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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
The first time I heard about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the movie was first coming out. I didn’t know anything about it. My mom said she read the book, and my cousin also read it, which was a shocker because my cousin isn’t into dark stuff. I went to the library and picked it up but made it through the first chapter and never picked it up again. Instead, I picked up the movie back in 2012 during Black Friday and watched it. It was intense, but the mystery was fascinating. I even watched the 2009 Swedish version to compare it to the American-style film. Fast forward to 2022, and I decided to give the book a try and rewatch the movie. The book was way more fascinating, and I enjoyed it a lot. I guess I needed to be a little older to really get into the book.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was directed by David Fincher with a screenplay by Steven Zaillian and based on the 2005 novel by writer Stieg Larsson. Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) had recently lost a case from the libel suit brought against him by wealthy businessman Hans-Erik Wennerström. The fallout of the decision has left Mikael almost penniless, along with going to prison. Mikael is recruited by wealthy industrialist Henrik Vanger (Plummer) to write a biography on his family, but that will be his cover. Henrik states that the true reason for recruiting Mikael is to discover what happened to his niece, Harriet. Harriet went missing 40 years ago, and the killer has been taunting Henrik ever since with pictures of flowers on his birthday. Mikael isn’t initially interested until Henrik makes him an offer he can’t refuse. Mikael begins his investigation by talking to the very cold members of the family. As Mikael digs deeper, he believes the family might be responsible for several serial killings that took place while the company was trying to expand more than 20 years before Harriet disappeared. When Mikael becomes stuck, he requests a research assistant. The company suggested Lisbeth Salander (Mara), a talented hacker who finds information on people. Together, they will solve the mystery of Harriet’s disappearance.
The story is fascinating, but a mind twist as you watch. It is told through two lenses that eventually become one. That is why the story works so well: the two main characters are going through their own hardships to finally find and help each other. First, there is Mikael, who was hired by Henrik Vanger to solve a 40-year-old case of the death of his niece, Harriet. Mikael is going through some major shit, as he was just prosecuted and must pay a significant fine. Henrik does the Godfather thing and makes him an offer he can’t refuse. Mikael arrives on the family island and begins his investigation. Now, the movie does leave out much of what Mikael goes through with the family, but Henrik believes his entire family is in on it. Mikael finds new evidence against the family as he investigates but also has difficulty cracking Harriet’s code. Also, the family are known to have some Nazi connections.
On the other side of the film is what Lisbeth goes through, and she goes through some shit of her own. Lisbeth is a young, brilliant, and antisocial investigator. Lisbeth has the unique ability to track down any information on anyone by hacking into their computers. Lisbeth has been in the system and has a state-appointed guardian. When her guardian suffers a stroke, he is replaced by a sadistic asshole who controls her finances and extorts her for sexual favors. He is absolutely the worst. The worst scene I ever saw is when he chains her to the bed and then rapes her in a despicable way. Lisbeth’s revenge is AMAZING as she binds him, rapes him with a dildo, and tattoos “I’m a rapist pig” across his chest. She kicks the shit out of that dildo in his ass. She gets her life back by using a secret recording against him.
The story comes together with Lisbeth and Mikael when Mikael finds out that Lisbeth was the one who did a write-up on him. You don’t think the pair would work well together until Mikael states that he is looking for a killer of women. Also, before that, Mikael’s daughter helps him crack Harriet’s bible code. The rabbit hole the pair go down is crazy, and the intensity seems to increase. While walking through the woods, Mikael is shot at. The story comes together when Lisbeth goes to the Vanger headquarters and investigates past deaths and expansion plans. Mikael goes to Martin’s place, and one mystery is solved.
The ending was unsuspecting but gave you clues on what happened to Harriet. It changed considerably from the book and the original film. The pair managed to solve what happened to Harriet and end that chapter. Still, besides it ending right there, the film continues with Lisbeth helping expose Wennerström. Lisbeth does an elaborate scheme of gaining inside information and having the world see what Wennerström is really about. The ending does make you feel sad for Lisbeth.
I also want to talk about the tone and cinematography of this film. The tone of this entire film is dark. There are dark themes, and the film doesn’t hold back on them. The rape scene is awful to look at, and through the whole thing, it seems as if a dark cloud hangs over the Vanger island. The family island seemed like a ghost town as everyone aged, and all life left the island. When it came to Lisbeth, she appeared to have no positive light in her life. It seemed she lived in darkness and was okay with it.
The acting was excellent in this film. Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist was good. He went away from his James Bond and was more of an investigator. He showed Mikael as a man whose life has been completely turned upside down by wrong information. He takes the job to save his company and escape the world.
I want to give MAJOR praise to Rooney Mara for her performance as Lisbeth Salander. Mara did a fantastic job showing Mara as a person with severe emotional problems and who doesn’t trust the world. Mara made Lisbeth someone who was stoic and withdrawn. Someone who only did things she wanted. Mara brought out many of Lisbeth’s quirks and personality out in this film that she transformed into this character.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a great adaptation of the book. The acting was great with the performances of Craig and Mara. The story flows well and, makes it interesting, and will hold your attention. Love how the story is split into two and then comes together to solve the major mystery. Have fun watching and learning about the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
