#24- The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2009)

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Who's List Was This On:
- David "MVP" Eckstein: #3
- Daniel Bennett: #25
TOTAL VOTES RECEIVED: 24

Directed By: Niels Arden Opley
Written By: Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg
Starring: Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace
Based Upon: The Book The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

The Plot

The story follows Mikael Blomkvist (Nyqvist) a recently disgraced journalist and Lisbeth Salander (Rapace) as they investigate the murder of a young girl that happened over 40 years ago

Why This Movie Is Great

If you ever wanted a good mystery (not like anything written by Dan Brown) then TGWTDT is your movie. The movie is dark, mainly because the focus of it is Salander and what she must go through in the world. She has to go through some pretty messed up shit but when things go her way you can’t help but yell, “Yeah, Get Some Girl!” The mystery is probably too complex for a five year old to understand but just complex enough to keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time. As each layer of the onion gets pulled back the movie drags you in deeper and deeper into the mystery.

The movie works because of the great performance by Rapace. Her character is so complex and deep and Rapace gives life to this intriguing character. I know Fincher worked with Rooney Mara before in The Social Network but I don’t know how you can have the Lisbeth Salander role played by anyone besides Rapace.

I love David Fincher and I love his work with dark visual motifs (which lends itself perfectly to Dragon Tattoo) but I don’t know how he can top the perfection that is the Swedish version. I highly recommend you see this version before you see Fincher’s version.