MovieChat Forums > The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Discussion > Which version should I watch?!

Which version should I watch?!

posted 9 years ago by honwekoh
55 replies | jump to latest

The Swedish original or the David Fincher re-adaption?

EDIT (2/4/2017 DD/MM/YY):

Thank you for all of your wonderful replies. I actually prefer Fincher's take on the novel to the Swedish version. Honestly the only difference I can recall from watching both films is the pacing; I think the Swedish version is paced too fast compared to the American one. It might be because I watched the American re-adaptation first, read the novel, then watched the Swedish original. I don't really know and it's not a fair comparison. Still, I recommend the novel over the film. But if you dislike reading, then I recommend that you watch Fincher's version.

[–] leo-hork-na 9 years ago

Flip a coin and watch one. Then watch the other one.

[–] agfield 9 years ago

Absolutely no contest - the Swedish original. Hollywood seems to believe that it has to remake movie like this, but the truth is they should leave well alone. Rapace and Nyqvist are just so much better than Mara and Craig ..... get the dubbed version if the subtitles put you off.

[–] VValkyrie 9 years ago

Total agreement. Swedish, original version is far better. Tattoo is better in the original version as well. Found the Americanized version flat AND changed major lines during rescue scene.

[–] MissDukette 8 years ago

My sentiments exactly

[–] YourMomLikesMe 8 years ago

I just finished the US version, and yeah, the Swedish one is much better. Regardless of what Fincher fanboys have to say.

[–] theplasticprincess-27779 8 years ago

Agreed. I didn't like the new version All she did was eat pizza and moon about. I'm all for Noomi! She portrays Lisbeth beautifully.

[–] farooqhm 8 years ago

Indeed. Absolutely no contest.
Hollywood had absolutely NO business doing a remake of a film FROM SWEDEN, based on a book written BY A SWEDISH author. They failed. They changed the story from the book. Characterisations were completely wrong. How could they think they could improve on the Swedes on this body of work?

After watching the trilogy come out, I ended up buying Millennium BluRay. This is basically the TV version. Nothing was cut out from the films. However, much was added. It's nearly 9 hours long, 6 episodes. Watch THAT...but ONLY if you care about the books.

If you're a typical Hollywood lover, go with Fincher...he's dumbed the books down for dumb Americans. The funny part about all this? The Swedish movies all came out within months of each other, creating a continuity. Here we are in the USA, and 6 years later, still no sequel...and I hear they're replacing the principals. Ha hahahahahahah

[–] akg96-1 8 years ago

I think Daniel Craig is a great actor (especially as James Bond), an authentic, interesting & likeable guy. I liked both, but the Swedish version was more captivating & enjoyable.

[–] troyturton61 8 years ago

I know I'm late with this, so you probably already watched this :) But I watched the Millennium Trilogy ( The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was the first of the 3 books/films ) first. About a year or so before the American version came out. I was totally bored with both American movies & TV at the time. And my best friend ( who is from Sweden ) started to suggest some Scandinavian films and TV shows for me to watch. if I could find them with English subtitles ( which fortunately, there were versions of almost everything she suggested. And I thank her very much for even more "killing off" my American TV & movie watching, lol.

So I already knew the story & the characters, when her & I went to see this in the theater here. I have to admit, this version of it wasn't bad at all, which I thought it would be. Because I totally enjoyed the originals very much. I saw someone else in a review say the original was dull and drab, in comparison to this version. But I would say that person doesn't know much about Scandinavian Noir. I have watched around 2 dozen Swedish/Danish films & quite a few Scandinavian TV shows as well ( like the original Wallander ( not the UK version ) & Beck. Along with 2 other TV shows that were "redone" in America. The Killing ( Forbrydelsen ) & The Bridge ( Bron, Broen ) And I have been hooked on Swedish/Danish movies and TV ever since.

The weather in those countries isn't the greatest, which in itself is kind of bleak & grey. They don't normally get a lot of sunshine there. Even in the summer. ( thought lately, they have been getting much warmer weather then usual. Global Warming maybe? lol ) Even though their day light hours in the summer last much longer then ours ( I'm in NJ ) It will still be kind of light at 10PM in the summer there. But during fall and winter. It's the total opposite. To me, that type of weather makes for a much better "feel & setting" for a mystery, who done it type of movie. Also not to mention, that unlike in America. Scandinavian countries movies and entertainment don't come from multi billion dollar Movie & TV studio's. Like they do in America. Yet to me, the over all quality of the material they produce is much better :)

One other thing I didn't see anyone else mention about the comparison between the 2 films. Is that in my opinion. The American version tended to make Mikael Blomkvist ( the male lead ) of the story, out to be the hero of the story. Where as in the original, it is more Lisbeth Salander ( the female lead of the story ) who is the heroine. With Blomkvist assisting her.

[–] vkorchnoifan 8 years ago

See the Swedish. More logic and more coherent than the American one. I think one reason that Hollywood made a remake is they hate rich people. Remember "Chinatown" ? Almost alike. Look at the way Hollywood is treating Trump. The left wants control, the right wants freedom.

[–] caityshe 8 years ago

Why not both?

[–] movieforme 8 years ago

which ever one you want

[–] chilone (17860) 7 years ago

Watch both. They both have their merits.