More solemn and less wooden than the Swedish version, this film wins through cinematography, good editing, Mara’s acting, Reznor/Ross’ soundtrack and Fincher’s direction. It’s like a Brian Wilson album: a lot of minute work is behind the finished product, which is designed to seem effortless, and I think Fincher pulls that off very well. The reality feels real, and I’ve lived in Stockholm my entire life. The story is exciting, a bit scary and the dialogue – which is what most sets this version apart from the Swedish – sounds as though human beings would actually use it. I dislike the Swedish words thrown in, and the weird thing about loads of interior design feels like it’s from the 1970s, but other than that, I think it’s all well-made. To me, Fincher’s one of very few popular directors who can make a modern, expensive film and use visuals to genuinely improve the conveying of human emotions.