A true cinematic thriller which keeps your heart racing as fast as your mind, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo fills your veins with adrenaline from the opening credits. The American film adaptation of Dragon Tattoo risked not living up to the acclaimed and massively popular Stieg Larsson novel upon which it is based, but the film exceeded my considerably high expectations. Director David Fincher, a star-turn by Rooney Mara and an international all-star crew deliver one of my favorite films of 2011.
The film is, at its heart, a crime thriller. Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is tasked with solving the decades-old disappearance of a teenage girl who belongs to a wealthy Swedish family. Blomkvist enlists the help of computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Mara), a 23-year-old ward of the state with a cold temperment and a complicated past.
Fincher has never shied away from graphic scenes (Fight Club), and with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, he again pushes the audience's comfort zone. As most critics have noted, this masterfully crafted work displays some rather disquieting sequences; but Fincher showcases that the difference between crude vulgarity and emotional transmission is the deft touch of an artist. From beginning to end, Fincher shows his power as a storyteller and director, at times using different tints and lighting schemes to contrast flashbacks with the economic cinematography of other scenes. The resulting thought-out film reveals the subtlety of its splendor only upon multiple viewings.
Dragon Tattoo's other revelation is Mara. The last time we saw the relative newcomer, a rather disgruntled Jesse Eisenberg was comparing her to barn animals in The Social Network, also a Fincher film. Luckily for Mara, her brief stint in Network paid off, because two years later she found herself as the title character of Dragon Tattoo. In many ways, this is Mara's coming-out film, her introduction to the big leagues - and what a debut she has made.
In my favorite performance of the year, Mara transforms herself into protagonist Lisbeth Salander. Creating a complex and multifaceted individual, Mara's interpretation of Lisbeth is simply out of this world. A strong, autonomous female, Lisbeth is the personification of the independent woman, but she is not devoid of emotional pain or vulnerability. Mara takes all these elements and conquers them while adding an unorthodox allure to the character. Mara was assisted by solid performances by her male lead, Daniel Craig, and the supporting cast, which includes Christopher Plummer and Stellan Skarsgard, but in the end, Dragon Tattoo is about Lisbeth, and Mara's performance as this character elevates the film above the average thriller.
The film's impeccable original music by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Atticus Ross compliments its wonderful acting and directing. Serving almost as a musical narrator, the score plays with the audience and manipulates its emotions. In short, this music, like every other element of the film, works perfectly with the other artistic devises to create something beautiful.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of Fincher's best films to date. Bringing together every element of cinema, this picture takes members of the audience out of their seats and into the cold and snow-covered world of Lisbeth Salander. Remaining true to its original source while making a mark as a work of its own, Fincher's interpretation of this story is a masterpiece.
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