The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (18), 2009
“Tattoo? What tattoo!”

I barely noticed the dragon tattoo let alone the usually distracting, subtitles. This two and a half hour, Swedish whodunit, simply flies by and is hugely enjoyable. The film is based on the first of a trilogy of best-selling books by the Swedish author, Stieg Larsson, who tragically died with the books left unpublished – all three are now international bestsellers (and wonderfully well translated) – and the films – the sequels will surely follow – not yet made.
The film, which, for once, sticks closely to the book, is an intelligent, well constructed thriller. A retired, Swedish industrialist, Henrik Vanger (immaculately played by Sven-Bertil Taube), decides, to hire an investigative journalist, Mikael Blomqvist, (Michael Nyqvist) in a last ditch attempt to find his niece, Harriet, missing for over 40 years.
Initially reluctant, Blomqvist relocates to Vanger’s vast, rural family estate to plough through endless documents and photographs. Frustrated by a lack of progress and on the point of resigning, he receives help from an unexpected source; a resourceful and intelligent computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace), herself troubled by an unexplained, but obviously traumatic, past.
The two combine beautifully, working in harmony and complimenting each other notwithstanding differences in age, social background and emotional and psychological stability. Nyqvist is relaxed and at ease with himself, Rapace, nervous and troubled. A modern day rebel, she pushes us away from her multiple body-piercings and tattoos (the significance of which is strangely left unexplained) to her emotional distance and sadistic acts of revenge. Yet, even as she pushes us away, she somehow pulls us in; down and into the turmoil of her soul - the true mystery of the film - through endlessly brown eyes. Watch out for this newcomer – this is a star in the making.
Verdict
Danish Director, Niels Arden Oplev, proves more than capable of managing this complex web of ideas; from racism and dysfunctional family life to and misogyny – the original title was, perhaps more appropriately, “The man who hated women”. The production is slick and the camerawork excellent. Rural Sweden is beautifully portrayed, especially the winter scenes. But make no mistake; this is a tough, no nonsense, murder mystery which intends and manages, to shock. Nevertheless, don’t miss it, or the sequels. 9/10.

Richard Morgan,
March 2010