“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” the first book in a best-selling trilogy by Stieg Larrson, has been turned into two feature films already. The first is a Swedish film starring Noomi Rapace, who has already crossed over to Hollywood films since her debut. The second, released last weekend, is an American version directed by David Fincher.
All that I had heard about the books did not make me want to see either film, but then I started seeing the trailer and there was something about the darkness of it that seemed like it might be a good thriller. Christopher Plummer’s Henrik Vanger pleading with a journalist to help him solve a 40-year-old murder case is what drew me into the theater. And I wonder how many other unsuspecting film-goers ended up before the big screen for the film this year. Anyone who has read the book or seen the Swedish version of the film was probably prepared for what came midway through the movie.
I expected a dark movie, having seen Fincher’s other films such as “Se7en” and “Fight Club.” The movie felt very much like two different stories for a large part of the almost three-hour running time. The first story is that of Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a Swedish journalist who has lost a libel case against a millionaire businessman – a case that has cost him his reputation. The second is that of Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), an anti-social outcast who lives on the edges of society. The two have in common that they are both astute investigators who know exactly how to get the information they want – using very different techniques.
The two are connected when Lisbeth is hired by Henrik to investigate Mikael – Henrik wants to hire the journalist to do an investigation for him but he wants to make sure that he knows everything about Mikael before he brings him into the fold.
Henrik tells Mikael that his niece Harriet (Moa Garpendal) was murdered 40 years ago and it has to be someone in his family – they were all on the island where some of the family members still live. Henrik asks Mikael to investigate the murder under the guise of writing Henrik’s memoirs. He will have access to all Henrik’s notes as well as family members who live nearby – including Harriet’s elderly and alcoholic mother, her successful businessman brother, an uncle and some cousins. Mikael doesn’t want to get involved with the project, but Henrik offers him something he can’t refuse. He offers a hefty salary to Mikael, whose magazine is now close to going bankrupt in order to cover the lawsuit damages. But he also offers up some dirt on the businessman who accused Mikael of libel – he says what he has to offer will prove everything Mikael wrote about the man.
While Mikael is beginning his work on a remote, frozen island, Lisbeth is also trying to get some dirt on the businessman. But she has some other issues of her own. Though she is in her early 20s, she is a ward of the state and not allowed access to her own money. When her guardian has a stroke, she is assigned a new guardian who expects her to grant him sexual favors in return for signing off on payments from a trust fund. The movie contains a few very graphic and violent sexual scenes, which for those who have not read the books may be unexpected. The movie definitely earns its R-rating.
Mikael and Lisbeth’s lives intersect when he finds out that Henrik had him investigated through illegal means. He decides that Lisbeth would be the perfect research assistant for him. The two quickly begin to unlock a couple of clues that could lead to information on what happened to Harriet on a summer evening 40 years before.
Fincher and screenwriter Steven Zaillian do a good job of creating tension in the movie – the remote location, the stormy weather and snow, all add to the sense of isolation. Mara does an especially good job in transforming into the angry, violent young girl who tries so hard not to let her guard down. She allows Lisbeth to keep her emotions locked down, but plays vulnerable when it is necessary. Craig also has to be vulnerable in some scenes, a change for the actor who plays James Bond. The acting is well done in the movie and what happened to Harriet is a surprise turn – though the bad guy is easy to pick out early in the film. The movie does go on a bit long since even after the bad guy is eliminated, the story continues for about 20 minutes. The end feels very much like a set up for the next film in the trilogy.
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is a good thriller that runs a little bit long, but the graphic scenes in it might be enough to keep some viewers away.
