Broken Hero Rises

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2012)

Director David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is amazing. Rooney Mara is awesome as the Girl with the tattoo. She is a star. Mara inhabits Stieg Larsson's anti-hero hero Lisbeth Salander. "The Girls with the Dragon Tattoo" is one of the best movies of the year. My bud Neil cautioned me that the movie is 2 hours and 40 minutes, and slow in the beginning—to set up the context, and worth it. Daniel Craig is unrecognizably physically vulnerable and compelling as Mikael. I think Craig is the most threatening physical presence as James Bond; this is distinct contrast. He plays the tarnished writer seeking redemption, researching a 40 year-old murder of the cryptically dysfunctional Vanger family. Jeff Cronenweth's striking cinematography captures the existential bleakness. Trent Reznor's innovative score lyrically balances the foreboding narrative.
Fincher gravitates toward the darker lurid human crevices. I squirmed watching his shockingly explicit sodomy scene. This derives from the source material. From one point of view, the pivotal character arc for Lisbeth forges familiar rage and calculated retribution. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" gleans on the surface unsavory—serial murder, and the aftermath of physical and sexual abuse. I was initially puzzled by Fincher's remake of movies based on Larsson's novels which were acclaimed. Fincher triumphs and his vision warranted. He exquisitely underlies the virtue of humanity amidst its brutal inhumanity.
Set in the austere winter of Stockholm, Lisbeth is the tortured Goth savant researcher on retainer to an international security firm. Mara with Lisbeth's facial and body piercings, tattoos, and spiked black hair is not your typical corporate researcher. She is the genius biker computer hacker with both photographic and auditory memory. Fincher has subtle reveal as Lisbeth memorizes the door security code as she strolls by an apartment.
Fincher, Mara and Steven Zaillian's screenplay hint at the haunting possible abuse that shrouds Lisbeth's past—she suppresses great fear and anger displaying compartmentalized focus. In a glimpse into her rage, Lisbeth brutally beats a robber with her kickboxing skills. I have been watching a lot of Dr. Drew. Apparently, a ward of the state, Lisbeth is a loner spending her time eating micro-waved cup noodles, while immersed in her cyber research tasks. One of those subjects was Mikael (Craig). Though apparent recluse, Lisbeth seeks out both men and women as lovers. Mara is magnetic. Lisbeth had a beloved guardian, who suffered a stroke. Her current guardian is creepy attorney Bjurman (Yorick van Wageningen), who leverages appalling favors from Lisbeth to access her family money.
Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) is the disgraced financial journalist losing a libel case and his fortune to businessman Wennerstrom (slick charming Ulf Friberg). He is co-owner of Millennium magazine with his lover Erika Berger (strong Robin Wright)—both are married, to other partners. He has a grown daughter. Mikael resigns. Meanwhile, Frode (menacing Steven Berkoff), the family attorney for Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), patriarch of Vanger Industries, contacts Mikael with a curious offer. Plummer is brilliantly controlling and charismatic as the suffering Henrik. Every year he receives a pressed flower from anonymous sender. His niece Harriet had always sent him this gift; however, he believes she was murdered over 40 years ago when she vanished in 1966. She was 16 years old. Henrik wants Mikael to find the person, who murdered Harriet, who he believes is family. In return, he will pay handsomely and give Mikael critical information. Harriet's brother Martin (icy cool Stellan Skarsgard) is the smart and measured man, who is now CEO of Vanger Industries. Mikael lives in a cottage on the Vanger estate on Hedeby Island and operates under the guise of writing a Vanger biography. Mikael soon discovers the depth of the Vanger family dysfunction.
Frode ironically connects Mikael with Lisbeth to further his research which is at an impasse. They know their own personal connection. Mikael says, "I want you to help me catch a killer of women." Their lives intersect and the twisted journey spirals down the dark path. Thankfully, there is light. Rooney Mara is powerful as the broken hero. Daniel Craig is amazing as the compassionate partner. Mara and Craig are such amazing actors, who capture fear, sadness, and surprise in their eyes. David Fincher tells the hero's story with graceful triumphs and muted losses. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is awesome.