A gritty and harsh, but interesting tale

Rating: 8/10 (16 January 2013)

This Gothic story is not for everyone. There are some very harsh elements in here that those with a weak stomach won't be able to sit through, but if you can grit your teeth and take it in, the ending result is very satisfying.
The story follows two characters, Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, an ostracized genius. You see how different their lives are until they begin to work together to find "a killer of women." Once they are united for a common cause you begin to see just how similar they really are. Yes they have different approaches to the problems but at their core they are the same. And you get the feeling that that is why they get on so well.
The direction of this film is wonderful, the world they live in is very gray and lethargic. The grayish tinge gives the film and story the sinister and insidious feeling that someone is watching you, that something terrible is about to happen, and its this affect that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This feeling is also elevated by the numerous side characters that surround the two main ones; No matter what personality they assume, you as the viewer have trouble trusting them.
The acting is credible at its worst and wondrous at its best. Rooney Mara, a relative newcomer to mainstream movies, outshines everyone she is working with in this movie. She captures her characters awkward, self reliant, brutal but caring nature so naturally that you can't help but empathize (or at the very least sympathize) with her. She was nominated for Best Actress and it was deserved. So in character was she that you would think she was a tom-boy in actuality (when in reality she is quite the opposite, very girlie is what she is.) Daniel Craig (an actor whom I wasn't too inclined towards) delivers a believable performance as Mikael when he portrays all of the characters confusion, sweetness and incredulous-ness; he also has good chemistry with Ms. Mara and when the two of them were in a scene together the movie really took off.
Overall this movie is a mysterious, dangerous and beguiling good time. I would recommend this movie to any and everyone because it was splashed on screen so accurately (more so then the 2009 Sweedish version in my opinion) and hypnotically that you will want to see it over and over again.