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★★★★★
This set demands to be in your DVD collection
Paul Pritchard, DVD Verdict --Now this is certainly different. When one hears that a film clocking in at 152 minutes is getting an additional 30 minutes added to its runtime, it can be off-putting, no matter how good the original may have been. When that same extension is applied to an entire trilogy, it can become a somewhat daunting task. The simple fact is that most people just don't have three hours to sit and watch a movie all that often. So with that in mind, it is both refreshing and reassuring to find The Dragon Tattoo Trilogy reconfigured as a TV miniseries, with each film broken into two 90-minute episodes.
First of all, this change of format not only doesn't harm the material, it actually enhances it. Given the extra room to breathe, the films are both richer and a much more palatable proposition. Whether by chance or design, each of the films also has a natural break-off point, where each episode can draw to a close; this allows the viewer to take in each story in easily digestible chunks whilst ensuring they are left desperate to find out what happens next. It's also important to stress that the story still maintains its cinematic feel.
Presented as one long six-part series, the Dragon Tattoo Trilogy: Extended Edition is broken down into three distinct sections, thus allowing the viewer to watch each film independently of the rest.
Each film in the trilogy is presented in a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer, which obviously means the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been cropped to fit with the aspect ratio of its sequels. This really makes little difference, however, and still delivers a fine-looking picture, with natural colors, high levels of detail, and solid blacks. The viewer has the choice of playing the movie in either its native Swedish, or, for those with an aversion to subtitles, English. Both options provide a clean, nicely balanced 5.1 mix.
This four-DVD set contains each film on separate discs, with the fourth disc reserved for supplemental materials. The bonus disc delivers two hours of features, and begins with "Millennium: The Story." Clocking in at 48 minutes, this documentary actually focuses on author Steig Larsson, and is an excellent insight into his work. Both Noomi Rapace, and her co-star Michael Nyqvist are each interviewed in separate featurettes, whilst notable members of the cast and crew also get to discuss the film in a further set of interviews. "Nidermann vs. Roberto" focuses on a fight scene from The Girl who Played with Fire. Finally there is a selection of trailers for each of the films.
Full review at dvdverdict.com
December 2011 · Movies and TV