A Journalist convicted of libel teams up with an emotionally damaged computer hacker to solve a 40 year mystery involving a missing girl.

Based on the late Swedish author Stieg Larson’s “Men who hate Woman” (Later retiled to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in the UK and US versions) the first novel in the acclaimed Millennium trilogy, comes the US adaptation for the Silver Screen

When a movie is rated R for Brutal Violent Content, Including Rape and Torture, Strong Sexuality, Graphic Nudity and Language;

Has a teaser trailer that offers zero dialogue just the sweet sounds of a Trent Reznor/ Karen O cover of “The Immigrant Song” all while the Studio markets the film as the feel bad movie of Christmas, you know you’re in for a treat, or at the very least something different for the whole family to watch in place of TBS’ 24 hours of A Christmas Story.

Initially reluctant that TGWTDT was getting the “Hollywood” treatment particularly due to the fact that an excellent Swedish version already exists, (assuming you are not put off by subtitles), my worries were quickly put at ease when it was announced that Genius Director David Fincher was at the helm. (Directing Se7en and Fight Club has earned him that title)

Daniel Craig delivers a stellar performance as Michael Blomkvist the co-Editor of Millennium who after being found guilty of Libel takes on a freelance job writing the biography for  the patriarch of the Vanger Family, Henrik; in reality Henrik has hired Blomkvist  to find out what happened to his granddaughter who vanished without a trace, forty years prior. Craig propels the mystery forward as the well meaning journalist, However as anyone who is familiar with the source material knows the life of the story is one Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) the emotionally damaged computer hacker with the photographic memory. Roles like Salander don’t come along often for woman and Mara takes full advantage of her opportunity, immersing herself in the character she travelled to Sweden to prepare, living isolated as Salander does, Mara Died her eyebrows, Pierced herself and got the haircut which would have been all for naught had she not been able to pull off the damaged Salander, Mara is able to exude fraility, toughness and an odd sexuality. After seeing this I can’t picture anyone else playing the character (Which is a huge compliment) Mara truly shines.

Fincher stays true to the source material, never shying away from the wrongful brutality towards woman that was a centerpiece of the novel. The changes are minimal and unobtrusive. Fincher excels in delivering visuals that fit characters that live in the shadows; It’s a visually stunning film with a look that only Fincher could pull off.

Grim and gritty with a smattering of Dark humor, some people say this is one of the best films of the year, I say it is the Best Film of the Year with the strongest female performance delivered in recent memory.

Grade- 97