Stark, Disturbing Brilliance

Rating: 9/10 (9 May 2012)

What strikes one about this film, particularly if you have not been introduced to the franchise through the novels, is the extreme lengths it goes to in order to convey the full effect of its impact through both the story and its characters. Sex scenes for instance are far from uncommon, more intense scenes of the same nature are by no means rare either, but not often do they genuinely disturb and unsettle you. If a work of cinema can have that kind of influence upon your emotions, through avenues which are not uncommon in film, it has undoubtedly been brilliantly crafted and deserved of unanimous praise.
The plot is full of intrigue, a great mystery story with many angles, no distracting sideplots and without a conventional 'whodunit'. Initially, the idea of two almost distinct story lines and characters is puzzling, one being full of disturbing and sensitive extremities, the other being mysteriously sedate. However, it allows the viewer to set up an idea of Rooney Mara's character Lisabeth Salander, the linchpin and master focus. There are junctures you find yourself more fascinated with her than the murder mystery being deciphered. She is strange but resourceful, peculiar at face value yet you are inclined to wonder about who she really is, what she really is. It is as if circumstance has consumed her in some way but she finds a way to counter circumstance through passion and intellect.
Mara's is such a vast, demanding role but her performance casts the net even wider in terms of the character's vastness. She harnesses so many aspects of an individual which makes her performance truly revolutionary and compelling. Despite being a stellar actor who absorbs himself into a character that throws himself into everything, Daniel Craig was outshone majorly by Mara.
Was the film far-fetched, inordinately lengthy and perhaps too graphic? Perhaps something to ponder. The film doesn't need you to assume anything. It is stark and will show you implications rather than simply implying them. Those who will enjoy this are those who can withstand such blatancy and appreciate its artistic worth compared to others who may find the foundations of the story too unsettling to even think about appreciating.