The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Review

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Synopsis:

What is hidden in snow comes forth in the thaw.

Hoping to distance himself from the fallout of a libel conviction, Journalist Mikael Blomkvist(Daniel Craig) retreats to a remote island in Sweden’s far north, where the unsolved murder of a young girl still haunts her industrialist uncle, forty years later. Ensconced in a cottage on the island where the killer may still roam, Blomkvist’s investigation draws him into the secrets and lies of the rich and powerful and throws him together with one unlikely ally – tattooed punk hacker Lisbeth Salander(Rooney Mara)

Review

I do enjoy a good crime thriller, but I wasn’t sure at all what to expect when going to watch this movie. It’s based on the Novel of the same title by the late Stieg Larsson and of the Swedish film from 2009. I had seen the trailer twice, and even so, I still didn’t know what the heck was going to happen in the film. It was a very entertaining, thought provocative film…though it may not be for everyone, I did enjoy it immensely and is like nothing I have ever seen before!

The film begins with an unconventional intro to our cast. It’s more of a development as the movie progresses, so we get a better feel for whom they actually are, or what they have gone through to become the kind of characters they play. The whole cast in general is splendid, though the film does centre on our two protagonists, it doesn’t start off that way from the bat, which I was totally not expecting. They are greatly teamed up and genuinely are a ying-yang duo. To be honest, the real star is the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo aka Lisbeth (Rooney Mara) she really does take on the role and makes it her own. We have a great variety of different stars, with top notch performances from all. It is a character driven film, as are most murder solvents, and it comes through in a very unique manner which I found to be quite refreshing.

The story itself is an intricate one, which I would recommend viewing with a fresh mind and be prepared to concentrate somewhat or you could maybe lose/not understand what exactly is happening. Not to say it’s difficult to grasp, just don’t let your mind wander. The tale is most original for its premise and I was delighted by how it develops in front of your eyes. You never are quite sure which way it might go, which is great directing in itself.

Once the movie has begun, you will feel as if you have stepped into its world and left yours far behind. It really does suck you in. We Travers to a variety of set-pieces and are shown some lavish scenery and interior of certain homes that would make most people want to revamp their house! Not to say all the places we are taken too are humble abodes…for you will see the “not so nice” side as well, for a decent contrast of what the different characters may live in. One last word, this is the first film in a while that made me feel cold while watching it; there are some extremely freezing looking scenes and boy does it come through on the screen!

I can’t say much for the effects, as that’s what the film is least about. There are certain scenes that are done most clever and should make you “whoa”, “cringe”, or put a smile upon your face. It can get a little raunchy from time to time, but it’s done in a tasteful enough way. On that note, there is one particular scene that some women may find slightly disturbing. Thankfully it doesn’t last long and actually leads to a scene, which you may enjoy.

I haven’t had anything negative to say about the film, but it really does come down to the viewer. If anything, I know some may find it boring and perhaps too long.

At the end of the day, “TGWTDT” is a wonderful piece of film, combining characters you care about and an intriguing story that will keep you captivated until the credits begin to roll (It is a 2hr33min film, so that was definitely important) . I truly couldn’t wait to see how the ending was going to turn out; it really was riveting at times. It has gone on to make a modest profit, costing $90Million and grossing $140million. This is the first of a Trilogy; the sequel should be hitting our shores next year. I highly look forward to the next outing with our intrepid heroine!

Worth the watch if, you are in the mood for something very different, enjoy murder mystery films or a fan of the franchise in any way, be it book or previously made films. With that in mind I am most interested to watch the foreign version and see how it compares.

Trailer

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