Review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) by Emma M — 28 Dec 2013

One tough chick; it is the first thing that comes to my mind while watching the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This movie was surprisingly good and kept me guessing right to the end. American murder mysteries are boring and formulaic which is why I am not a fan. However, this Swedish made movie based on the late Stieg Larsson's novel of the same name is worth the effort to read the English language subtitles.

The first of the movie trilogy it establishes the main character, Lisbeth Salander. She is complex and beautifully portrayed by Noomi Rapace. At first I was distracted by the body piercings and dog collars worn by the character. However, the audience quickly understands through the flashbacks of her past and why she lives in the fringe of society. Lisbeth is a smart, resourceful computer expert and not afraid of going against established power. I enjoyed watching her outsmart the "white men" of authority even if it meant getting hurt in the process. She is fearless and comes to the rescue of the male main character, Mikael Blomkvist, played by Michael Nyqvist. There is chemistry between Ms. Rapace and Mr. Nyqvist that grows throughout the movie. Lisbeth is the one that is in control and decides when to start a romantic relationship with Mikael. The romance does not take over the direction of the movie, which happens in most American murder mysteries. The film achieves the right balance with keeping the audience in suspense to the end.