Rating: 9 out of 10, I absolutely loved this movie and I went into it with a chip on my shoulder. I should have known Fincher would be up to the challenge. My daughter encouraged me to read the three books featuring Lisbeth Salander and I completely loved them. She then encouraged me to watch the three Swedish films made of the books and I loved those as well. I’m not usually a fan of sub-titled films but I found myself totally engrossed in seeing these great books faithfully brought to the screen. When I heard there would be an American version made, I immediately asked, why, because it had been done so well – so, serious chip on my shoulder. This movie totally overcame my doubts and Rooney Mara was an absolute force, capturing the intricate character of Salander perfectly. The carefully contained rage and hidden genius of her character is a daunting task for any actress but, again, she nails it. The film makers also do a superb job of capturing the Swedish weather which was like an additional character in the books. Craig was very good as Blomquist and showed some uncharacteristic vulnerability that you don’t expect from Bond. That was one of the real charms of this movie as you had tiny little Mara out-“macho”ing James Bonds and repeatedly saving his butt. My favorite scene was when she saves him from the unmasked killer and then, before heading off in pursuit of the killer, innocently asks Blomquist, “Can I kill him?” I think Mara’s Salander will go down as one of the great female characters in movie history, as she already is in literary history. The bittersweet ending is perfect as we see Salander finally letting someone in close only to be disappointed. I can hardly wait for the sequels and they better get Fincher back to do them.
MVP: Mara as the ferocious but lovable Salander
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