David Fincher is an interesting man.  The director’s latest, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (based on the book of the same name, not a remake of the Swedish film) is a thrilling, dark, disturbing murder mystery with unconventional anti-heroes.  Coming off of “The Social Network” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” the serial killer film mastermind – responsible for greats like “Se7en” and “Zodiac” – is back for more of the dark side of human behavior - and what a dark side it is.

After a really bizarre music video opening credit sequence that feels more like a twisted James Bond intro, the film takes us into its bleak winter world.  Journalist Mikael Blomkvist has just come out on the losing side of a legal battle centered on an individual he had targeted for corporate and other wrongdoings.  Along the way, a mysterious yet wealthy man asks to put Mikael on a case regarding a missing family member.  Only in this family, everyone is corrupt and wicked to the bone.  Along the way, Mikael is aided by Lisbeth Salander, a woman with a mysterious past and penchant for black hair dye and computer hacking.