The "Extended" Version is Superb!

Rating: Null/10 (10 November 2019)

The outtakes that were compiled for the special "extended" version of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" added to the atmosphere and the character developments. Above all, the new footage helped to clarify a number of the plot strands in the Swedish adaptation of the best-selling novel by Stieg Larsson.
The principal narrative of the search for what happened to the character "Harriet," as begun by the tycoon Henry Vanger was not terribly compelling in its own right. Harriet had been presumed dead after the passing of forty years, yet Henry Vanger received an annual reminder that forced him never to forget the disappearance of Harriet.
The evolving relationship of the two collaborators, Bloomqvist and Lisbeth Salander, is what makes the search intriguing. The beautiful photography in the outdoor scenes and the remote location of the Vanger enclave also contributes to the mystique. The film could have been a mundane "Clue" or Agatha Christie mystery; instead, the film had psychological depth and nuance.
Above all, it is the magnetic Noomi Rapace who sustains attention for three hours. Her compelling interpretation is guided by the intensity of her eyes, as captured in the close-ups and the camera angles. The character development is unforgettable, as she begins to discover human compassion in the kind journalist, who becomes her colleague, companion, and lover while relentlessly pursuing the truth.