David Fincher Deserved A Trilogy For This Dark Crime Thriller Mystery
It is always tragic when a great movie built to be a trilogy fails to get the sequels it deserves. And of all the people that could have happened to, you would probably never think such an ignoble fate would befall one of the greatest living directors today. And yet, that is exactly what happened in the case of David Fincher’s incredible 2011 film, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Had The Makings Of A Hit
Based on Stieg Larsson’s hit Millenium book series, David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo seemed to have all the ingredients to be a guaranteed hit. Fincher was already well-established with movies like Fight Club, Se7en, and Best Picture nominee The Social Network. Daniel Craig starred after recently coming into his own as a star via the James Bond movies. And Rooney Mara co-starred in the challenging role after also having a place in The Social Network.
Based On The Worldwide Best-Selling Novel
For those unfamiliar with the plot, it follows Craig as disgraced investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist who is hired to look into the disappearance of a girl in a wealthy family. He forms an unlikely business alliance with Mara’s Lisbeth Salander, an eccentric girl who has an aptitude for working outside of the law to acquire information. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a crime mystery that lends itself perfectly to David Fincher’s signature eerie, brutal storytelling style.
Rooney Mara Worked For The Part
Mara absolutely steals the show as the reclusive hacker Lisbeth Salander. In preparation for the role, Mara even genuinely got additional body piercings so she could better fit the part of Lisbeth’s punk aesthetic. She perfectly captures the demeanor of an anti-social genius. David Fincher nailed the casting for his eponymous “girl with the dragon tattoo.”
David Fincher Should Have Been Able To Make More
Though the Millenium series is often called a book trilogy, it actually now has seven novels in the series. However, only the first three were written by Stieg Larsson before he passed away. Many consider the third book a good stopping point and had hoped to see David Fincher adapt the next two after The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
It is unclear why exactly the subsequent books in the Millenium series were not also adapted. One potential challenge was that before David Fincher did The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for America in 2011, the trilogy had already been adapted to film in Sweden in 2009. Perhaps producers blamed that small gap between the two adaptations for the Fincher film’s modest box office returns.
Another Fincher And Trent Reznor Collobaration
Regardless, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo functions well as a standalone movie and gives David Fincher fans more of his trademark style. The movie is also scored by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails fame. Besides Daniel Craig taking a break from James Bond to star in the film, the entire cast and crew involved are an ensemble group that delivers one of the best movies of 2011.
If you have ever let the fact that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an incomplete film trilogy keep you from watching it, you are depriving yourself of one of David Fincher’s best movies. See what you have been missing today through its availability to rent or buy on platforms such as Amazon, YouTube, and Google Play.
