The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - May she stay Away

Rating: Null/10 (9 September 2017)

Had I known the combination of screen writer Steven Zaillian (Gangs of NY '95) and director David Fincher (Fight Club' 99) were involved with this sour mess I would have stayed away. Many people who paid good money to see this must have come away wishing they had not. The director tells us he is drawn to works that 'scar' the audience, a sure recommendation for like minded masochists. I see several reviewers have said 'it leaves you wanting to cleanse yourself'. I see their point.
The most accurate mainstream critical notes on this came from the N.Y.Post where Kyle Smith was brave enough to label it: "rubbish" - commenting that it "demonstrates merely that masses will thrill to an unaffecting, badly written, psychologically shallow and deeply unlikely pulp story so long as you allow them to feel sanctified by the occasional meaningless reference to feminism or Nazis." I have to agree 'Bravo Kyle' as do many other astutely observant user reviewers! As the lead, Daniel Craig largely seems uninvolved or simply embarrassed that the writer presents him as one of the dumbest private detectives on screen. Enter the 'girl' – she also never learns and makes the same mistakes several times (with the same vile character) leaving her a victim to hideous sexual abuse – it becomes obvious both writer and director are living out their lurid sick fantasies with unnecessarily gratuitous details, giving one or both away seriously.
The sudden U turn by the 'girl' for no truly convincing reason - going from a man hating lesbian to 'totally-in-love' with the detective, is yet another excuse for the makers to overload their already weak script with multiple sex scenes for the unwashed. Add to this, an overly convoluted script with so many manipulative elements that it at times becomes laughable (except it's all too grotesque). This typifies the commonality of the academy and trendy critics with their out-of- touch stance with many audience attitudes. As others have already said: Please, don't remake the follow up stories - leave well enough alone. For those who don't mind what pollution they put into their heads, this might please, others may care to look elsewhere.