Film: The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo
Directed By: Niels Arden Oplev
Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Sven-Bertil Taube, Peter Anderson
Rated: R for disturbing violent content including rape, grisly images, sexual material, nudity and language.
Runtime: 152 min

 

Foreign suspense thriller earns praise
JAMISE GRACE LIDELL ~ SPECIAL FOR THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS ~ 12/8/2010

Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) is a talented computer hacker and an eccentric loner with a tortured past. When the intelligent Salander becomes intrigued with the accusations of corruption against a local journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), soon to stand trial, Lisbeth becomes involved in proving Mikael’s innocence. Meanwhile, Blomkvist uses his skills as a journalist to solve the mystery of Harriet Vanger, a woman missing for 40 years. The lives of the two main characters, are electrified with mystery when the search for the missing woman leads to a attacks from those who do not want the mystery solved.
The film is full of action, mystery, suspense and thrills. Rapace’s Lisbeth is a tough, mesmerizing, outcast with the social skills of an uncultured child, and the mind of a genius.
Lisbeth fights, runs, rides motorcycles, and out wits everyone, and it is a pleasure to watch. A Swedish film, the copy I purchased at the Redbox had been dubbed into English which made it easier to focus on the complex story and the action. Reading foreign film subtitiles has never been a problem, but in this case, I’m glad I didn’t have to read and watch.
When there was much ado about this film, I did not bite. The dark, daunting, promotional art coupled with the title for some reason implied “horror”. After reading about the Stieg Larsson, the talented and deceased Swedish author of this best selling triology of the books, I became more intrigued with the stories.
Larsson is an amazing author who labored over a series of intricate stories and then passed away. After watching the, exciting and fulfilling action thriller, “The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo”, not only am I hooked, but I feel great sorrow about the loss of the creator of this wonderful story.
Unique in every way, from the bruised bisexual and intelligent main female character to the depth and completeness of the story which is careful not to leave gaping holes or stones unturned in the story plot. The acting makes the film most fulfilling, the cast is superb. The talented Rapace owns Lisbeth as a character, and the portrayal is complete, purposeful, and enthralling.
The action in this film is steady, gritty, and sometimes heartstopping. The story line is involved and mysterious, and is sure to hold your attention.
Hollywood has insisted on making an American version of the trilogy, which is a mistake. Some films should not be remade, especially not now, as the Swedish version of this tale is sweeping through America at a popular pace. I love the great United States of America, but based on Hollywood’s meager film offerings of late, it will be shock and awe if they even come close in their remake to the spirit of the original film. The major hindrance will be American hangs-up about sex and the body. We flaunt it, sell it, beat and abuse the body, but all this is usually done in a careful manner, in order to keep public outcrys at bay. The original film features Lisbeth in a sexually vindictive scene that adds to the grit of the storyline. Can Hollywood pull it off? We will soon find out. Meanwhile, the other two Swedish films “The Girl Who Played With Fire”, and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” are next in my viewing que.