The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Directed by Niels Arden Oplev
Starring Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace
Another title for this important Swedish film is “Men Who Hate Women.” Without apology nor fanfare, it is plainly about rape, murder, and all the sadism against women in between. The problem, for many viewers, is that it graphically depicts them all. I don’t think it even has a rating.
An ambitious journalist is condemned for libel and sentenced to prison. But, before he goes, he has a little time to make some money doing research for the head of a colossally wealthy family. He quickly descends into deeper and darker mysteries with greedier and more sinister family members. His background in investigating white collar crime is inadequate; he is in over his head.
Inexplicably, though, he begins to receive anonymous help over the internet from a mysterious young woman.
Her own story line is even more interesting than his, but she partly puts it aside in order to assist him. Who she is and why she does it is the biggest mystery of all!
In a very fast two-and-a-half hours, nearly all of the mysteries and plot twists merge together and are resolved to great audience satisfaction. But one mystery, oddly, is even more satisfying because it is never resolved. Who is the girl with the dragon tattoo?
There are three novels in the trilogy by the late Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is only the first. My movie buddy and I can scarcely wait for the others!
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