THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was dark and gritty, intricate and intriguing. It was thought-provoking, and it was filled with so much suspense. Lisbeth Salander is a highlight - Noomi Rapace brings her to life, and her performance is . . . I don't know how to convey it through words that well, but she is so bad-ass. Some of the explicit content was a little too much for me at times. They made me gasp. Made me shiver. Made me want to look away. Then made me wish I could un-see it. Overall, I enjoyed THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.

Overall I prefer the English language version of this film directed by David Fincher, but this original Swedish version is excellent too.Michael Nyqvist is very well cast as Mikael Blomkvist, the disgraced journalist trying to solve an obscure murder mystery. Noomi Rapace, meanwhile, is pretty good as the tattooed, socially inept but highly intelligent Lisbeth Salander - good, but nowhere near as good as Rooney Mara in the Fincher version.The atmosphere created on the remote Swedish island is superb. It's the perfect setting for a murder mystery. There's a great contrast made between the aristocratic mansion of Henrik Vanger, the modern home of Martin Vanger, and the ramshackle cottage used by Blomkvist.The story is the excellent plot from the book, and this film gives full rein to it, including the explicit sexual violence, the painstaking detective work, and the unusual relationship between Blomkvist and Salander.It's a really good movie.

Adapted from the book, this film is brilliantly executed, as are the sequels.The story follows the stories of Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander as their lives become intertwined around the investigation of the murder of a 16 year old girl 40 years earlier.The character of Lisbeth, a young goth-punk hacker, is a fascinating one. A tiny woman with a lot of attitude who is looked down upon by everyone and taken seriously by almost no one and certainly not cared about by many. She is, however, incredibly intelligent, full of fire and distrustful of everyone. With good reason.The casting of Noomi Rapace is both brilliant and inspired. A rather small woman with a surprisingly strong presence and immense talent to play the shockingly resilient and strong-willed Salander.The murder mystery being investigated is full of twists and has a shocking conclusion. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.However, this film is extremely graphic. There is a lot of nudity, violence and material that may make some viewers very uncomfortable. This includes a brutal rape scene. And a scene where the rapist is very fittingly punished by his victim. Sexual abuse in general plays a prominent theme throughout the story. It can be difficult to watch at times. I don't think I need to say that this is not a movie for kids to be watching.As a whole, though, I would highly recommend this film. Preferably the extended edition. Now, it is in Swedish, so it is subtitled. There is a dubbed version available, but we all know that the lines tend to lose something in translation.

Considering I originally thought this was a Tarantino film, I was pleasantly surprised. It is not a Tarantino film, and is in fact, a good drama/ thriller, a genre in which I have recently gained interest in.Lisbeth Salander is a great character. the movie portrays her involvement in Mikhail (I don't know his last name) investigation on the disappearance of a teenage girl.Through a few twists, rude and satisfying scenes, the movie captures the watchers attention. Within the drama there are insights into contemporary social and political issues, as well as historical ones.