The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

The material is tailor-made for Fincher, and, in many respects, it feels a summation of his work over the preceding 15 years.

A twisty film that feels promising at first but then devolves into a sensational, lurid tale that rivals Silence of the Lambs for squirm-factor.

Rooney Mara inhabits the movie's namesake Lisbeth Salander with such commitment and believability she captivates the audience and keeps our rapt attention for the slightly overlong 2 hours and 40 minutes. It is her movie.

The final product is a film of stunning craft (if ungainly form) built around a profoundly flawed foundation that even moments of individual brilliance can't fully save.

I was eager to see how an American version of this material would play out. Rather nicely, it turns out, thanks to the keen direction of David Fincher and a breakout performance from Rooney Mara.