10 More Movie Remakes Better Than The Original

David Fincher's directing CV is nothing short of mouth-watering. From Seven and Fight Club, to Zodiac and Gone Girl, the man simply knows how to produce thrilling stories and bring them to the screen in the most compelling way possible.

Though you could argue The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo isn't quite on the same level as any of the above, when an English-speaking version of the 2009 Swedish production of the same name was to be made, he was the perfect person to direct.

The story is by its nature paced rather slowly, with plenty of exposition to take in in the way of the Wagner family's dynamics and the multitude of different characters, but never once did the film feel like it dragged. It was beautifully shot and allowed the quite ridiculous tension to build methodically and deliberately.  

The key though, as it is in Stieg Larsson's Millenium trilogy, is Lisbeth Salander. Prometheus' Noomi Rapace made a name for herself in the role in 2009, but Rooney Mara simply became the character. As a deeply troubled and deeply flawed protagonist, the balance would have been incredibly difficult to strike, though it's hard to imagine a better version of the titular tattooed character. Bitter, vulnerable, dangerous, and sharing a strong chemistry with Daniel Craig's Mikael Blomkvist, Mara was every bit as important to the film's success as Fincher.