Review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) by Dylan C — 04 Apr 2012

*this is a long time coming, considering i've not only had the dvd since christmas, but it's been on netflix for about a year...*.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is an old fashioned, tightly-knit story that has a few modern-day advantages:

For one thing, it's Swedish. And Swedes are cool. This actually made me interested in checking out some more Swedish flicks.

Next, in due part to the fact that it was made in Europe, it seemed less afraid of keeping the more disturbing scenes grounded in reality. While the violence is downplayed to the point of plausibility (in no way did I feel it was shoved into my face like other movies), the rape scenes pulled no punches and showed pretty much everything they could without being NC-17.

Last, but certainly no least, the movie has the first visual interpretation of Lisbeth Salander (played here by the fiery Noomi Rapace), a character that was making waves in European literature long before there was rumors of an adaptation. Ebert put it best in his review that the movie has "the rare quality of having a heroine more fascinating than the story." I agree completely; while the crime saga at the center of the film is a satisfying journey, the mystery behind this anti-hero is what really kept me enthralled. A brief sidestory in the first half in particular made it clear just what she stood for.

I will be completely blunt in saying that watching Lisbeth Salander's story unfold has made me more ashamed of being a male than any other character. She is the walking embodiment of the damage caused by the kind of abuse that the folly of men, in all honesty, is most responsible for. And while I admit to cringing when she exacts her vengeance on those who wrong her, it was infinitely satisfying all the same.

In other words, to those who are completely convinced that the works of Bronte and Choplin are the BEST ("only" for some of you) methods of driving the goals of feminist literature home, hear this: THIS is how you make us assholes give a shit! Page upon page of what one had for breakfast or what one thought at a particular moment of communicated sexism is a clean first step; but hitting the proverbial nail of masculine understanding on the head involves something of a VISCERAL punch...and boy, did this character give me that....Lisbeth kicked major ass.

Anyway, I commend this foreign thriller for keeping me more engaged than similar American entries in the genre did..though I eagerly await viewing David Fincher's crack at the story...