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THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOOMovie Reviews
Thriller about a young computer hacker who is hired by a journalist to aid in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years. Cast:Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Steven Berkoff, Robin Wright, Stellan SkarsgårdDirector:David FincherRelease Date:December 20, 2011DVD Release:March 20, 2012From:Sony PicturesRating:RLength:2 hr 40 min
MARCH 20, 2012
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Very Good Reviews
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo played to very good reviews. • David Germain wrote for the Associated Press, "...stark but enthralling... an ideal match of filmmaker and material.... Fincher gives Steven Zaillian room to let the story and characters reveal themselves slowly." • And David Denby called the film in the New Yorker, "...a bleak but mesmerizing piece of filmmaking..." More Reviews Below...
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Positive Reviews (51 Reviews, reviews below)
Alynda Wheat, People: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...unwatchable things happen, primarily to Lisbeth... The satisfaction of 'Dragon Tattoo' is watching Lisbeth realize that she, too, has power."(See all of Alynda Wheat's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 485 words, 12/21/11
Richard Corliss, Time: GOOD "Seeing Fincher's version is like getting a Christmas gift of a book you already have.... it's essentially a reproduction of the same old 'Dragon.' "(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,607 words, 12/23/11
David Germain, Associated Press: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...stark but enthralling... an ideal match of filmmaker and material.... Fincher gives Steven Zaillian room to let the story and characters reveal themselves slowly."(See all of David Germain's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 755 words, 12/15/11
Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Fincher turns a humdrum mystery into a series of briskly paced jaw-droppers punctuated by extreme violence... two-plus hours of breathtaking chill."(See all of Mara Reinstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 177 words, 12/22/11
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Fincher has made this into an electrifying movie by turning the audience into addicts of the forbidden, looking for the sick and twisted things we can't see."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 995 words, 12/16/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...brings the dazzle but shortchanges on the daring.... the film hangs back when you want it to come out swinging. Only Mara lets it bleed."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 449 words, 01/06/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...superbly sinister. Fincher handles the most lurid aspects deftly, capturing menace and grim despair in the frosty Scandinavian landscape."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 437 words, 12/20/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "It's an odd feeling to be seeing a movie that resembles its Swedish counterpart in so many ways, yet is subtly different... If I had a choice, I'd choose the original..."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 779 words, 12/20/11
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...undeniably strong stuff, in large part because Fincher knows exactly when to drop the detachment and give the viewer a strong slap upside the head."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 910 words, 12/14/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...what a movie adaptation should be: a film whose base narrative has its roots in the source material but whose soul can be identified through the images that unfold..."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,507 words, 12/20/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (14 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...manages to hold onto the vivid and passionate essence of the book while remaining true enough to its busy plot to prevent literal-minded readers from rioting."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,080 words, 12/20/11
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the mystery based on the late Stieg Larsson's international bestseller is a common pop-cult commodity.... But Mara keeps us entranced even when we want to look away."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 274 words, 12/20/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "Salander as a twitchy, anorexic waif feels more like a stunt than a complete character... the film is too frigid around the heart to be really effective."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 824 words, 12/20/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: WEAK(cg) "...rubbish.... give Fincher credit for keeping things ripping along so quickly, but let's not make a virtue out of necessity."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 724 words, 12/20/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the most coldly compelling version yet... If you needed another version of Larsson's proven combination of pruience and payoff, here you go."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 638 words, 12/16/11
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: MODERATE(cg) "...so uneven and overlong that it may leave non-fans wondering what all the fuss has been about.... [but] Mara is razor-sharp..."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 360 words, 12/21/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "It's an odd feeling to be seeing a movie that resembles its Swedish counterpart in so many ways, yet is subtly different... If I had a choice, I'd choose the original..."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 779 words, 12/20/11
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "...persists in pursuing three separate endings and, by the time they wrap, the movie is less a walk on the wild side than an evening stroll through a well-lit topiary garden."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 640 words, 12/21/11
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "...it all comes down to the 'girl' of the title, played here with a ferocious combination of rawness and vulnerability by 26-year-old Rooney Mara."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,056 words, 12/20/11
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the break-out performance of Rooney Mara as the semi-feral computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander, gives the film a residue of authentic anguish."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 818 words, 12/21/11
Susan G. Cole, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "If you've seen the Swedish adaptation, this one's superfluous. But if you're like the majority of North Americans and have a hate-on for subtitles - go for it."(See all of Susan G. Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 441 words, 12/15/11
KEY CITIES (13 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...at once satisfying and underwhelming, a pristine, cooly atmospheric procedural thriller that comes to the party a tad overdressed in inexplicably breathless hype."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 842 words, 12/20/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...long, but doesn't feel so.... In fact, toward the end, it feels unnecessarily hurried, as mysteries are resolved, and as Salander and Blomkvist start to look like an item..."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 729 words, 12/20/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The last scene, nearly wordless, is one of the great heartbreakers of modern film.... Fincher has made his first love story. It's a killer."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 591 words, 12/20/11
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "The story is a little too over the top, a little too uneven and has at least a couple too many endings to be called great... Mara's performance has a ferocity that will linger..."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 656 words, 12/20/11
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD(cg) "I don't think I've seen an actor do more with deadpan expressions than Mara does in this movie.... she pushes a little light through the character's dour darkness."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,164 words, 12/21/11
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: VERY GOOD(cg) "...it is, like all Fincher films, meticulously made; it's also mostly faithful to the source material (although be prepared for a twist in the end)."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 624 words, 12/20/11
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Sometimes a movie is no more important than it should be, and the satisfaction it gives is entirely a consequence of its being exceptionally well made..."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 727 words, 12/20/11
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...often thrilling... a sharp-edged, ultraviolent (though perhaps just a shade less so than the Swedish film) mystery wrapped in a character study."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 543 words, 12/20/11
Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: VERY GOOD(cg) "There's powerful craft here, and Stieg Larsson's story has more than proven its ability to grip. But missing almost entirely is a sense of urgency and discovery."(See all of Shawn Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 602 words, 12/20/11
Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Craig sheds his James Bond persona with aplomb, and Mara is exhilarating in the role that brought stardom to actress Noomi Rapace."(See all of Calvin Wilson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 296 words, 12/23/11
Tom Long, Detroit News: GOOD(cg) "...if you're a fan, you already know the drill. If you're not, and you like disturbing, violent films about damaged and brave people, this should serve you well-enough."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 615 words, 12/20/11
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the dynamic between Craig and Mara is so sensational, it instantly propels the movie beyond glossy, high-toned pulp into something far more affecting."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 779 words, 12/21/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (10 Reviews)
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: MODERATE "...persists in pursuing three separate endings and, by the time they wrap, the movie is less a walk on the wild side than an evening stroll through a well-lit topiary garden."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 640 words, 12/21/11
Katey Rich, Cinema Blend: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a vast improvement on the source material, a brooding and gripping mystery that's captivating even if you know exactly how the story turns out."(See all of Katey Rich's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 816 words, 12/13/11
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Fincher doesn't add much to Niels Arden Oplev's Swedish version: more Googling and plot-compressing montages and an altered but still convoluted ending."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 139 words, 12/22/11
Scott Tobias, AV Club: EXCELLENT(cg) "Mara's Salander is the film's lifeblood, a shrewd yet vulnerable outsider whose resilience and pluck help Fincher elevate the film above the standard procedural."(See all of Scott Tobias's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 396 words, 12/20/11
Ed Gonzalez, Slant: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The film's elegant moroseness, like the propulsive, sometimes discordant, volume of Trent Rezor and Atticus Ross's experimental score, seems intended to distract us..."(See all of Ed Gonzalez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 978 words, 12/13/11
Susan G. Cole, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "If you've seen the Swedish adaptation, this one's superfluous. But if you're like the majority of North Americans and have a hate-on for subtitles - go for it."(See all of Susan G. Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 441 words, 12/15/11
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a sleek, supercharged version of a pulpy best-seller, but doesn't transcend its genre the way films like 'Psycho' or 'The Silence of the Lambs' did."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 726 words, 12/20/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: GOOD "...has much to recommend it -- high-end craftsmanship, a singular heroine, a labyrinthine mystery, an intriguing milieu -- yet lacks a vital spark."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 12/23/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...manages to hold onto the vivid and passionate essence of the book while remaining true enough to its busy plot to prevent literal-minded readers from rioting."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,080 words, 12/20/11
David Denby, New Yorker: OUTSTANDING "You can't take your eyes off Rooney Mara as the notorious Lisbeth Salander.... a bleak but mesmerizing piece of filmmaking; it offers a glancing, chilled view..."(See all of David Denby's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 603 words, 12/05/11
Mark Jenkins, NPR: GOOD "Mara and Craig embody their characters with assurance and precision, but they -- like they movie they're in -- are a bit too cold, a little too clean."(See all of Mark Jenkins's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 589 words, 12/20/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "Salander as a twitchy, anorexic waif feels more like a stunt than a complete character... the film is too frigid around the heart to be really effective."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 824 words, 12/20/11
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: VERY GOOD "...an ingenious and engrossing work of pop cinema.... an immersive and powerful thriller... It's mostly really good and then it wears out its welcome."(See all of Andrew O'Hehir's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,403 words, 12/20/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "...fully retains Stieg Larsson's thinly veiled indictment of corporate skulduggery, anti-Semitism, child abuse and, above all, unspeakably sadistic crimes against women..."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,353 words, 12/13/11
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD "...it's Rooney Mara's movie for the taking, and she snatches it up... [but] the film is too neatly wrapped up, too fastidious to get under your skin and stay there."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,356 words, 12/13/11
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: MODERATE "Salander as a twitchy, anorexic waif feels more like a stunt than a complete character... the film is too frigid around the heart to be really effective."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 824 words, 12/20/11
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...finds David Fincher at the top of his form, reaffirming his status as the most inventive and brilliant American director working in Hollywood today."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,078 words, 12/15/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "...manages to hold onto the vivid and passionate essence of the book while remaining true enough to its busy plot to prevent literal-minded readers from rioting."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,080 words, 12/20/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: GOOD "...has much to recommend it -- high-end craftsmanship, a singular heroine, a labyrinthine mystery, an intriguing milieu -- yet lacks a vital spark."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 12/23/11
17.8 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's reviews are separated by an average 17.8 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (51 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's reviews cover 100.0% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 38,662 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 758 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Coverage, Volume & Length (51 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 5.0 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's reviews on average broke 5.0 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (51 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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