THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO- If you’re bothered by subtitles, films clocking in at over 2.5 hours or graphic scenes of violence, torture and brutal rape, you’ll probably be inclined to skip right past this Swedish thriller. But if you’re an indie film fan you’d be doing yourself a great disservice, as director Niels Arden Oplev’s adaptation of the first book in late author Stieg Larsson’s best-selling “Millennium” trilogy boasts an engrossing mystery, crackling suspense and a stunning debut performance from Noomi Rapace. The film ostensibly centers around disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), who is hired by the head of the powerful Vanger clan to investigate the disappearance (and presumed murder) of his beloved niece 40 years ago. But it’s his assistant, Lisbeth– the inked, pierced, troubled computer hacker alluded to in the title– whose story ultimately proves most engrossing. As Lisbeth, Rapace expresses much more emotion with her eyes, facial expressions and body language than with her words, and the origins of her dark, deeply disturbed personality are every bit as intriguing as the whodunit surrounding Harriet Vanger, if not moreso. The chemistry between her and Nyqvist helps drive the action forward even when momentum slows midway, as the audience struggles to figure out how the three different subplots will ultimately converge. Fortunately the payoff works well, leaving those of us who haven’t read the books curious to find out where Lisbeth’s journey leads from here. See the original import now, before Hollywood’s undoubtedly watered-down version is released in 2012. (B+) –Bret Love
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