When I first heard Hollywood was remaking the electrifying 2009 Swedish thriller adapted from Stieg Larsson’s best-selling literary works, I was worried.
So fine was the original version – the ultimate chick flick (and I’m not talking in the Sarah Jessica Parker kind of way) – an English-language remake could only be disappointing.
Then I heard David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network) was director, Daniel Craig lead character Mikael Blomkvist, and Trent Rezno music-man, (the Led Zeppelin Immigrant Song cover with Karen O on vocals in the trailer is enough to get any heart racing), and I knew everything would be OK.
There was, however, one concern remaining – and it was a big one – who would play the girl with dragon tattoo, perfected by Swedish sensation Noomi Rapace?
Contenders included Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Ellen Page (Juno) and Australia’s Mia Wasikowska (Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland) and Emily Browning (Sleeping Beauty).
Thank goodness, they opted for lesser-known actress Rooney Mara, who moviegoers might recognise as Mark Zuckerberg’s girlfriend in The Social Network – although Wasikowska would have made an interesting choice.
Mara is powerful as the tormented computer hacker with a penchant for piercings but something is amiss – she’s a little too tall and glamorous and can’t quite pull off an eyebrow ring like Rapace can.
Also, I never cheered for her as she kicked ass like I did for her Swedish counterpart.
Craig, on the other hand, is superb as rugged investigative-journalist Blomkvist, bringing incredible sex appeal as only the Bond man can.
Fincher offers a suitably sinister sensation and a few interesting story amendments but I’m sticking with the original, which is far more gut-wrenching and feminist driven.
THE Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (MA 15+)
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara
Screening: from January 12
Rating: Four stars
Reviewed by: Sara Fitzpatrick