The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, directed by David Fincher, is an English-language adaptation of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson. The story follows a journalist who has found himself in the middle of legal turmoil regarding an alleged libelous article. The journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), is then offered a job writing memoirs for a wealthy patriarch and ultimately aiding in the investigation of the patriarch's niece who has been missing for forty years. Although Blomkvist begins his research alone, he eventually requires the help of a research assistant and seeks out a young computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara).
From the very beginning of the film it was very obvious this story would be an interesting one. The plot in the movie is suspenseful and keeps any audience guessing. This statement holds true right to the unexpected ending. Although this movie is a little longer than most movies today with a run time over two and a half hours, the movie is so captivating viewers don't count the minutes. .
The intricate investigation allows viewers to relate to Blomkvist as he learns more about the family he is investigating, because the audience is too. Although the overall plot in this movie is appealing, there are several brutal scenes involving crude sexual content. If these types of scenes are a deterrent for you, this movie may not be the Friday night pick.
Blomkvist is a writer and co-owner of a magazine but the character decides to accept a job from the wealthy Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) due to legal charges he is facing. Although the journalist is skeptical at first, the promise of his accuser's reputation on a platter ultimately convinces him to accept the offer. The character's keen attention to detail carries the investigation in such a way that prompts viewers to analyze every character and the details along with it. Although his investigation skills are amazing, the most intriguing characteristic is the fact that the taboo behavior of his new research assistant does not bother him in the slightest.
Salander, the young computer hacker, is without a doubt the most disturbing yet interesting character in any movie playing currently. She has had a rough life since childhood and has been in and out of foster care and government institutions into adulthood. She's been deemed unfit to manage her own finances and must demonstrate good behavior in order to obtain a monthly allowance. Her overall appearance is rebellious with her facial piercings and tattoos, not to mention her jet black hair shaved on the sides. Her anti-social, aggressive behavior coupled with her punk look leaves audiences with their jaws dropped in shock and maybe even intimidated.
Overall, this movie is interesting and suspenseful to say the least and keeps the attention of audiences with every scene. Even the seemingly less meaningful scenes prove to have a purpose later on in the story. Some scenes may leave you cringing, but the entire movie will leave you wanting more.