Rooney Mara and Lisbeth kicks ass and rocks out.

Rating: 10/10 (31 December 2011)

NOTE: There's been a lot of discussion about comparing the Swedish and American versions, but all I will say here is that they are different creatures with different intended audiences and should in no way be held up against one another.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (GWDT) is a stark and gritty movie that stays very true to the source novel by Stieg Larsson while making some minor changes for movie-making limitation purposes. All-in-all, I would say that Fincher and Steven Zaillian do a good job of keeping, adapting and removing the various parts of the story from the novel in creating the movie. The dialogue is natural and flowing with just enough of the characters stepping on each other's lines to add a sense of authenticity to the conversations. Visually, cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth does an excellent job of lighting and blocking the scenes, giving us viewers plenty to look at and providing sufficient visual cues to set the tone of each scene. The score/soundtrack is a wonder in itself, with brooding, haunting music that paints a picture for what we are supposed to expect without giving too much away. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross weaves multiple layers and sprinkles in some dissonance to subtly affect how we feel about the characters and settings. GWDT is a feast for the senses!
Rooney Mara gives a tour de force performance as Lisbeth Salander, convincingly portraying a woman who has lived outside the norms of society and has no love for convention. Lisbeth is goth enough to have street-cred, but precise enough to be a talented geek. Rooney does an amazing job dancing the fine line between tragically defiant and certifiably cracked. I'm sure if/when Mara gives her Oscar acceptance speech she will give a nod to Noomi Rapace for first giving life to Lisbeth and setting the standard for her portrayal.
Daniel Craig plays a driven Mikael Blomkvist who is trying to regain his investigative mojo, and at the same time, rescusitate his reputation. Craig embues Blomkvist with charm and a sense of self-depreciation while at the same time showing us that Blomkvist is relentless and unyielding in his pursuit for the truth.
There are many good performances by a talented and well-chosen cast, with a laundry list of great character actors who all give spot-on portrayals. Christopher Plummer is a sparkling Henrik Vanger, Stellan Skarsgard creeps me out as Martin Vanger, Yorick Van Wageningen disgust us with his depravity, and Robin Wright (! looking good) is perfect as Erika Berger the lover and business partner of Blomkvist.
I've read the books, I watched the Swedish versions, I have listened to the soundtrack for weeks ahead of time, and yet I thoroughly enjoyed the American version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I can't wait for Lisbeth to kick some more ass!!
-----SPOILER------ One of the caveats that I would give to anyone interested in seeing GWDT is that there are some scenes that walk up to and maybe even step over the line between R and NC-17. The rape scene of Lisbeth by Bjurman and then Lisbeth's revenge on Bjurman are brutal and unnerving. Most of the violence and assault are implied and not seen, but there is enough to disgust some people and I know more than a few viewers either turned away or even left the theater. However, I feel like those scenes are not gratuitous and are an integral part of pushing the story line and character development. Just be warned.