Forty years have passed since the disappearance of Harriet Vanger on the island of Hedeby. Although her body was never found, her uncle believes she was murdered and that the perpetrator is a member of the Vanger clan, a family that knows how to keep its secrets hidden. For this reason, the uncle hires journalist Michael Blomkvist from the 'Millennium' publication, who will soon, through roundabout or even fortuitous means, receive the help of the goth-hacker Lisbeth Salander. Together, they will discover that behind Harriet's disappearance lie unspeakable mysteries of a rather sui generis family. 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' is the first chapter from the 'Millennium Trilogy' by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson, which has sold over eight million copies worldwide as a whole. For the cinematic adaptation of the first episode, the talented Danish director Niels Arden Oplev was called upon, who managed to effectively and (quite) faithfully adapt the written counterpart, resulting in a mystery-thriller of nearly 150 minutes that, however, manages to maintain high viewer interest without being addicted to Hollywood stylistic elements. Nevertheless, 'Men Who Hate Women' is not a film of immediate assimilation, or at least it is a work that takes its time and for this reason might bore viewers of fast-paced cinema made of popcorn, beer, and turned-off brains. With 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,' this approach is not the most suitable: we are faced with a film that plays with sensations, that leaves ample space for the natural environment, beautifully photographed and suggestive, and that develops in a couple of subplots, alternating a first part of pure investigation typical of the mystery with a more exciting (and unhealthy) thriller, both excellently directed by the director through long tracking shots with the camera and effective framing. Amidst the story, two absolutely successful and, listen well, even original characters: on one hand, Michael Blomqvist, a journalist determined to always discover the truth (however uncomfortable it may be) but, for once, never opportunistic or without scruples, and on the other, Lisbeth Salander, simply one of the most intriguing and ambiguous female characters seen on cinema screens in recent years. Bisexual and with androgynous beauty, she combines a hidden sweetness deep within her soul with a rage and strength that she unleashes like an avenging angel against anyone who has committed crimes and violence against women. 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' is indeed a film about violence and on violence at the same time, but without falling into unnecessary rhetoric or disarming banality, exploring the different faces of abuse against women: from severe beatings to sexual violence to psychological violence. Lisbeth has experienced them all in her life and is no longer willing to forgive, but she always carries with her wounds that will never heal completely. The screenplay does not cry out for a miracle but reveals the secrets at the right pace, so as not to overly burden the 150-minute duration and adequately playing with plot twists, up to the successful final showdown. In this sense, 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' uses the classic language and structure of the mystery: murder, collection of clues with the consequent elimination of suspects and final revelation. However, the psychological depth of the main characters and the development in two subplots make the work stimulating and, in some ways, unpredictable, as well as making the character of Salander, brilliantly portrayed by a Noomi Rapace in a state of grace, more complete. Also commendable is the performance of Michael Nyqvist in the role of the director of the 'Millennium' publication: the two form a couple that pierces the screen and with relationships far from predictable. An interesting, intense, well-crafted and written film that, despite its long duration, manages to maintain an underlying compactness not to be underestimated, a thriller that is a breath of fresh air and, strangely enough, finally does not belong to the always too numerous crowd of 'Seven' clones that have been raging for about ten years now. Rating rounded up for excess.
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