a terrifying and powerful adaptation that could be the darkest work of David Fincher

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 2012)

David Fincher has never been one to shy away from a dark story or a demented character. A John Doe that kills according to the deadly sins, an anarchist with split-personality disorder, and the infamous zodiac killer are all within Fincher's repertoire of films. And now, Fincher may have achieved his darkest work with one of the most interesting characters he has ever had.
Fincher's version of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is nothing short of an incredible achievement in filmmaking set within a terribly dark and troubling tale. Based on the millennium book trilogy by deceased writer Stieg Larsson, Fincher's adaptation is a nightmarish film that is most likely the best possible portrayal of the source material I can imagine.
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" follows the story of Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a magazine publisher that takes a break from his work when he loses a libel case for an article he had written and published about a powerful businessman. Taking some time away, Blomkvist is contacted by a lawyer named Frode who represents another powerful businessman, Henrik Vanger(Christopher Plummer). After taking a meeting in the small and wintery town of Hedestad, Blomkvist signs on to write the memoirs of the Vanger family, but, more importantly, to try and solve a murder over 35 years old.
During his meeting, Henrik explains to Blomkvist that his grandniece Harriet has been missing since 1966, when she disappeared during a family party. The most curious part: a car accident on a bridge that day meant that Harriet could only have been abducted or murdered by someone within the Vanger family.
The task of finding answers in a case that has had multiple detectives and investigators looking for the victim is no easy business, especially when the possible murderer is most likely walking around with you every day on the small island that you must investigate on. Eventually, Blomkvist finds that he needs a research assistant. An easy hire for Frode he can just bring on the girl who did the background check on Blomkvist.
Enter Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a computer hacking researcher that comes from an incredibly troubled past. Ruled legally incompetent and asocial at an early age, Salander has had a legal guardian since the age of twelve. Her first guardian got along as well as someone could get along with a troubled child like this, but after his unfortunate stroke, Salander receives a new guardian who is a sick sadist that forces Salander to perform sexual favors in order for her to get her own money. Once again, this is not a fairy tale story.
Eventually, Salander and Blomkvist join forces in the search for Harriet and dig deeper and deeper into the chaos and terror that makes up the Vanger family. But will they be able to solve the crime when their own lives suddenly become at risk?
What works so brilliantly in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is the raw power of the images and sequences combined with brilliant acting and score. Fincher is known for his dark and gritty films, and he holds nothing back in this adaptation. Having read the book and seen the Swedish version, I truly believe that this is the most powerful telling of the first part of the millennium trilogy. Where the book falters in extraneous and dull detail and unnecessary plot developments, and where the Swedish film doesn't dive deep enough into the filth of the story, Fincher's "Dragon Tattoo" exceeds brilliantly.
Slightly reconstructing some aspects of the story while remaining incredibly true to the source material, Fincher creates a tour de terror that digs deep into the characters as well as the audiences watching the film. From the first minutes, which include an insane credit sequence of black ooze, computer cables, dragons, fire, and Karen O. and Trent Reznor's new version of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song," (credits that may top Fincher's fantastic credit sequence in "Se7en") Fincher takes us on a no-holds-bar journey into the mysterious and twisted lives of seemingly ordinary people and Fincher really brings the monsters out.
One of the highlights of this film is without a doubt the performance of Rooney Mara as Salander. After a long auditioning process that almost had Mara walk away from the project, Fincher signed on this almost no name to take on one of the most complex and challenging characters that has been in film in some time. Salander is a reclusive, angsty young girl that has been caught up in a life that might be as dark as the Vanger family. Mara has the incredibly difficult job of portraying someone who is seemingly unrelatable, but someone the audience must care for. With careful movements and facial expressions combined with terrifying anger and energy, Mara pulls off one of the best acting performances of the year and shows talent beyond her years. This is a performance that can put someone on the map, and Mara knocks it out of the park.
In reality, I believe this is what a true adaptation should look like. This is a film that can be defined to some degree by the source material that the story is based on, but, more importantly, it is characterized and comes to life through the craftsmanship of the filmmakers and performances by the cast.
Fincher's telling of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is an electrifyingly cold tale that takes us to the brink of insanity, and even lets us look over the edge. Fincher's brilliant visuals, the performance by Mara, and the incredible score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross create an atmosphere that is almost incomparable. A terrifying thriller into a dark world of murder, torture, and snow, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is exactly as advertised: The Feel Bad Movie of Christmas.
Read more reviews at CustodianFilmCritic.com