The Rewatch: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Watching GWDT last night for the first time since I saw it in the theater, I was struck by a few things. One, the thing is just goddamn beautiful. If there's a director with a better sense of composition and style working right now, please, I'd love to know. I know I'm not the first -- or most eloquent -- person to note this, of course, as that's the man's reputation. But still, there are shots in that movie that just take my breath away, and a few that I was able to rewind just to watch again this time, though I remember my audible gasp when I saw it in the theater at a single, very simple shot near the end of head and then brake lights flashing on this hill in front of trees that just makes me weak in the knees.

That said, all the style in the world means nothing if it's not in service to the story, and that, too, works for me here. Fincher's often been accused of being more interested in style than in the meat of the matter, but the way he and his team work, everything is in service to the characters and the story. Now, GWDT's story really isn't all that interesting in and of itself, but the way the pieces of the puzzle are put together here makes it work.

None of which would be possible without the great work of nearly all the actors (and thank god there was never a time when Julian Sands had to speak -- he's got a great look, but his halting delivery is like nails on a chalkboard every time I hear him), but especially Rooney Mara. I never understood the love for Noomi Rapace in the original series -- nor do I care for at all the original GWDT, which is shot and plays like a TV movie; I never bothered with the second and third. She was always too "tough" or something, too big, too normal, nowhere near the tiny, out-there punk that I pictured in my head when reading the book. But Mara, wow, she nailed it. It's easy to see why she might be underestimated, appearing very punk-pixie-ish and nearly emaciated onscreen, which makes her badassery and ultimate revenge on all the men who hate women all the more whoop-worthy when it happens.

Daniel Craig puts in some outstanding work as well. In fact, it may be my favorite non-Bond role of his (not that there are many, really), but just the fact that I was able to forget that he was the ultracapable James Bond in this movie speaks volumes. It doesn't hurt that he radiates fuckability (even while beat up and dirty)...

which is necessary (hey, he was a lady killer in the books) to his character but was one of the first of many I-don't-think-sos in the original series. I totally bought why Salander would go for him, though his persona is completely different in this. He also radiates intelligence. I love that you can see his mind clicking as he investigates the central mystery of the movie while at the same time attempting to decipher the enigma that is Salander.

*As a side note, just yesterday a preview for some POS Liam Hemsworth movie came out -- which might, might be worth seeing just to see Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford chew some scenery together for the first time since Air Force One, but the first thought I had as I was watching was that Liam just doesn't project the necessary "smarts" to pull off his role in that flick. Not to say he's not smart, just that it doesn't carry over through the screen. It's why Tom Cruise doesn't play doctors, he plays racecar drivers, you know? Even as superspy Ethan Hunt, he's less about the "intelligence" part and more about the "secret" and the kick-ass, leaving the brainwork to Simon Pegg -- or Emilio Estevez, but we saw how that worked out.

It's the smaller character roles who really sell the thing, though. The scene where Salander "checks up" on her guardian tormenter in the elevator is just fantastic -- Yorick van Wageningen just brings it in every scene he's got, whether he's being menacing and creepy or later when he's completely cowed and frightened. It's weird to say it, since his major scene is completely disturbing and intentionally disgusting, but his performance is definitely one of my favorite things about this version of the story... and especially now that I've checked out his pics online; dude cleans up well:

Joely Richardson is equally estimable, especially considering the change Fincher and his screenwriter, Steve Zaillian made at the end. This is a Fincher hallmark that he gets very little credit for: people just do career-best work in his movies, even if they sometimes decry the methodology.

The one thing that really doesn't work for me at all is the credit sequence. It's striking as all hell, but it's too straight-up music video for me. But it's a minor glitch.

The last real mention about sequels to this underperfoming flick (though still over $200 million worldwide) was in February of this year, where Mara said that she still expected them to happen and that Fincher would at least be involved, if not directing. While I'm just glad this first one exists, I'd really love to see Mara and Craig take on these characters again, though it remains to be seen if Mara will really be able to escape the Lisbeth shadow... though it's a good one to be in.