When Shocking becomes Storytelling

Rating: 3/10 (22 December 2011)

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is poised as an enigmatic mystery-thriller of real cinematic and storytelling potential, with a superb cast and gripping performances to bet on. Filmgoers used to David Fincher, with similar titles such as "Seven" and "The Game" to his name, are all in a fuss to see what is next in the Fincher oeuvre. What we know of David Fincher, is that although he's created such classic films, he's always done it with a paintbrush not so famously modest. While we've always appreciated this granular and physical realism of his films, whether it was the violence in "Fight Club", or the crime scenes in "Seven", its appreciation was only served by its storytelling. Out of context, many scenes appear as almost manufactured gratuity, seemingly made just to shock audiences. Unfortunately what has happened in the "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is just that. The storytelling, narrative, and dialogue from the onset, follows through the film in a clumsy, nebulous, and poorly-written mess, making everything written seem just as bookends to a number of highly shocking scenes. These scenes, while may be factual to the original story, are what the director seems to have focused his creativity on. And all that comes out of it, not mincing words, is purely shocking rapist-pornography. If I were to write off the film for these scenes, which I think is enough, it would be too easy. Lisbeth, one of the central characters, whom is the victim in these disturbing scenes, is depicted from the onset as an almost completely unsympathetic character. She's introduced as an antisocial, mute, even creepy prodigy of her investigative craft and leaves the film just as cold as she came in (The last scene, although narratively intended to be sympathetic, didn't change the character's complete lack of pathos) Her emotions, even though apparently warm for Mikael (Daniel Craig), are not particularly warming for the audience, as her emotional depth, personality, and sexuality on screen seems more dark, twisted, and expressionless as the man who rapes her. The film successfully depicts her as a "mute creep", and a completely unlikable and unsympathetic character. While you may hear groundswell rumblings for a best-actress nomination for Lisbeth by passionate fans of the film, it's my impulse to remind that those usually nominated, and those that win, normally have one of two things in common: Sympathy or Empathy. Many "heroes" may have Sympathy. And many "villains" may have Empathy. We don't feel fellowship or pathos for a "villain" (i.e.: Sympathy), but we might understand their motivations and emotions (i.e.: Empathy), as however their successfully displayed (i.e.: Macbeth). The tragedy of Lisbeth is that she's depicted as a "hero" under the guise and manner of a particularly mute "villain", with the result being that she lacks either really any Sympathy or Empathy. The film, luring audiences as a potentially great and classic Mystery-thriller, with Fincher's exquisite eye and style, is nothing but barely a facade to shock audiences.
I feel personally terrible for all the families and children who could be going during this Christmas season to see it, under the impression that whatever R-rated scenes in the film will be negligible for what is successfully advertised as a possible classic-in-the-making of a very well-written Mystery. These scenes are X-rated material, I personally find it hard to believe they've received just an R rating.