The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Norway; 152min
Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Writers: Nikolaj Arcel, Stieg Larsson (roman)
Stars: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Ewa Fröling

A true-blooded crime thriller with a good dark atmosphere and very strong story, which certainly is not something unseen in the world of detective fiction, but it comes as a refreshment given to contemporary film offer.

Wealthy tycoon Henrik Vanger hires controversial journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, to investigate disappearance of his niece, which happened 40 years ago on the island wholly owned by Vanger family. Blomkvist was  sentenced to three months in prison for planted libel against corrupt entrepreneur so Vanger decides to investigate him before hiring. Lisabeth Salander gets the job of investigating Blomkvist but she continues to monitor his computer after the job was done. So, after she sees his new job for Vanger she starts helping him, firstly indirectly and soon directly. Their investigation leads to revelations of dark secrets Vanger family.

Aldo plot is relatively simple, characterization of main characters is thorough which is not strange since this movie is just first in trilogy.

In simple words, movie is very good, without both positively and negatively extremes. Perhaps some viewers will not like politicking, and the story certainly could pass without the Nazis, but all in all screenplay seems solid.

Acting is at a high level, and there are no big objections on directing. Noomi Rapace that embodies Lisbeth is fantastic, but the rest of the cast is not far away. Perhaps the most remarkable is the atmosphere, which is a typical Scandinavian strong, cold and dark and it suits to story perfectly.

The very end is a typical Hollywood and serious viewers will probably  feel bitterness because the story had great potential to go in a more interesting and original way.

Pravi čistokrvni kriminalistički triler sa dobrom mračnom atmosferom i dosta snažnom pričom, koja doduše nije nešto neviđeno u svijetu kriminalističke fikcije, ali nam dolazi kao pravo osviježenje s obzirom na suvremenu filmsku ponudu.

Bogati tajkun Henrik Vanger unajmljuje kontroverznog novinara Mikaela Blomkvista da istraži nestanak njegove nečakinje od prije 40 godina sa otoka u potpunom vlasništvu šire obitelji Vanger. Blomkvist je netom prije toga osuđen na 3 mjeseca zatvora zbog podmetnute klevete korumpiranog poduzetnika te ga Vanger prije zapošljavanja odlučuje istražiti preko agencije za koju radi i taj slučaj preuzima asocijalna hakerica Lisbeth Salander. Lisabeth i nakon obavljena posla nastavlja pratiti Blomkvista te mu odluči pomoći u istrazi koja dovodi do razotkrivanja mračnih tajni obitelji Vanger.

Vrlo dobar film, koji se po ničemu posebno ne ističe, kako pozitivno tako i negativno. Možda nekom zasmeta politiziranje, a priča je zasigurno mogla proči i bez nacista, no sve u svemu djeluje solidno.

Gluma je na visokom nivou, te na režiju nema nekih zamjerki. Veći dio radnje na sebi nosi Lisbeth koju izvrsno utjelovljuje Noomi Rapace, a ni ostatak glumačke postave nije daleko. Možda i najupečatljivija je atmosfera, koja je tipično skandinavsko snažna, hladna i mračna i uvlači u priču bez problema.

Sam kraj je pak tipično američki te će ozbiljnijeg gledatelja vjerojatno ostaviti sa gorčinom u ustima jer je sama priča imala velikog potencijala otići u nekom zanimljivijem i originalnijem smjeru.