Film Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I recently saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a film based on the same titled book by Swedish Stieg Larsson. At first I was a little weary because I had to grab my glasses in order to be able to read the Swedish subtitles, but I quickly forgot that I was even reading when I became absorbed in the movie. It was honestly one of the best movies I have seen all year. I love the kind of movies that require you to think, or to at least be forced to pay close attention to details in order to be able to follow the unfolding of events taking place in the movie.

The central theme of the film is the unraveling of an unexplained disappearance of a young girl which leads to the chasing of a murder mystery. Meanwhile, the audience gets a preview of what the main female character, Lisbeth (the girl with the dragon tattoo), goes through on a daily basis—harsh abuse and degradation by males. Many of the issues throughout the novel involve the sexual abuse of women. Lisbeth is one of the most interesting female characters I have seen in a long time. Instead of being an unrealistically strong woman who can overpower men, she instead uses her brains and patience in order to seek (justified, in my opinion,) revenge against them. As weird as she seems, there is something about her that is likeable and keeps the audience rooting for her—perhaps it is sympathy for the unfortunate, undeserved beatings she endures, or maybe it is the glimpse of helplessness in her eyes that angers me even more for what is being done to her. Many of the scenes were very disturbing to watch, but at the same time, I think it’s important for people to realize that abuse is something that women all over the world still face on a daily basis. I later learned that the original Swedish title translates to "Men Who Hate Women." That would have been an appropriate title to keep because the film is filled with abuse towards women.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first in Stieg Larssson's trilogy followed by The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest. If the books are anything like the movie, then I am sure I will also like them. I recommend The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to anyone who enjoys mystery/thriller films and can handle some unsettling images. It is definitely meant for a mature audience.

My film rating: 4.5/5