The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre, Sven-Bertil Taube, Peter Haber, Peter Andersson
Directed by: Niels Arden Opley
Rating: R
Genre: Foreign, Drama, Thriller
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) takes on an assignment to research the mysterious death of a young woman in the 1960s. As he searches for the truth, he teams with a brilliant computer hacker (Noomi Rapace) to discover what really happened to the girl.

Review:

Tim: I rarely read the book before I watch the movie. I typically don't like to ruin the movie by knowing everything that happens. That wasn't the case here, as I read Stieg Larsson's incredible "Millennium" trilogy. I loved the books, and I was excited about the films. I can say that the film adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a good movie, and a faithful adaptation. I was a bit disappointed with pieces that were cut from the book, but for the most part, I understand.

My biggest complaint with the film is Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist. Blomkvist is such a terrifc character- he's a lady's man, but he's also loyal, respectful, and brilliant. This did not come across in Nyqvist's performance. I was mostly bored with him, as he gives a bland portrayal of a guy who should be very charismatic. Blomkvist is really the driving force of the book, and here, little of that is present. I felt like this was the biggest flaw of the film.

On the other hand, Noomi Rapace was very good as Lisbeth Salander. Salander is an excellent, unforgettable character, and Rapace really brings her to life on the big screen. Rapace does a very good job embodying this character. I won't say she is perfect, but I got a few chills watching this character come to life on screen. Rapace was definitely the right choice, and easily the best part of the film. I really believe Rapace will have a nice Hollywood career. She's great.

I thought that the film was a very good, faithful adaptation of the book. Obviously, not everything can be put into the film, but all the main events were present. Even at 2.5 hours long, the film still had to cram much of the story in, and there's very little downtime. The movie really does feel like it's filled to the brim. I can't imagine how a viewer would follow everything without reading the book first. I rarely ever recommend this, but I definitely would read the books before I watch the films. I don't understand how you could really get them otherwise.

I was a bit disappointed that Millennium magazine didn't play more into the film. That becomes increasingly important as the books go on, and is just glossed over here. Erika Berger is such a terrific character, and her relationship with Blomkvist is so fascinating. That is almost completely absent in this film, and the story is worse for it. I wish they could have squeezed in a little more Berger.

While I can certainly criticize this film as a huge fan of the books, I am impressed with how much the film got right. The tone and the atmosphere is definitely accurate. While the rape scenes are hard to watch, I appreciate leaving them in. I disliked watching them, but they are important to the development of the characters. This movie is a good adaptation of a great book, and for the most part, I am happy with it. I enjoyed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- it is a good movie, and an enjoyment.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest