I have not read this book, nor have I watched the Swedish adaptation of the books so I went into this movie not really knowing much about the story. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a film based on the first book in Stieg Larson’s Millennium series trilogy. The film is directed by David Fincher (Social Network, Seven) and stars Rooney Mara (Social Network, A Nightmare on Elm Street), Daniel  Craig (007, Cowboys and Aliens) and Christopher Plummer (The Beginners). Craig plays Swedish journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, who loses a libel case against a big billionaire and is ordered to pay damages and fees. He soon meets Henrik Vanger, who commissions him to investigate the murder of his great-niece, Harriet, whom he believes was murdered by a family member 36 years before. Blomkvist asks Lisbeth Salander, a researcher and surveillance pro, to assist him with his investigation. From there they delve deeper and deeper into Vanger’s family dynamics and secrets and discover a serial killer that has been at it for many years.

I really enjoyed this movie. It was great. Rooney Mara DID HER THING. Well deserved Golden Globe nomination indeed. Like I have been told happens with the book, the film starts off a little slow. I would say for maybe the first 20 – 30 minutes there is some questioning about when it will pick up but then boy does it pick up. There is so much build up in the story that it had me on the edge of seat the whole time. I think I said “Oh s***” over a dozen times to myself the whole movie. I love suspense thrillers and this did not disappoint.

There are some gruesome elements to the film though. There is a pretty nasty rape scene and crime photos of women that were tortured and murdered as well as lots of violence. There are also a couple of sex scenes with plenty of Mara in the nude. If you are a prude and not comfortable with nudity I would wait until you could Redbox it and fast forward through those scenes because the movie is definitely worth watching. I don’t know how it compares to the book or the Swedish adaptation and I don’t care. I’ll make that comparison after I finish reading the book and watching the Swedish version but for now as a stand alone movie it was wonderful.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is in theaters everywhere now.