Blindness

Whether as a book, in the cinema or on TV, the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson, who died in 2004, was a resounding success in every respect. So much so, that now Hollywood has also taken up the Swedish bestseller. Although the Swedish film adaptation of the first novel, Blinded, only hit theaters in 2009 and left a lasting impression due to Noomi Rapace's strong performance as Lisbeth Salander alone, the American remake is already coming to our cinemas. This might not even be worth mentioning if David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club) hadn't taken over the direction and assembled a cast worth seeing in front of his camera. And indeed, the story is worth revisiting a second time. Because even if Fincher's version seems like a 1:1 copy of the Swedish film in some scenes, he has directed a slightly different, very own version of the material in subtle but crucial nuances.

The basic framework of the story has admittedly remained the same: the renowned investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is facing the ruins of his career. A libel suit has not only severely damaged his image, but also that of his magazine, Millenium. Blomkvist draws the consequences and temporarily resigns his position as editor-in-chief. That's when Henrik Vagner (Christopher Plummer), a wealthy industrialist, shows up and asks Mikael to use his journalistic intuition to help him solve the disappearance of his niece, Harriet. For over 30 years, there has been no trace of her. Yet every year for his birthday, Vagner receives a pressed flower behind glass, the same gift he always received from Harriet before her disappearance.

Blomkvist agrees to help Vagner. But he quickly reaches a dead end with his investigation, repeatedly coming up against a wall of silence, especially within the internally hostile family. Only the headstrong hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) could help him with her talent to solve the mystery of Harriet's disappearance. Together, the unconventional team delves deeper and deeper into the dark history of the industrialist Vagner family, getting closer and closer to the terrifying and gruesome truth.

Those who have seen Niels Sarden Oplev's version of Disappointment may not be particularly interested in watching the US remake. Admittedly, there is indeed a great deal of overlap in story and also in locations, which prevents connoisseurs of the Swedish original from being offered truly gripping, surprising and consistently suspenseful thriller entertainment. There is no question that Fincher's version is worth seeing for viewers who have not yet been captivated by the stories of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. After all, the book template and Fincher's gritty adaptation are simply extremely exciting. But what reason is there to watch the U.S. version if you've already seen the thriller in the very good Swedish film version?

Aside from the terrific title sequence, which is a small work of art in its own almost hypnotic way, and the atmospheric camerawork by Jeff Cronenweth (The Social Network, Fight Club), who has captured the Swedish locations in a bleak beauty, small changes to the story also make this film adaptation very interesting. While the ending Fincher has chosen does leave more of an impression of a self-contained whole, which is nice in case the other two volumes aren't also subjected to a remake treatment, overall it feels a bit slick. On the other hand, this also highlights what is probably Fincher's most obvious change, one that will likely split all Lisbeth Salander fans into two camps. For in the American version, the life-scarred hacker is clearly more vulnerable and not quite as ruthless as she is in the Swedish adaptation. Salander and Blomkvist act much more as equals here, which is revealed not only in the research, but also in the sex scene they share.

This naturally begs the question of whether Rooney Mara, who has so far attracted attention for roles in The Social Network or the Nightmare on Elm Street remake, can hold a candle to Noomi Rapace? Mara is clearly trying. The almost unbearable scene between Lisbeth and her guardian Bjurman (Yorick van Wageningen) is superbly acted, revealing an intensity that makes it clear why Fincher chose this actress. But overall, Mara just doesn't seem broken enough to leave a similar impression as Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander.

However, overall, Desecration is not only great cinema in terms of craft, but also in terms of acting. Whether it's Daniel Craig, Robin Wright, Christopher Plummer or Stellan Skarsgård, they all make this film a real pleasure to watch, whether you already know the story or not. So, in conclusion, David Fincher's adaptation of the first volume of the Millennium Trilogy is top-notch suspense cinema that can be warmly recommended to all lovers of dark, somewhat dreary thrillers. For those familiar with the Swedish original, this remake may seem a little unnecessary, but despite the lack of suspense, the fine cast and intriguing imagery also make revisiting Mikael and Lisbeth a very worthwhile watch!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp