, taut and well-constructed thriller, TGWTDT’s best feature is its introduction of the universe to the amazing talent that in Noomi. You Swedes probably knew this all long, but us in less fortunate geographic locales needed to see her transform completely into Lisbeth Salander to find a clue. Wow. I mean, damn. What is more emphatic than wow and damn? WAMN! I don’t know. But I do know that having seen interviews and pictures of Noomi outside her TGWTDT role and having seen her on screen, that’s am amazing bit of acting. She looks, of course, different (and, I might add, queerilicious), but her body too has been sculpted into one gorgeous mass of sinew and muscle.
Plus, oh kittens, that scowl. You know how much I love a sexy scowler. (Oh Lena, Lena).
If, like me, you have been remiss in seeing this film I would advise you forget whatever inferior film you are thinking of renting (Is that, are you…? No – no “Prince of Persia.” For one, Jake Gyllenhaal is in no way Persian.), and pick up “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” instead. Plus, how many other movies will give you a bisexual punk kick-ass hacker for its lead? Lucky for us, its sequel “The Girl Who Played with Fire” comes out on DVD next month. And this time we get to see Lisbeth do more than just wake up next to that hot lady friend of hers.
Though, while we’re on the subject, do we really need an American version? I like David Fincher as much as the next gal (except Benjamin Button...why...so...long?), but are we really that lazy that we can’t read the subtitles? And, while we’re still on the subject, (SPOILERS if you haven’t seen the film/read the books, seriously, don’t yell at me this seems like enough warning space for spoilers…) does the thought of Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara making with the sexy time together as the story demands fill anyone with an overwhelming sense of ewww? The problem in Rooney looks so much younger and more frail than Noomi. Which, to reiterate, is ewww. But, hey, maybe the kid will surprise me and make her own transformation into a fierce fire-breathing avenger filled with scowl and fury.
Or maybe I’ll just watch the originals again.
Does this mean you've read the books too? If not, I literally cannot recommend them enough! xxxx
ReplyDeleteI watched the amazing Nordic adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo this summer just to see what all the fuss was about and I fell head over heels with Lisbeth! I never knew such an awesome protagonist/female lead even existed out there! I can totally relate to your surprise.
ReplyDeletehate to be nitpicky, but shouldn't it be Year of the Dragon? rather than Dargon? though Dargon is entertaining me immensely. also, holy good God, Noomi Rapace. Indeed. :-D
ReplyDeletexxx
Two things:
ReplyDelete1. First, some pictures of Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander have made their way to the internets. The hair and the suit make her look a bit more Lisbeth-like, but I still share your skepticism, Ms. Snarker.
2. Last week, it was announced that Noomi Rapace has been cast as the female lead in the sequel to 2009's "Sherlock Holmes." That news is great because--YAY!--she's going to be in another movie but it also left me curious as to why she couldn't have played Lisbeth in the English version of TGWTDT.
I think I'm the only person who's NOT on the Stieg Larsson bandwagon. The first book was boring enough I just wanted to skip to Lisbeth's chapters. As for the movie, it was well-done and Noomi Rapace did a fantastic job inhabiting her character. But there was a lot of driving around cold Scandinavian countryside.
ReplyDeleteAlso, *VAGUE SPOILER ALERT* the rape scene? Potentially triggering for some folks. I appreciate gritty realism and the fact that Lisbeth is still a badass, far from a victim, but MAN was that scene intense. I had to pause the movie afterwards to just breathe and take a break. Yet for a film/book that's so popular, people don't seem to talk about that part as much.
I completely ate up the books and think that Salander is just a great character. But I thought the first film adaptation (the only one I've seen so far) was mediocre at best. It really didn't do justice to the Salander character (or the Salander-Blomqvist relationship). Like many others, I wish they'd turned it into a miniseries instead. I'm looking forward to Fincher's version, since he has a sure hand and will likely do a decent job.
ReplyDeleteThe books and movies are all GREAT. I went to a Millennium Marathon a few months ago and it was awesome. One can never have enough Noomi.
ReplyDeleteAnd Rooney Mara.. seriously?
Noomi Rapace-YES. I loved the original movie, will see the US version, but I don't think it can compare. I still think they should have cast Noomi.
ReplyDeleteNo, the world does not need a US remake but I'll sit back and enjoy mocking it.
ReplyDeleteThank god she'll be in the next Sherlock Holmes ^^
ReplyDeleteI am not feeling all warm and fuzzy about the US remake of Dragon Tattoo simply because this character belongs to Noomi Rapace. I will go see it simply because I am in love with the Lisbeth Salander - not so much with the books - but the Salander character is the epitome of the female warrior archetype - Larsson was spot on when creating this character. I think the Swedish versions of all three movies had their weak points - they stayed true to the storyline and did not water down the hardness and intensity of the Lisbeth character which I fear they will do in the US version. I don't want to see this turn into a romance or a buddy film - I hoping for the best but not expecting it.
ReplyDeleteOh..did I mention that Noomi Rapace is ridiculously hot....no...ok, Noomi Rapace is ridiculously hot.
In the book Lisbeth is meant to look like a 14 year old boy, and Daniel Craig, if he can soften his Bond edge, should be able to pull of a Bloomkvist.
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And Lisbeth makes all the moves when it comes to their sexual scenes. In other words, she's in control. So a little less ewwww...:)
iampecola, to reply to your comment re Noomi Rapace: in interviews she said she was done with playing Salander. Three films was enough. Its pretty gruelling, playing Lisbeth!
ReplyDeleteDitto w/ the folks who said no to the remake. At least be respectful and use the same actress for US version-- even Tom Cruise did that!
ReplyDeleteBook were great, the writing just got better with each new book in the series.
Add me to the small(?) list of people who aren't all that enamored with the Swedish version. I'd give it was a solid B-. Rapace was great, but I thought the script did a disservice to the rest of the characters and the story as a whole. David Fincher certainly isn't afraid to be gritty or dark and he's lining up a helluva cast for his version of the story, so I'm intrigued.
ReplyDeleteAll that being said, I never get bent out of shape about remakes. If it's good, then we get another good movie. If it's not good, then maybe it'll inspire people to check out the original.
I just started reading the first book over the weekend... and then got distracted with a move and unpacking. With this kind of recommendation, though, I'll definitely dedicate more time to this series!
ReplyDeleteYep across the board...I don't have alot of confidence in Hollywood get anything about this film right. I am reminded of the Tim Robbin's movie The Player where Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts are considered the perfect leads for every movie.
ReplyDeleteHaven't read the books (though I keep meaning to!), but I fell in head over heels for Lisbeth and THWTDT. Saw the second in the theater though and was pretty disappointed... Unlike the first, it was made for TV and the director and cinematographer were switched out, and you sadly can tell. Many reviewers say you should read the book before watching the second. I still loved it because, OMG NOOMI \o/!, but, yeah, the plot didn't really make the most sense...
ReplyDeleteI love the books, the first movie was great, the second movie left something to be desired for me knowing all that was in the books, but overall a decent movie. But Noomi was fantastic in both. Can't wait to see her in GWKTHN(Girl who kicked the hornet's nest) And even though I wasn't enamored with the first Sherlock Holmes movie, I shall go see the second for her. I also don't like the idea of an english movie, and also will enjoy mocking it. Especially if Roomey doesn't stand up to Noomi. And really? I'm very skeptical that she could even come close. I could go on, but I won't. :)
ReplyDeleteSide note: Just saw the R&I finale. O_O OH. MY. GOD.
Dear Ms Snarker,
ReplyDeleteI read these books, and thought they were a good escape, pretty good for the genre (detective-y murder bestsellers). Different to the usual.
I hired the movie after reading your recommendation, and was not disappointed: Rapace was very good, and I thought the story did well to capture the mood in a far shorter time than the books have to do the same thing. The scenes with Bjurkmann were just horrible: small, suburban, uncomfortable.
I wasn't moved by the pics you posted of Noomi Rapace at all, but Oh! those fierce brown eyes in motion *sigh*
They're actually filming it right next to my school (here in Stockholm). Too bad Noomi's not in it.
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