Review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) by Al M — 04 Feb 2012

Full disclosure, I have not read Stief Larsson's novel, and I saw David Fincher's American remake before watching this original Swedish film. That being said, this version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an absolute masterpiece of detective/thriller cinema. Stylishly filmed, perfectly acted, and not lacking in brutality, The Girl with the Dagon Tattoo is a detective film about real people who have experienced genuine traumas. In many ways, it is a tale about trauma and humanity's various attempts to deal with it. From divorce and domestic violence to rape to torture and murder, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo explores the dark underbelly of humankind's supposedly civilized existence.

The film basically follows the same plot at Fincher's remake, but this film begins to delve a little more into Lisbeth's background in a provocative and disturbing way. Show in a much more minimalist style than Fincher's remake, this version makes these events seem less like Hollywood fare and more like the dark and tawdry reality of everyday human existence.