Movie Review: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Details from IMDB:

 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

  158 min  -  Crime | Drama | Mystery   -  20 December 2011 (Canada)

Ratings: 8.2/10 from 30,596 users   Metascore: 71/100
Reviews: 253 user | 238 critic | 41 from Metacritic.com

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.

Initial thoughts:

My father-in-law told me this was a good movie and I had heard positive things about it. I also think Daniel Craig is an excellent actor (along with Christopher Plummer). Plus the fact that I had to go to the theatres twice (the first time the movie was sold out) meant I had quite a strong notion to see this film.

Main Points:

You are immediately taken in by Craig’s character Mikael. Even though he screwed up and lost everything in court he take full responsibility and willing resigns from the magazine he works for.

Also immediately likeable is Lisbeth (played incredibly well by Rooney Mara). Lisbeth is tough but you soon learn she has to be and in this films she suffers, in more way than one.

I don’t want to give away the plot but basically Mikael is hired to solve a 40 year mystery and is told he will be given the dirt he needs to put away Hans-Erik Wennerstrom (the person whom he just lost to in court and desperately wants to put away for corruption.)

Lisbeth (who is a ward of the state) finds he kind social worker to have had a stroke and must now deal with a new one. Quickly once she sees this new social worker (who has complete control of her finances) he forces her to have sex with him or have her institutionalized.

SPOILER ALERT!

The rape scene is very graphic and incredibly brutal. I don’t know how any one could watch it and not be effected and bothered. I dearly hope no one under the age of 18 sees this movie. Lisbeth gets her revenge and as Mikael’s case becomes more complex (and he gets closer to the truth) it is a joy to see Lisbeth end up with him as an assistant.

It is interesting how there is an action packed climax where Lisbeth and Mikael discover who the murderer is in the Vanger family but the movie continues for a good 30 minutes afterwards. 

Final Thoughts:

I haven’t read any of the books and I probably won’t do so now. I love surprises and aside from the fact that I knew at the end of this movie that Lisbeth and Mikael will meet again, I have no other idea what occurs in “The Girl who kicked the Hornet’s Nest”. So please don’t tell me . Rooney Mara could easily win best actress for this film and it would be wonderful to see Christopher Plummer win for best-supporting actor. Excellent movie that will make you think and certainly make you think twice about judging a person based on appearances. A strong 8/10 from me, highly recommended (unless you have a weak stomach or a strong aversion to violence/rape scenes.)