Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is hired by Hendrik Vanger, the leader of the powerful Vanger clan, to investigate the killer of his niece that happened forty years ago. Harriet disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the clan. Although Harriet’s body was never found, her uncle believed the murderer is a member of his dysfunctional family. The girl with the dragon tattoo refers to Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace), a professional researcher-cum-hacker. Lisbeth has personal interest on Blomkvist and from time to time hacks into his computer to check his progress. That brought them to work together and unravel the many mysteries and dark history of the Vangers.
The poster may look a little creepy, but the movie is far from that. I would say it’s a thrilling drama with occasional creepy visuals. The title literally means Men Who Hate Women and known worldwide as The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The main plot revolves on sexual violence against women, the Swedish anti-Semites generation and psychological disorder themes. Scenes on violence are shown not too detailed but strong enough to make me feel sick. It’s brilliant by the way, because I get the emphasis it wants me to feel without driving me away from the grotesqueness. For a non-Hollywood, this movie is fresh and a crowd-pleaser especially with the gripping performance of Rapace. Although, I also feel that sometimes it’s a bit too much, that everything can be solved just by a single person. Directed by Niels Arden Oplev.
The movie is based on the trilogy books by Stieg Larsson. The other two books have also been made movies: The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009) and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest (2010). Larsson died in 2004. The movie’s Hollywood adaptation is planned for a release later this year.
My rating: 5/6
