Män som hatar kvinnor: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Nyqvist) is in trouble.  After writing an article attacking the character of a wealthy businessman, his sources prove to be false and he is forced into a difficult position.  He gives up his position as editor and is forced to pay damages and endure several months in prison.  With his personal and professional life in turmoil, he is invited to the island of Hedebey with a job offer.  Aging industrialist Henrik Vanger (Taube) wants Blomkvist to solve a 40 year mystery: what happened to his beloved niece Harriet (Julia Sporre).

Harriet disappeared from the family estate on a day when the roads were blocked: no one could enter or exit the island.  After years of searching, everyone assumes she was murdered.  The only suspects are members of the dysfunctional Vanger family.

Meanwhile, Vanger family lawyer Dirch Frode (Hirdwall) hires Lisbeth Salander (Rapace) a talented private investigator / hacker to investigate Blomkvist.  In the midst of the investigation, she stumbles onto the Vanger case and offers her computer skills to the investigation.  Will they ever solve the case?


Ever since the novel with the same name by late Swedish author, Stieg Larsson was release, it has been a hit.  It is impossible to read about popular novels without coming upon Larsson's Millenium trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tatto, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest).  After hearing so much praise for the trilogy, I finally broke down and bought The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to satiate my curiosity.  Once you get going, it is a hard book to put down.  It has a little more sex and violence than interests my tastes, but it was a good read.

Unlike many adaptations, this film sticks close to it's source material: changing or removing a few minor details and characters.  The writing, pacing, and strong performances enhance the novel, and make it hard to imagine any other version of the film (an American version, starring current 007 Daniel Craig, is slated to premiere in 2011).  The only thing keeping this film from being a major hit in the US is language: the film is in Swedish, with English subtitles.  I did not find the subtitles distracting (I have no problem watching a film and reading subtitles, it keeps me engaged), but there are not many Americans who enjoy reading during a film.  Those people are missing out on a great film.

The performances by Michael Nyqvist as Blomkvist and Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth are stellar.  They brought the characters to life, especially Rapace as Lisbeth.  I genuinely hope the actress in the American version (Rooney Mara) does as well... but in mind Rapace is Lisbeth Salander.

Good film... they don't shy away depicting the violence and sex in the novel, and there is a rape sequence.  I look forward to starting The Girl Who Played with Fire, so I can see the film!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [Män som hatar kvinnor] (2009) 152 minutes
Rating: R for disturbing violent content including rape, grisly images, sexual material, nudity and language.
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Starring: Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist
Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander
Lena Endre as Erika Berger
Peter Haber as Martin Vanger
Sven-Bertil Taube as Henrik Vanger
Peter Andersson as Nils Bjurman
Ingvar Hirdwall as Dirch Frode