The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo

[MrPepsi]

Wow, no I didn't read the books, no I didn't see the Swedish version, but I did see the English version last night and I can say one thing about it, it was very good. See this movie, on DVD is fine no reason to see it in the theater on the larger screen. It was good. Ok the Moto chase scene was poorly done, but what a great flick. Warning though, it is very graffic. I would almost suggest an NC-17 rating. Do not take your teenagers.

[George R. Young]

I read the books, unfortunately in the order 2 3 1, but pretty good even so.

[Uglydog56]

I read the books and watched the swedish versions, which I think were very faithful to the books.  I'm scared to see the slicked up american version.  Anybody seen both?
 

[MrPepsi]

I read the books and watched the swedish versions, which I think were very faithful to the books.  I'm scared to see the slicked up american version.  Anybody seen both?

See it for what it is, try not to compare, it will never live up.
Its a great flick.

[jayke]

I saw it last week.  The rape scene was way too graphic and I found it really disturbing.  They could have just cut the scene when he closed the door.  You knew what happened next. Bothered me for a couple days after.

No way I'd take my wife or any woman to see it.  Sad really, other than that it was a good movie.

[VirginiaJim]

I saw the Swedish version and loved it.  Streamed it from Amazon about a month ago.  I'd take my wife to see it.  Very, very good flick.  Not gonna see the American version.  I can get the Swedish version 'free' from Amazon.  The Swedish version was somewhat graphic.  I liked the end...

[redzgrider]

Saw it opening day, with the better half. The violence is somewhat graphic, and I'd say NC17 would not be uncalled for. That being said, the violence was a direct drive for other aspects of the movie. A good move, a commited star (the piercings are all real) and a well done story. I don't recall Mr. Plummer doing a better job in many years.

[Centex]

I read the books and watched the swedish versions, which I think were very faithful to the books.  I'm scared to see the slicked up american version.  Anybody seen both?

Yes - IMHO the swedish film trilogy is not only more faithful to the books but are simply better films (both acting and production) than the US knock-off.

[VirginiaJim]

Trilogy?  There's more than one?

[MrPepsi]

I've heard they are independent stories, with different characters.
There was a fourth book in the works when the author died.

[Rhino]

I've read the series and there certainly could have been a 4th. They all center around the 2 main characters, Lisbeth and Bloomqvist. I never saw the Swedish movies but did see the Hollywood version and I thought is was quite good. But as MrPepsi said quite graphic. I think the graphic nature is necessary to fully comprehend the Lisbeth character. Don't want to be a spoiler but let me just say, she is not someone you would want to mess with.

[Centex]

I've heard they are independent stories, with different characters.

That is incorrect.  The trilogy presents a single story-line.

Trilogy?  There's more than one?

The novels by Steig Larsson (translated titles as published in the US - not literal translations of the original titles) ...

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl Who Plays With Fire
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

The American film perversion jams some simblance of the whole trilogy into one movie (trying to be generous, here).  Think Reader's Digest condensed ....

The US releases of the three Swedish films, all starring Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace as the lead characters (with continuity among all of the cast if memory serves), carry the same (translated) names as the (US) books and give each volume the time, in a full-length feature, they deserve for proper development of the characters and the story.  The fact that the first is directed by Niels Arden Oplev and the second two by Daniel Alfredson does not interfere with the continuity of style or the intensity of the productions.

Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara are 'competent' actors (again, being generous here) but simply don't hold a candle to the original film protrayals by Nyqvist and Rapace.  Same for the overall productions.

The best way to watch the Swedish films is with Swedish dialoge sub-titled in English.  Even in Swedish the voice inflections of the actors' original spoken words add to the overall experience.  The dubbed versions (available for the second two) aren't quite as good but are still better than the single american production.

IMHO, as always.

[VirginiaJim]

Amazon has both versions...at least they did with Dragon.

[Centex]

All of the Swedish trilogy is available through Blockbuster by mail - that's how I got them.

[redzgrider]

"The best way to watch the Swedish films is with Swedish dialoge sub-titled in English."
I was required to watch "Life is Beautiful" several years ago as part of a film class. Sitting there with the better half, the film gets to an important part, but with the voices very low -- voices in Italian. We're reading the sub-titles.
My wife is urging "Turn it up! Turn it up!". I grab the remote and bump the volume several notches. All for audio we can't understand...

[94gixxerod]

Also, you can stream them through Netflix.

All of the Swedish trilogy is available through Blockbuster by mail - that's how I got them.

[Strawboss]

OK, humor me. Never heard of it. Can you give me a quick short bus synopsis of the movie? If it has anything to do with zombies, vampires, transformers, aliens, super heroes, cartoon characters, or stars Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, Meg Ryan, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, anybody from the cast of Glee or any reality, gun, bike,pawn, auction show or has any references to the Kardashians in it, save your time as its a waste and I won't see it.

[Uglydog56]

Young brilliant girl gets hosed by the system. She gets revenge in toto. Journalist witnesses all and falls for protagonist. No glittering shirtless vampires were harmed in the making of this film.

[Strawboss]

Thanks. Interesting. I think I'll try to read the book first.

[VirginiaJim]

I basically started watching the Swedish version on a whim, then couldn't get away from the darn thing.  It's a long movie (Tattoo) but very much worth it.