Movie Review: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

For a couple years now, I've heard a lot of talk about The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The novel and Swedish version of the film have garnered a lot of buzz and acclaim. When the remake was announced, it stirred up a strong reaction to say the least. Some people were very pleased they were making a remake, others were skeptical and mad that they were making an English language-remake so soon after the Swedish one was released. I never read the book or saw the Swedish film, so I was going in completely blind to the American version of the film. I am glad that I went in blind, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was one of the best damn movies from 2011.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is an enthralling mystery thriller. It's a slow-burn type of movie. It takes some time to get going, but once it does, it's just incredible. Every detail is essential and it just gets you more engrossed into the story by the minute. The tension just keeps building and building and when it gets to the payoff at the end, it's incredibly rewarding. I haven't been this satisfied with how a mystery film ends in a long time. What drives the film though, besides it's excellent script and pacing, is the acting. Rooney Mara's performance as Lisbeth Salander is the best I've seen all year by anyone. She should win Best Actress without a doubt. Her performance is so tortured, smart, and deep and she gets to the root and complexity of her character with ease. Every minute she is on screen is just electrifying. Daniel Craig should also gain some Oscar buzz for his performance. His character is looking for redemption after a scandal and Craig brings his desperation and will to save his image and solve this case to the screen effortlessly. Easily his best performance since Layer Cake, if not ever. Of course, I can't go my entire review without mentioning David Fincher. He deserves every ounce of praise that he gets. The guy just has a gift for directing films (especially films with dark tones). He had his taste of lighter fare with The Social Network, but he is at his best when directing bleak and dark films. (Fight Club is one of my favorite films ever and his direction is a big part of why I love that film so much.) He was the perfect choice for this film and I hope he comes back for the sequels, he is too special of a director to let go with this franchise moving forward.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is a brilliant movie. The acting, directing, and writing are all top-notch (it also has the most impressive opening title sequence I have ever seen. I have never had an opening title sequence blow my mind before this). This is one of those special films that you enjoy more and more the more you think about it. The execution is just damn near flawless and it will stay with you for days after you watch it. If this doesn't get Oscar nominations, it would be a travesty. It's too damn good to go unnoticed. It's not for everyone, but if you don't mind a very dark and sometimes disturbing film, I can't recommend The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo enough.

4.5/5 Stars