What do you get when you combine a disgraced investigative reporter with a computer hacker that dresses like a punk rocker? Sweden’s hottest crime fighting duo!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been a huge success every since it was released in Sweden in 2009. It has already spawned 2 sequels and Columbia Pictures has already bought the rights to make an American version to be released in 2012. It won a Guldbagge award as the best film in Sweden for 2009.
This smash hit is based on a book, with the same title, written by Swedish author Stieg Larsson shortly before his death.
Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is one of the top journalist in Sweden. However, his latest article about a corrupt business tycoon has gotten him convicted of slander and a three month prison sentence. Out of nowhere, Mikael receives a handsome offer from Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Taube), a billionaire, to work for him to uncover the truth behind the unsolved disappearance of his niece 40 years ago.
Henrik has always believed that someone within his own family is behind the unexplained vanishing of his beloved niece, Harriet. The Vanger family is full of greedy, jealous individuals that will do anything to get the largest share of the family riches.
Lisabeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) has lived a life full of abuse and she has spent time in a mental institution. She now works for a security company, where she is considered their best researcher. After hacking into Blomkvist’s computer several times, Lisabeth also gets wrapped up in the search for the truth behind Henrik’s missing niece.
Eventually, Mikael and Lisabeth join forces to find out what really happened to Harriet so long ago. The result is a heart-pounding ride filled with many twists and turns that uncover dark secrets that the Vanger family do not want anyone to know about.
Director Niels Arden Oplev and screenwriters Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg do a tremendous job of bringing Larsson’s bestselling crime novel to the big screen. Even though the run time is nearly two and half hours, there are no slow points in the movie and the story continually moves at a thrilling pace.
You never know how the story is going to end, and there is a surprise ending that catches you off guard, which grabs your attention and will not let you go until the finish.
It is easy to see why Michael Nyqvist is one of Sweden’s top actors. His acting is very realistic and enjoyable to watch. Nyqvist has won one Guldbagge award for best actor and been nominated for another, while also being nominated for two Guldbagge awards for best supporting actor.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has really helped launch Noomi Rapace’s career. She won a Guldbagge award for best actress and was nominated for a European film award for best actress for her superb work in this exciting thriller.
Lisabeth seems as tough as nails on the outside, and she does pack quite a punch when she needs to, but on the inside she is a very insecure person. Rapace’s performance wonderfully captures the struggles this complex character has to deal with.
You should be warned that there are 2 violent rape scenes and some graphic death scene photos that you should be aware of.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of the better movies I have seen recently and I think you’ll feel the same way if you give it a chance.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is currently available on DVD.
“Man som hatar kvinnor” (the original title, which actually translates to “Men Who Hate Women”, the title being changed for our sensitive Western souls) is one of the best thrillers of the last few years. A cracking good suspense thriller with a very dark edge indeed. The sequels are not quite in the same league, but still very fine stuff.