Excellent story line; overwhelming visuals.

Rating: 7/10 (29 December 2011)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of those films that I went into blindly. I knew nothing from previews and nothing from novels. I had no expectations and no bias going into the theater. That said, I found the writing phenomenal! I was amazed at the writers/directors ability to run two parallel story lines for the majority of the film and somehow have them merge seamlessly as one. Well thought out, suspenseful, well executed story.
Cinematics were also mind blowing as far as composition is concerned. However, I found the sexual violence within the movie to be emotionally overwhelming and at times distracting from the film itself. Some portions so graphic that I actually could not watch and felt the need to leave the theater momentarily. I fought that urge and stayed to watch. Looking back on those scenes, the information gained from them may have been important in knowing more about the characters, but not necessary to convey the plot. I could have done without them.
The films length was brutal. I found myself loathing the final scene due to its slow build and ultimately dissatisfying ending. Those additional 15-20 minutes could have been cut, resulting in a much more satisfying experience in my eyes. However, the ending DID make me go out and buy the books so that I can find out more; it did leave me wondering and I guess that was the point.
All in all, an exceptional film that takes a few things a little too far, resulting in a less than 10 star rating for me. However, I would certainly recommend seeing the film as I believe it will become a classic series somewhere down the road.