[Movies] Help me understand why Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is good

[Neeshka]

I just finished seeing this movie and I'm thoroughly disappointed. The movie starts off extremely slow; there is tons of exposition about the characters that is completely irrelevant to the main plot; but not enough to make the sub-plots (of blomkist and lizbeth) to be interesting. There are extremely long scenes where nothing of consequence really happens - for example almost all of the "investigation". We don't actually see any of the investigative process like in a normal detective movie; but precious minutes of the movie drag on with blomvikst interviewing random people who we the viewer do not care about, or thumbing through tons and tons of photos.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<spoiler>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Main plot: Investigative Journalist/publisher Mikael Blomkvist is hired by the Vanger family to investigate the disappearance of a woman 40 years ago (why investigate this now ? we're never told). Eventually they find the missing woman who is living in a foreign country. She ran away from the family to escape sexual abuse from her father and brother. They were both serial killers.

Sub plot blomkvist : he gets set up in a defamation/libel type case against a big businessman, loses a lot of money and gets disgraced. the vanger family hires him with the promise of new evidence against big businessman that will nail him, and a lot of money. In the end it turns out the evidence is useless.

Sub plot lizbeth: lizbeth is blomkvist's assistant. She's a recluse asocial goth girl. Her guardian dies and her lawyer takes control of her finances. The lawyer abuses her (2-3 rape scenes ensue), then she gets revenge.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<spoiler ends>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I thought the revenge sub-plot was the only good thing about the movie. Everything else seemed inconsequential, meandering and not fully explained. Most of the characters felt soulless and lacking interest in anything they did. It's not a tight cohesive movie, and the pacing is all over the place. It's not a feel-good movie; nor does it have any message. The movie doesn't seem to end and has multiple endings to forward the plot after the main plot is over. But those aren't really fleshed out either.

If the book is anything like the movie I don't get the appeal. I tried to read the book a few months ago and lost interest after a few chapters.
This movie seems to be getting a lot of praise and has won nominations at the oscars. Is there a different perspective to watching this movie that I don't get ?

[xGLxAnubis]

Watch the original and/or read the book. The US version is a remake of an adaption of a book. How in gods name could you expect THAT to be good? It's a hand me down of a hand me down.

[Deleted]

Sounds like you didn't a movie that a lot of people are raving about. It happens, just means that it wasn't your thing
.

Watch the original and/or read the book. The US version is a remake of an adaption of a book. How in gods name could you expect THAT to be good? It's a hand me down of a hand me down.

I would consider the american version a more faithful intrepretation of the novel than the Swedish movie.

[Deleted]

I fell asleep when i watched the movie in the cinema :P I've seen the swedish version and its almost the same

[Neeshka]

Well from what I understand the book is similarly paced; and extremely slow to start. Larson is obsessive with extremely detailed character exposition and attention to completely unnecessary details (routines of making coffee for some characters for example). The overall plotlines are basically the same too. However obviously the books continue the plot after dragon tattoo with 2 other books. I did try to read the book but it didn't draw me in at all.

[Palli]

The reason he is investigating is because the gentleman that hired him is realizing his own mortality and really wants to know what happened. He hired a man that he deemed was a great investigator. To me though all of the investigation is not that important as the point of the books is the Girl and her journey. You are supposed to care about her. The investigation she gets involved in is just a chapter in her life.

[Neeshka]

Sounds like you didn't a movie that a lot of people are raving about. It happens, just means that it wasn't your thing
.
I would consider the american version a more faithful intrepretation of the novel than the Swedish movie.

What are they raving about though ? How is it their "thing" ? I usually like almost every movie that is generally praised by critics. I look for good movies from rotten tomatoes scores that match genres I like and I'm almost never disappointed.

From last year I loved Drive, Source Code, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, Hugo, Harry Potter and the Deathly hallows part 2, Moneyball, Sherlock holmes movie (although I liked the series on the BBC a lot more).

[Palli]

What are they raving about though ? How is it their "thing" ? I usually like almost every movie that is generally praised by critics. I look for good movies from rotten tomatoes scores that match genres I like and I'm almost never disappointed.

From last year I loved Drive, Source Code, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, Hugo, Harry Potter and the Deathly hallows part 2, Moneyball, Sherlock holmes movie (although I liked the series on the BBC a lot more).

Not a single one of those movies is anywhere near the type of movie that Girl/Tattoo was. To me it seems to be more of a Independent style film. It's slow, tries to get you caring about the characters and attempts to envelope you in the life of Lisbeth. I liked the American version better, but not many people would agree with me.

[Gestopft]

Much of what is introduced, especially as it pertain's to Lisbeth's character, gets rolling in the second book, and comes into fruition in the third. In that regard, much of the "sub-plot" doesn't make much sense yet, but it will.

I haven't seen the American version yet, but I loved the Swedish version. A bit "slow," yes, but for me it made the powerful scenes even more intense. And I thought Noomi Rapace's performance was excellent.

[Synche]

Although I have not seen the American version, I have seen the swedish version and read all the books

We don't actually see any of the investigative process like in a normal detective movie

Dragon Tattoo is not a "normal" detective movie by any means, it is about investigative journalism, although similar are quite different when it comes to the procedures involved.

My advice would be to read the novels before seeing the rest of the movies (I believe the next two movies will be shot back to back) as they will give you a better sense of the characters and the overall story, as there are a lot of details that are left out of the books.

[Badpaladin]

It's a great movie that's for people who like a lot of talking in their movies. I would say that fans of Game of Thrones (and the excellent, excellent novels it's being based on) would like this because of the sheer amount of talking involved. I haven't read the book for this yet, but I plan on doing so soon enough.

It doesn't sound like the types of movies you liked are in-line with this style. Best look elsewhere.

[Deleted]

I just finished seeing this movie and I'm thoroughly disappointed. The movie starts off extremely slow; there is tons of exposition about the characters that is completely irrelevant to the main plot; but not enough to make the sub-plots (of blomkist and lizbeth) to be interesting. There are extremely long scenes where nothing of consequence really happens - for example almost all of the "investigation". We don't actually see any of the investigative process like in a normal detective movie; but precious minutes of the movie drag on with blomvikst interviewing random people who we the viewer do not care about, or thumbing through tons and tons of photos.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<spoiler>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Main plot: Investigative Journalist/publisher Mikael Blomkvist is hired by the Vanger family to investigate the disappearance of a woman 40 years ago (why investigate this now ? we're never told). Eventually they find the missing woman who is living in a foreign country. She ran away from the family to escape sexual abuse from her father and brother. They were both serial killers.

Sub plot blomkvist : he gets set up in a defamation/libel type case against a big businessman, loses a lot of money and gets disgraced. the vanger family hires him with the promise of new evidence against big businessman that will nail him, and a lot of money. In the end it turns out the evidence is useless.

Sub plot lizbeth: lizbeth is blomkvist's assistant. She's a recluse asocial goth girl. Her guardian dies and her lawyer takes control of her finances. The lawyer abuses her (2-3 rape scenes ensue), then she gets revenge.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<spoiler ends>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I thought the revenge sub-plot was the only good thing about the movie. Everything else seemed inconsequential, meandering and not fully explained. Most of the characters felt soulless and lacking interest in anything they did. It's not a tight cohesive movie, and the pacing is all over the place. It's not a feel-good movie; nor does it have any message. The movie doesn't seem to end and has multiple endings to forward the plot after the main plot is over. But those aren't really fleshed out either.

If the book is anything like the movie I don't get the appeal. I tried to read the book a few months ago and lost interest after a few chapters.
This movie seems to be getting a lot of praise and has won nominations at the oscars. Is there a different perspective to watching this movie that I don't get ?

Read the book, the film is a terrible adaption.

---------- Post added 2012-01-28 at 12:08 AM ----------

Sounds like you didn't a movie that a lot of people are raving about. It happens, just means that it wasn't your thing
.
I would consider the american version a more faithful intrepretation of the novel than the Swedish movie.

Wow, you mean...other the Lisbeth being nearly a totally different character personality wise, the missing girl plot ending completely differently, the way Blomkist is captured being totally different...I mean, I could go on.

[Neeshka]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy had TONS of talking, and it's the opposite a modern spy thriller it's more of a slow paced british bureaucratic espionage drama. But I liked it a lot.

[Shrouded]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy had TONS of talking, and it's the opposite a modern spy thriller it's more of a slow paced british bureaucratic espionage drama. But I liked it a lot.

In contrast, I liked Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but hated Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. The movie utterly failed to get me to care about the plot. I had zero interest in who the mole was. In fact, I watched it a week ago today and I can't even remember who it was. Heh.

[SvetlanaSvetlana]

I remember my Sister-In-Law ordering this movie and making us watch it. (I'm referring to the non-american version)

Even with the subtitles, the plot was difficult to follow, and downright confusing. The cherry on the Pomegranate for this movie, was that there were an excessive amount of rape scenes, that were downright unnecessary. Call me a prude, but I don't appreciate rape scenes in my movie.

I couldn't even finish the movie. x.x

[Deleted]

I remember my Sister-In-Law ordering this movie and making us watch it. (I'm referring to the non-american version)

Even with the subtitles, the plot was difficult to follow, and downright confusing. The cherry on the Pomegranate for this movie, was that there were an excessive amount of rape scenes, that were downright unnecessary. Call me a prude, but I don't appreciate rape scenes in my movie.

I couldn't even finish the movie. x.x

Women don't appreciate being raped IRL, but at least you can choose whether to see it in films.

[Neeshka]

how do the rape scenes add to the film ? in the film, lizbeth is a minor character; blomkvist is the protagonist. the rape scenes are just a sub-plot about how lizbeth gets her finances in a mess. The first 40 minutes of the film are completely unbearable and then we see 2 rape scenes.

[eucatastrophe]

Watch the original and/or read the book. The US version is a remake of an adaption of a book. How in gods name could you expect THAT to be good? It's a hand me down of a hand me down.

It's not a remake.

--

OP: I don't mean to rag on you; we all have different tastes, etc. So don't take anything I say offensively... but I am going to be harsh because you have ROYALLY MISSED the point/understanding of the saga and are using your poor interpretation as basis for stupid arguments as to why you dislike the movie.

Lisbeth/Blomkvist is not a SUBPLOT; it is the main plot. My friend who has never read the books or seen the Swedish movies was clever enough to understand that. The Millenium trilogy is character-focused set against the backdrop of crime/thriller/drama. (The two sequels are fairly different in tone). I don't expect you to get it NOW because you have totally missed the ideas the movie/books present.

Secondly, your facts are also wrong... which makes you look uninformed and your arguments, frankly, stupid. TGWTDT has largely been snubbed by the Oscars. The FEW nominations it has received have little to do with the content of the film and everything to do with the presentation of the film. Do your research next time.

[Shrouded]

how do the rape scenes add to the film ? in the film, lizbeth is a minor character; blomkvist is the protagonist. the rape scenes are just a sub-plot about how lizbeth gets her finances in a mess. The first 40 minutes of the film are completely unbearable and then we see 2 rape scenes.

That's a little like asking why Sauron is in the first LotR movie, I feel. Lizbeth is the protagonist of the entire series - or so I've heard. I haven't actually read the books or seen the other movies, so I can't say for sure.

[Neeshka]

I think I just dislike david fincher movies; didn't like fight club at all, se7en was alright but very overrated and too gruesome, social network was average.