Spoiler Review of "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"

Hello there!

Before we begin, I'd like to give a couple shout outs today. First, you might check out the "Cinematography Database Fan" YouTube channel where they posted a video dissecting the amazing cinematography of this film. Second, this movie recommendation might seem a bit out of left field but I recently watched "Jodhaa Akbar" on Netflix and really enjoyed it. It's a historical fiction romance loosely based on the marriage of alliance between the Moghul (Muslim) Emperor and a Hindu princess. Thirdly and finally, I read the popular thriller book "No Exit" by Taylor Adams last week and loved it. I couldn't put it down! The new film adaptation is streaming now only to Hulu! I'm excited to check it out this weekend and I highly recommend y'all check out the book and/or movie.

Alright, let's talk about "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" and get into spoiler territory.

[SPOILERS]

Writing

The writing style was exceedingly descriptive, candidly dark, yet satirically captivating. The pace was kinda slow but a lot was going on. It's like reading through a very detailed and long train of events - Stoic yet compelling.

The world building wasn't extensive as it takes place in a contemporary setting in a known country. But the careful layout and design of the Vanger lands and family really drew me in and made me feel at home on this Swedish island and with this cast of characters.

Some favorite quotes include:

"To Sally, who showed me the benefits of the sport of golf."

"What she had realized was that love was that moment when your heart was about to burst."

"The fear of offending can be stronger than the fear of pain."

"You'll be investigating thieves, misers, bullies... The most detestable collection of people you will ever meet. My family."

Thus, I'd give the writing 4/5 stars.

Story

The story was a classic Whydunit; a film archetype with two hallmarks, a focus on the question of why something was done and an overall exploration of the dark side of humanity - the truly evil acts each of us are capable of committing.

The mystery revolved around who killed Harriet, how did they take her so swiftly that she vanished so completely, and above all... Why?

So the part that surprised me the most in this story was the big plot twist of course; the reveal that Harriet was never killed, that she disappeared of her own volition with the help of her cousin, was utterly shocking for me. I mean I felt like I saw it coming at first but throughout it all the book had convinced me that wasn't the case. I mean, there were other girls that had been murdered and were involved in the whole mystery so I thought we'd find out she was killed but instead she was living her best life raising sheep in Australia. At least we found out the why - she fixed her death/disappearance to hide from her serial killer, rapist, brother.

For the second hallmark, there are plenty of dirty deeds to dissect in this story but, alas, I am not a psychologist. Let's just say there were many things that were very disturbing and skin crawling and made you wonder how anyone who committed this act could be considered human. But there are also dilemmas that made you think about whether you'd do that for the greater good or whether you stoop to that level for revenge. Definitely a dark tale filled with morally gray choices.

My least favorite part, my most hated part actually, would be when Lisbeth was raped by her state-appointed guardian. Although I really enjoyed his later comeuppance at her hands - mentally and physically scarring the disgusting pig was a great move for her and very satisfying for me as the viewer. I honestly can't imagine his doctor's response to his unwanted tattoo the next time he has to go for an appointment - but I love to try.

My favorite part of the story is really anything with Lisbeth and Mikael interacting. My favorite scene of theirs might be when they first meet in her apartment because of how comedic it turns out. I mean, she just woke up, her apartment's a mess, and Mikael is at her doorstep with bagels and cheery humor - priceless entertainment.

Thus, I'd give the story about 4/5 stars.

Characters

As you might be able to guess my favorite part of the whole book / movie was the characters - specifically Lisbeth and Mikael. I absolutely love their chemistry and boy do I ship them!

All the characters were quite believable with their own quirks, layers, and motives. My favorite character is Lisbeth, with Mikael as a very close second. My least favorite character might be Gottfried Vanger, or his son Martin Vanger, or Lisbeth's disgusting legal guardian Nils Bjurman.

Mikael has many romantic encounters throughout the story but the staple in that part of his life is his best friend and long time "occasional lover" Erika Berger. Although I like their relationship, despite both of them having been married to other people during it, I have to root against it. I'm sorry but Mikael needs to be with Lisbeth! Or rather Lisbeth is in love with him and she deserves happiness. I'm not the only one who's read the book or seen the movie and noticed their very beautiful, delicate, and strange relationship with each other. They started out their affair as a casual thing during their investigation but at the end of it she's obviously in love with him - but he's off with Erika. The film literally ends with her seeing them laughing and walking off together, then she throws his Christmas present in a garbage can and rides off on her motorcycle just oozing heartbreak and melancholy. I can only hope that they end up together in the sequels.

Not surprisingly, I'd give the characters 5/5 stars.

All in all, "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" earned a solid 4/5 stars; which could be argued for 5/5, depending on individual taste. It boasts great descriptive writing, a gripping albeit disturbing story, and believable characters with great chemistry and countless moral dilemmas. I highly suggest the book and the film if you're able to look past the disturbing nature of it and appreciate it's Whydunit excellence.

Let us know your thoughts on it down below, and share with us any similar books/movies you've enjoyed. Also feel free to leave us some general recommendations for books, movies, and TV shows. We're eclectically interested and our list is ever growing. We'll see you next week!