Escape to the Movies: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
- Thread starter MovieBob
- Start date
Recommended Videos
I never understood what the fuss about this book was in the first place. After your synopsis, Bob, I'm still not sure.
I watched this last Wednesday and I thought it was good/ alright (I had no expectation since I had read little about it before watching it).
Your taste in women is different compared to my since while Lisbeth is a strong female lead but she isn't my type at all.
Your taste in women is different compared to my since while Lisbeth is a strong female lead but she isn't my type at all.
Saw it a couple of days ago and did really enjoy it. I actually liked the premise of killing people off in biblical fashion (then again, I really liked Seven), and Lisbeth did make for an interesting protagonist. I only had two particular problems with the movie:
1) It went on for way too long after the climax. I get that there were some important story elements that had to be concluded, but there was no reason to spend the last 15-20 minutes of a movie on a B storyline.
2) Dealing with the reveal of the killer
1) It went on for way too long after the climax. I get that there were some important story elements that had to be concluded, but there was no reason to spend the last 15-20 minutes of a movie on a B storyline.
2) Dealing with the reveal of the killer
Sure, I was surprised by who it ended up being, but that's only because we had spent so little time with him, or any of the family members for that matter, that I barely knew who the guy was. It seems like fleshing out the family is something the book probably does a little better, since it would have more time.
wow, really? English with Swedish accents?
No, I doubt I would get used to that. Not that I'll watch it. Saw the original, albeit also dubbed. Who speaks Swedish after all? In German, which is close enough anyway
No, I doubt I would get used to that. Not that I'll watch it. Saw the original, albeit also dubbed. Who speaks Swedish after all? In German, which is close enough anyway
+50 Respect points for including the picture of the T-Rex from Joe and Mac.
Well played Bob, well played.
Well played Bob, well played.
As a Swede, I can definitely say that I agree about that Jarring language effect. But I'm not sure it is for the same reasons as Bob. What I find jarring is that the movie is so clearly American in it's direction, use of camera and music, all that stuff. But the setting is so clearly Swedish. You see Swedish traffic signs in the background and regular Swedish stores, yet the characters speak and write in English whenever they can. It is also a bit disturbing to hear the actors' attemps to talk Swedish (BIG emphasis on "attempts"). Don't get me wrong the American actors are good (especially Mara), and I certainly don't fault them for not being able to speak a language that is so foreign to them, but Americans just can't for the life of them pronounce Swedish. Every time I hear someone on screen (or Bob for that matter) say the name "Mikael Blomkvist" the Swedish teacher in me cringes in horror. It just becomes more apparent when Stellan Skarsgård talks as he is the only one who gets it right (not surprising of course since he is Swedish). Basically I just don't hear that "English with Swedish accent" Bob was talking about. What I hear is people who are clearly American, speak American and occassionally attempt to speak Swedish and fail miserably.
Otherwise, I pretty much agree with Bob's asessment. I have never read any of the original novels even though I own them (because I'm not a huge crime/mystery-fan) nor have I seen the previous Swedish films (because I generally HATE Swedish filmmaking) but even I could figure out who the villain was going to be without problems. Despite that though, the movie is well-made enough to still be very exciting when stuff is actually happening, and the acting from Mara and Skarsgård are top-notch. Despite playing a predictable role, Skarsgård pulls it off great and is genuinely intimidating when the pretense of being nice dropps. And before that he was good enough at playing a nice guy that I really wanted him to be nice even though I had figured out he was going to be the villain.
Good to see that American filmaking can do Sweden justice and not just use our stereotypes as a punch-line.
Otherwise, I pretty much agree with Bob's asessment. I have never read any of the original novels even though I own them (because I'm not a huge crime/mystery-fan) nor have I seen the previous Swedish films (because I generally HATE Swedish filmmaking) but even I could figure out who the villain was going to be without problems. Despite that though, the movie is well-made enough to still be very exciting when stuff is actually happening, and the acting from Mara and Skarsgård are top-notch. Despite playing a predictable role, Skarsgård pulls it off great and is genuinely intimidating when the pretense of being nice dropps. And before that he was good enough at playing a nice guy that I really wanted him to be nice even though I had figured out he was going to be the villain.
Good to see that American filmaking can do Sweden justice and not just use our stereotypes as a punch-line.
I thought the movie was most definitely entertaining. But then again, I haven't read the book or seen the other movie, so I wasn't really expecting anything.
That scene is beyond dark, it's a level of nasty that only Fincher ever really goes near and I nearly left during that scene too. Normally I'm fine with bad things happening in films, but that particular moment was unpleasant on a whole different level to what I'm used to.Mcoffey said:
Speaking of which, anyone squeamish need not go see the film, there isn't a huge amount of violence in the film as a whole. But when it arrives it is unflinchingly brutal (hellooooo golf club!).
Everytime Bob mentions Zodiac the same question pops into my mind: what was good about that movie that's worth mentioning over and over? Here it's more relevant since David Fincher directed it, but placed beside the -in my opinion- far better work of Seven and The Social Network the comparison is striking. Maybe I'm missing some inside info that movie critics have as to why Zodiac is good but everyone I saw it with and everyone with whom I've talked about it was bored to tears. And these are pretty intelligent, informed, experimental tolerant persons.
On topic, I don't know Swedish, so I think I will see this movie. I'm not against implausible spy-type plots. I've read a couple of books on the genre and was entertained. As long as the writing (dialogs and twists) isn't Dan Brown quality I'll be alright.
On topic, I don't know Swedish, so I think I will see this movie. I'm not against implausible spy-type plots. I've read a couple of books on the genre and was entertained. As long as the writing (dialogs and twists) isn't Dan Brown quality I'll be alright.
As a Swede, I can definitely say that I agree about that Jarring language effect. But I'm not sure it is for the same reasons as Bob. What I find jarring is that the movie is so clearly American in it's direction, use of camera and music, all that stuff. But the setting is so clearly Swedish. You see Swedish traffic signs in the background and regular Swedish stores, yet the characters speak and write in English whenever they can. It is also a bit disturbing to hear the actors' attemps to talk Swedish (BIG emphasis on "attempts"). Don't get me wrong the American actors are good (especially Mara), and I certainly don't fault them for not being able to speak a language that is so foreign to them, but Americans just can't for the life of them pronounce Swedish. Every time I hear someone on screen (or Bob for that matter) say the name "Mikael Blomkvist" the Swedish teacher in me cringes in horror. It just becomes more apparent when Stellan Skarsgård talks as he is the only one who gets it right (not surprising of course since he is Swedish). Basically I just don't hear that "English with Swedish accent" Bob was talking about. What I hear is people who are clearly American, speak American and occassionally attempt to speak Swedish and fail miserably.
Otherwise, I pretty much agree with Bob's asessment. I have never read any of the original novels even though I own them (because I'm not a huge crime/mystery-fan) nor have I seen the previous Swedish films (because I generally HATE Swedish filmmaking) but even I could figure out who the villain was going to be without problems. Despite that though, the movie is well-made enough to still be very exciting when stuff is actually happening, and the acting from Mara and Skarsgård are top-notch. Despite playing a predictable role, Skarsgård pulls it off great and is genuinely intimidating when the pretense of being nice dropps. And before that he was good enough at playing a nice guy that I really wanted him to be nice even though I had figured out he was going to be the villain.
Good to see that American filmaking can do Sweden justice and not just use our stereotypes as a punch-line.
Otherwise, I pretty much agree with Bob's asessment. I have never read any of the original novels even though I own them (because I'm not a huge crime/mystery-fan) nor have I seen the previous Swedish films (because I generally HATE Swedish filmmaking) but even I could figure out who the villain was going to be without problems. Despite that though, the movie is well-made enough to still be very exciting when stuff is actually happening, and the acting from Mara and Skarsgård are top-notch. Despite playing a predictable role, Skarsgård pulls it off great and is genuinely intimidating when the pretense of being nice dropps. And before that he was good enough at playing a nice guy that I really wanted him to be nice even though I had figured out he was going to be the villain.
Good to see that American filmaking can do Sweden justice and not just use our stereotypes as a punch-line.