You'd think that after reading the book, and seeing the original Swedish movie, I'd remember the story details, but watching the Hollywood remake last night the story was fresh, and even better than that original.
Daniel Craig is always an understated, un-flashy actor - even as James Bond, for heaven's sake - so he perfectly fit the role of Mikael Blomqvist, the spare, embattled journalist in this film. Rooney Mara, as the skinny, pierced, tattooed, ultra-edgy hacker Lisbeth Salander was equally well-cast.
Together, they address the mystery of Harriet Vanger, missing for 40 years, and uncover a string of gruesome murders.
The sharply-observed direction - for example when Blomqvist learns he's lost a libel case against arch-enemy Wellenstrom, buys a pack of Marlboro, takes one cigarette out, lights it, and throws away the rest of the pack - really highlights the characters.
The sharply-observed direction - for example when Blomqvist learns he's lost a libel case against arch-enemy Wellenstrom, buys a pack of Marlboro, takes one cigarette out, lights it, and throws away the rest of the pack - really highlights the characters.
All of this in the nastiest, sub-Arctic weather. Why would anyone live that far north?
Weather aside, this is a pulsating thriller, with not a second wasted in its over 2 hours of play-time. Tight, atmospheric, and genuinely exciting. But enough about Daniel Craig's underpants.
This is a great movie, in any language.
1 comment:
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