An amazing adaptation for fans and a great introduction to newcomers

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2011)

Just to be quick and get it out of the way, Rooney Mara did an outstanding job as Salander. She surpassed my expectations and put any doubts I may have had about her to rest. She did a better job than Noomi Rapace and Rapace delivered an incredible performance to begin with. She definitely deserves the academy awards best actress nominee if not the award itself because she carries that movie from start to finish and it was breathtaking to see her do a complete 180 from her earlier roles. She is not playing Lisbeth Salander, but rather, she is Lisbeth Salander.
Despite minor discrepancies from the book's plot, the changes that were made worked if and only if you are not a picky fan that cannot have anything changed at all. I will admit the first half hour is a little slow especially to the general audience but that does not detract from the rest of the movie. Being in a full theater, everyone gasped, clapped, cheered, laughed, and even cried at all the pivotal points of the story. Everyone I have talked to and based on people's reactions in the theater, they all felt attached to Salander which again reinforces my best actress winner.
Go watch this movie because it truly is "the feel bad movie of Christmas"