THE GIRL WITH THE around the same time. A legacy of violence and perversion has been transmitted down the DRAGON TATTOO generations; a nerve-wracking climax sees the killer (Cert 18) unmasked and destroyed. Reel Issues author: Mark Woods Salander provides the evidence against Wennerström Overview: First part of the film trilogy based on the that Blomkvist needs to clear his name, but not before best-selling novels by Swedish journalist . she has stolen millions of kroner from him. An investigative thriller dealing with themes of sexual violence, corruption and revenge. FIRST REACTIONS Director: Niels Arden Oplev (2009). • What is it about Stieg Larsson's trilogy that has caught people's imaginations and made the books Length: 152 minutes. best-sellers? Cautions: some scenes involving sex and violence are graphic and may be disturbing. • What's the event or piece of dialogue in the film that stays in your mind? PLOT SUMMARY • Who's the stronger personality, Blomkvist or As the film opens journalist Mikael Blomkvist has been Salander? sentenced to three months in prison for libel following • Stieg Larsson's original title was Men Who Hate allegations against Wennerström, a corrupt Women. Does that describe Bjurman and Martin industrialist he was unable to back up. Out of the blue, Vanger, or is there more to it than that? he's offered a job investigating the disappearance 40 years ago of the niece of another industrialist, Henrik INTERACTIONS Vanger. No trace was ever found of Harriet, but every • Harriet Vanger disappears for 40 years and dozens year Henrik receives pressed flowers on her birthday – more women are murdered. Is it her fault? sent, he believes, by her killer. Blomkvist is appointed after an investigation into him carried out by Lisbeth • How would you describe 's Salander, a troubled but brilliant computer hacker. character? Salander is assaulted by her manipulative and sadistic • One of the themes of the film is justice. Romans court-appoint guardian, but takes a gruesome revenge: 12.19 says, 'Do not take revenge, my friends, but having videoed the attack to use against him, she leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is knocks him out with a taser, immobilises him and mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord' (NIV). tattoos 'I am a sadistic pig and a rapist' on his What's the difference between justice and stomach. revenge? Blomkvist and Salander go to Hedeby, the home of the • When Blomkvist asks Martin why he has tortured extended Vanger family. Using their combined skills and killed the women, he says 'I'm doing what they uncover the mystery of Harriet's disappearance, every man dreams of. I take what I want' which is linked to the murders of other women at (1:48:54). Is he right? reelissues.org.uk The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo /1

REELISSUESclip • Parts of the Bible contain scenes of violence Salander isn't convinced. She says, 'Don't make him against women as horrific as anything in this film. into a ****ing victim. He nearly killed you. He was a For instance, Judges 19 tells of the concubine of a killer and a rapist and he enjoyed it. Levite who is gang-raped and murdered in Gibeah. 'He had the same chances as everyone else. You The Israelites are horrified at what has been done choose who you want to be. He wasn't a victim. He and take a bloody vengeance on the city. was an evil mother****er who hated women.' • Read 2 Samuel 13 (the rape of Tamar by her • Do we choose who we want to be, or is our brother and his subsequent murder); and read John freedom limited by what's been done to us? Is it 8.1–11 (Jesus and the woman taken in the act of true that everyone has the same chances, and if adultery – what happened to the man?). Are not, how should that affect how we see them? women in the Bible of less value than men? Or just physically less able to defend themselves? • Salander could have saved Martin, but she lets him burn because she thinks he deserves it. Blomkvist • Read John 4. 4–26 Jesus has an encounter with a says, 'I would never have done that, Lisbeth.' Is Samaritan woman. She is female, an alien (think that because he's more moral? Or more Jews and Palestinians today) and of dubious moral squeamish? Or because she cares more? character, but he talks to her and listens to her with respect. How is what Jesus did an example for OTHER ANGLES us today? • Are there some things that are too bad to forgive? • Galatians 3.28 says that 'in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for • Should someone like Martin Vanger be given the you are all one in Christ Jesus'. Imagine (if you chance to repent? can!) reading this with Martin Vanger. • How should they be punished? • What does the fate of men who abuse women in • Suppose a sex offender or murderer were to start the Bible say to men today? attending your church – how would you react?

CLIP • Are we horrified enough at violence, whether on screen or off? Watch 1:59:50 - 2:02:42. Blomkvist and Salander talk

over what's happened after Martin has died in the car crash and Salander has refused to help him. Blomkvist Mark Woods is a Baptist minister who has pastored is still traumatised by the closeness of his brush with two churches and is now editor of The Baptist Times. death, and what he's seen in Martin's cellar, but he He has written widely on art, film and theatre. defends Martin: 'His father taught him to kill when he © Bible Society 2011 Permission is given to make up was 16 years old. That would make anybody sick in to ten copies for use within a single Reel Issues the brain.' discussion group.

reelissues.org.uk The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo/2