The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

Opening in theatres this Friday is a film about the dark secrets in a family with the Swedish import by director Niels Arden Oplev, Lionsgate and After Dark Films’ “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”.

This film tells the story of journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) who has been accused of slandering an official. Being sentenced to a short term he has some time before reporting to jail. Watching him with great interest is Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Taube) patriarch of the family as well as the CEO of the Vanger Corporation.

Forty years ago his niece Harriet disappeared without a trace. But every year Henrik receives a gift on his birthday that only Harriet would send. He believes it’s a cruel joke by her murderer. The police have found nothing over the years so Henrik hires Mikael to reopen the case.

Also working for the business is Lisabeth (Noomi Rapace), a young rebellious girl who also happens to be an expert hacker. Working for the Vanger Corporation as a researcher, she takes an interest in what he is working on and helps Mikael. Lisbeth has led a horrific life of pain and her new probation officer is adding to her pain.

Together these two find clues that lead to the answers about a 40 year old mystery and, at the same time, a murder mystery no one had suspected. There lives are in jeopardy at every turn and someone doesn’t want the family secrets to get out.

FINAL WORD: Absolutely fantastic! This film has everything and more. Nyqvist as the journalist Blomkvist is right on the mark with this character. He dives into this mystery and plays it to the hilt. 

The young actress Rapace is absolutely fantastic as Lisabeth. This was an in depth and difficult role but she is was riveting to watch. In a BBC interview Rapace said it took her seven months to prepare for this role with kickboxing lessons. Taking her role seriously she also pierced her nose and eyebrows for the role.

This film has also already garnered several awards: It was nominated by the Amanda Awards in Norway and the European Film Awards. The Guldbagge Awards gave actress Rapace the award for Best Actress and it is well deserved.

There will surely be an English remake of the film but might I suggest you see this film before it does. Quite honestly it will be heartbreaking to see anyone else but Noomi Rapace play the role of Lisabeth.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” four tubs of popcorn out of five. Understand there are some very sensitive sexual scenes that can be hard to watch for some. That being said this is a slow building thriller that I couldn’t turn away from. In its two and a half hour running time I was not bored one single moment.

In the end…all families have secrets.