Here we go again. Another great foreign title being remade for American audiences. Once again, I’m not opposed to these things happening, but when they’re so close on the heels from the release of the original it inexplicably rubs me the wrong way.
The movie fandom community seems to have really grown attached to Ben Affleck on the other side of the camera, so it’s no surprise we’re all itching to see what he brings us next. As it happens, what he’ll be bringing us is a remake of the foreign box office sensation, Tell No One (my review).
I suppose I’m interested to see what Affleck does with the title but as always with these types of remakes I’d rather see these “great” directors doing something original (the Boston thing has worked really well for him so far) with their time. Despite how you may feel about Fincher doing Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, honestly how much more do you think Affleck can bring to something as simplistically straight forward (and I mean that in the most awesome possible way) as Tell No One?
Anyone other than me seen this pretty great film from a couple of years ago? If yes (or no), what are your thoughts on Affleck remaking it and what are your thoughts on this latest trend of Hollywood remaking recent foreign films in lieu of an original property?
Tell No One is amazing. Absolutely love the movie.
I have no reason to see the remake of this. Feel the same way as I did with Let the Right One In.
Speaking of Girl with Dragon Tattoo, I disliked the Swedish movie and probably won’t get much from the american version. I just felt it wasn’t a good movie IMO (the original)
Wow and doesn’t this one seem worth watching! The original was pretty damm, frickin amazing, but the remake seems to promise more..is there more? One can hope. I love the notion of evolution from the original. Pray the directors bring some magic to this! Some things perfect are best left alone they say. Perhaps…perhaps not. Let’s see.
I really don’t get the love for this movie. Not that it’s bad, but it’s definitely got room for improvement. I do remember the highway crossing scene being awesome though, apart from that it’s a fairley straightforward thriller. Also it has to be said that some of the music choices are flat out bad. The scene with the U2 song is brutal. It would fit into Affleck’s filmography pretty well. I’m interested to see what he could do with it.
You’re right Lenny – it is a straight forward thriller, but it’s written so smartly. The “straight forward” aspect of the film is actually what makes it great in my mind.
As to the U2 song – I thought it was pretty cool how it was actually used as a piece of plot device, not just a cheesy song playing in the background. I need to see this movie again. It really surprised me.
The soundtrack almost ruin the film for the me. There can be improvements the ending, as well.
I think just about all films can be improved upon in some/many ways. To me at least, that doesn’t mean it’s going to make it that much more interesting to sit through a second time. Even if it’s better in a small or a big way, I’m still going to be sitting in my theater seat comparing and wondering whether or not it was worth the $ and time to rewatch this simply because it’s in English and a director I recognize filmed it.
I get what your saying Andrew. There are some clever twists and turns and it has it’s moments. And don’t get me wrong I liked the movie. It just didn’t blow me away. As for the U2 I get that it had a purpose and wasn’t JUST a cheesy song, but it definitely is still cheesy. There were other moments like that that just didn’t work for me. Antho42 is right the soundtrack does almost ruin it.
I enjoyed the original, but it wasn’t, like, a great movie. It’s not as good as Let the Right One In or anything like that, but it’s a solid thriller. I’m pretty much with Andrew, though – it’s not that I have a problem with them remaking it, but I’ve already seen it, so I don’t have a whole lot of interest in it.
Yeah I get that I guess. That’s why I haven’t seen The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo yet. I want to go into Finchers fresh. But at the same time True Grit is the perfect example of me just enjoying it enough to just not compare the whole time. For me it comes down to if I like the filmmaker and people involved enough I’ll see it anyway and hope I don’t get tied up in comparing them.
True Grit was forty years later, though. There’s enough difference in filmmaking styles from the late ’60s to now to make that interesting. Two or three years isn’t enough time. But I do agree, an interesting enough filmmaker will get me interested. I’m interested in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo because of Fincher, even though I loved the Swedish film. (Even though that’s kind of odd, when you think about it, because the Swedish film already felt like a Fincher film – I’m not sure what he’s going to do to distinguish the American version, but I’m willing to find out.)
I look forward to it. The French film had butchered some great parts from the original book. Besides, Tell No One is written by an American author so it deserves an American movie to properly represent it. And I sure hope they cast someone for Eric Wu this time because he is quite an effective antagonist.