Blindfold (US) - Blu-Ray

Film: 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 Hollywood has now taken up the cause of the Swedish bestseller. Although the Swedish film adaptation of the first novel, Blinded, was only released in 2009 and left a lasting impression due to the strong performance of Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander alone, the American remake was also released in our cinemas just under two years later. This might not have been 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 familiar with 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 adaptation?

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 watchable affair!

Image + Sound: Although the action is primarily in sombre tones, the very clean image has a high level of detail. The reduced colour scheme is very atmospheric and in the few moments when the colours are allowed to turn out a little friendlier and stronger, their implementation is no less successful. The minimal weak points, which the picture reveals here and there, should hardly be noticed by most viewers, which is why the overall impression left by the visuals is absolutely positive. This also applies to the sound, which can please in its 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix with atmospheric ambient sounds, coherent surround effects and well intelligible tuned dialogue. Very good!

Extras: When it comes to bonus material, the 2-disc edition Blu-Ray can really score. Because in contrast to the sparsely equipped DVD, the Blu-Ray has almost four hours of really good extras to offer. It starts with a highly interesting audio commentary by director David Fincher, who is known for his first-class comments. Aside from a few small breaks, this commentary is filled with interesting information that Fincher imparts in a very engaging manner.

On the second disc, the viewer then gets to see over 30 short documentaries that cover just about every aspect of the production in great detail. The whole thing is divided into five sections. Starting here is the introductory featurette Men Who Hate Women (6:40 min.), in which Fincher and others involved comment on the novel. Moving on, we get to the characters. This section is again divided into Lisbeth Salander, Mikael Blomqvist, and Martin Vagner. Lisbeth gets the most attention in six featurettes with a total running time of just under 48 minutes. Mikael gets four featurettes (approx. 13 min.) and Martin Vagner six short documentaries (approx. 24 min.). This covers not only the characters, but also the casting, the methods of the actors, and some key scenes.

The next section goes straight to the filming locations, though there are two subcategories here as well. Shooting in Sweden is explored in five featurettes (approx. 49 min.), while working in Hollywood is covered in seven short docs (approx. 49 min.). Finally, the post-production gets four featurettes (approx. 27 min.). Finally, there's a look at the film's publicity. In addition to TV spots, trailers, and a look at the making of a limited edition movie poster, the standout here is the superbly directed fake documentary Hard Copy (approx. 9 min.), which can be viewed with optional commentary by Fincher's home video producer David Prior.

The good mix of interviews, footage of on-set work, and raw versions of some scenes makes the numerous documentaries an excellent record of the making of this thriller. The whole thing is far above the level of usual promo documentaries and is therefore absolutely worth watching even for film buffs!

Conclusion: David Fincher's version of Stieg Larsson's Seduction varies the Swedish adaptation only in nuances, but they are enough to give the film a character all its own. Good actors and engaging visuals make this thriller worth watching even if you're already familiar with the book and the first film adaptation. The Blu-ray presents the film technically in very good quality and also has masses of bonus material to offer that goes far beyond the level of usual promotional features. Therefore applies to this great double disc: absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp