Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"; photo courtesy of Sony Pictures

“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (Sony Pictures) 

There has already been one movie version of Stieg Larrson’s bestselling novel THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. So why make an American version? Obviously the answer is that Director David Fincher and his band of producers thought they had a view of it that only they could bring to the screen. So they cast it, created it and presented it. For those of us who have not seen the other version, this movie stands as one of the year’s best films.

The film starts with journalists Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) being disgraced by allegations of misinformation in his piece on an industrialist named Wennerstrom (Ulf Friberg). His editor/lover Erika Berger (Robin Wright) also takes heat over the piece. It is with relief that Blomkvist throws himself into a new job. He is hired by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to investigate the disappearance of his niece Harriet (Moa Garpendal).

Harriet disappeared from the family estate decades ago. The police thought she had drowned but others thought she had been murdered. Her father Martin Vanger (Stellan Skarsgard) seems undecided as to her fate. Mikael begins to investigate and decides he needs an assistant. He chooses Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara).

Salander is a young woman with problems of her own. She is definitely anti-social but she is also brilliant. She and Mikeal make a good team. Before long they are uncovering clues as to what really happened to Harriet.

The movie draws you in slowly. You have several stories going on at the same time but they are all being drawn to a vortex where they will explode. In Salander’s story there are scenes of sexual behavior that are very graphic for a mainstream film. Be aware that these “adult” scenes are in the movie before you decide to go.

There is also a good amount of violence and profanity, which combined with the sex scenes earn the film an R rating.

Mara is amazing in the role of Lisbeth. She looks like an emaciated waif but also projects wiry strength. She has enough of a vacant stare to back up her anti-social tendencies but also comes alive in other scenes. Craig is also good in the movie. This is the best performance he has given since the last James Bond movie.

Skarsgard and Plummer are excellent as the two brothers involved in the investigation of Harriet’s disappearance. These two gentlemen are giants as Hollywood character actors and they do not disappoint in this film.

The shockingly sexual elements of the film combined with the entwined plot created by Larrson make this a movie to be studied. Throw in the brilliant acting and you have one of the best films of the year.

I scored “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” a Swedish 8 out of 10.