David Fincher is a director who knows how to show the darker side of human nature. From the cerebral and disturbing "Se7en" to the subversive "Fight Club" he uncovers a filthy, dangerous underbelly of society.
When it came to remaking Niels Arden Oplev's 2009 film of Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy bestseller, only one man could have done it justice. Fincher's English language remake carries a menace rarely seen in recent Hollywood thrillers. Sinister and darkly brutal this isn't an easy watch. I myself have always had trouble watching violence especially sexual violence towards women on screen. Shocking and disturbing it does bring a certain something to a plot that needs concentration to follow. Steven Zailiian wrote a screenplay that has…

While I can totally concede that this film stands completely on the shoulders of the original movie (at times being a near shot-for-shot remake) and its self-indulgent running time of almost 3 hours can give the impression that this is a blockbuster-sized adaptation on steroids, it goes without saying that this is still David Fincher's greatest achievement since his seminal FIGHT CLUB and his most beautiful work since SE7EN. Facts alone, with all remake-politics aside, that make this a worthwhile and sumptuous treat for film fans and fans of the original.

Comparatively this movie is so close to the original one may question the need for a remake, often revisiting the same locations and staging scenes that play out with…

There are several directors that are generally thought of as being excellent in most quarters that I haven't really got round to addressing since I came on Letterboxd - Kubrick, Tarantino, Scorsese to name but three. Oh, and David Fincher.

It's actually not been a deliberate thing and certainly not because I dislike their work. On the contrary, I am a fan of all them and I'm looking forward shortly to catching up on post-Jackie Brown Tarantino especially. But it's been interesting to sit back and watch the discussions on these directors, and the ones on Tarantino and Fincher most specifically - especially as they have had films doing the rounds during my Letterboxd lifetime.

The consensus on Fincher's version…

David Fincher's adaptation of Stiegg Larsson's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is an utterly engrossing experience. A slow-burning thriller that takes its time to unfold, the film is a striking combination of sleek, snowy imagery; solid performances; and compelling, sometimes brutal, storytelling.

Beginning with the most inspired opening-credit sequence this side of "Skyfall," the film launches full-bore into the murder mystery that serves as its foundation while introducing the audience to its two damaged protagonists. Daniel Craig's roughshod charisma and Rooney Mara's near-otherworldly, punk allure, along with a turn by the great Christopher Plummer, set Fincher's cast as a force with which to be reckoned. Craig and Mara are ideal guides through Larsson's tangled narrative.

Fincher paints his film…

"It's funny how the fear of offending is greater than the fear of pain. You knew something was wrong. You knew you would end up strung up in the basement. Yet you came back. And all I had to do was...offer you a drink."

Who would it thought Karen O collaborating with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on a cover version of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" for the opening scene, was going to be so freaking good!

'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' is an example of how good of a director David Fincher is, I mean, the guy creates film that are so good on re-watch is not even funny. The more I re-watch the film, the more I…

David Fincher is a director who knows how to show the darker side of human nature. From the cerebral and disturbing "Se7en" to the subversive "Fight Club" he uncovers a filthy, dangerous underbelly of society.
When it came to remaking Niels Arden Oplev's 2009 film of Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy bestseller, only one man could have done it justice. Fincher's English language remake carries a menace rarely seen in recent Hollywood thrillers. Sinister and darkly brutal this isn't an easy watch. I myself have always had trouble watching violence especially sexual violence towards women on screen. Shocking and disturbing it does bring a certain something to a plot that needs concentration to follow. Steven Zailiian wrote a screenplay that has…

Regisseur David Fincher hoeft zich al lang niets meer aan te trekken van hoongelach. Criticasters die het idee rond een film over Facebook pietluttig vonden kregen lik op stuk met ‘The social network', een messcherpe dwarsdoorsnede van het Amerikaanse entrepreneurschap. Wellicht weerklonk wederom hoongelach toen Fincher te kennen gaf dat zijn volgende film een bewerking ging worden van een Zweeds literair fenomeen dat nota bene in eigen land al op een uiterst succesvolle filmbewerking kon rekenen. Belegen uitverkoop van een Amerikaans topcineast of een buitenissige en interessante carrièrekeuze. Het mes snijdt ons inziens langs twee kanten.

Vooreerst even dit en met risico om een schare lezers tegen onzer harnas te jagen: Stieg Larssons felgeprezen 'Millenium'-trilogie is sop dat de kool…

Film 77 of The 2013 Project.

Running time: 158 minutes.

Now this is exactly how you do a remake, yes it was so soon after the original and I didn't think they could do it right but they did. David Fincher is the right man for the job, and he directs this brilliantly. Rooney Mara takes on the character of Lisbeth so well, and she totally sells herself as her, she is definitely one of my favourite actresses now. Just seeing how she can truly take on a character with this film and also recently in Side Effects. Daniel Craig is brilliant as Mikael Blomkvist, he's very likeable and it's nice to see him not being Bond.

The opening titles…

A disgraced journalist is hired to investigate a 40-year-old disappearance. He teams up with a brilliant but damaged hacker.

The plot isn’t very distinguished, but director David Fincher presents it with conviction and style, and invests it with integrity. He makes particularly evocative use of old photographs. The characters are nicely fleshed out. The title character is a tough customer, but not a generic bad-ass. This is due mostly to Rooney Mara’s performance. She finds subtle ways to show what’s going on beneath Lisbeth’s hardened facade, projecting danger and vulnerability. The rest of the cast is also solid, Stellan Skarsgård being particularly committed to his role. The script is witty (in context, the phrase “requires more towels” is a highlight),…