A whodunit by its own right, cognitive solutions and resourceful set-up for its next two trilogy companion films

Rating: 8/10 (12 August 2010)

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" introduced us to Lisbeth Salander, the heroine focused in Swedish author Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy. It is said that Larsson was impressed by childhood heroine "Pippi Longstocking" (from the pen of Swedish children's author Astrid Lindgren) who is known to be a brave, independent girl with exceptional stamina and courage. So Lisbeth's character was modeled after Pippi, in a way. A modern Pippi, Lisbeth sure is: fearless, intelligent, uninhibited, and very much in control of herself at the prime age of 24, a loner with a mysterious background.
This whodunit is without the involvement of police-detective or inspector (so it's not quite like Poirot or Sherlock Holmes) - we are following two consummate investigative brains, one is that of the ever-revolving, daring Lisbeth Salander's, the other is Millennium journalist Mikael Blomkvist's which is just as bold if not reservedly so. Hence the cognitive, methodical unraveling of the Vander family mystery at hand that Blomkvist was given, by fate if you will, linked up with Salander (reluctantly or not) - together they're on the trail to decode a 'forty year old' murderous secret. The nature of the investigation somehow was very close to Lisbeth's heart and being. The original Swedish title "Men Who Hate Women" might provide inklings to the topic, then again, is that all there is? Danish director Niels Arden Oplev elegantly delivered the characters and storyline without over-the-top gratuitous action, chase, or gore. Yes, there are certain scenes that are 'unapologetically' frank, physical, sexual or otherwise - but they were crucial to the core of the story and the decoding process of the dark history in stored for our protagonists. (It may not be as grand as the Vatican exposure in "Angels and Demons", but the suggestion of the Third Reich connection is no small matter, either.)
It's been 4 months 12 days since I last saw "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and the detail deductions, investigative discovery steps by the two leads were still vivid in my mind when I recall the film. That's kudos to the impressive portrayals of Lisbeth by Noomi Rapace and Blomkvist by Michael Nyqvist. Together they have played off each other, one fiery and one more reticent, one more venturous and the other cautious, under the thoughtful direction from Oplev, and thanks to a competent production crew of two screenwriters, cinematographer, two editors, composer, production, costume and sound designers, makeup, and talented supporting cast, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" is an entertaining suspenseful thriller, even when you have to read the subtitles, the tension and high drama, you will appreciate, from beginning to end.
Whether you'll see all three films in the "Millennium" trilogy or not, this first installment is worthy of your time if you like movies.