Response to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Have you seen the movie The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? I have. I watched it a little over two weeks ago… “Watched” isn’t really an accurate word to describe my experience with the movie, though. “Heard” might be better, since I had to keep covering my eyes; “survived” is also more fitting. However, the one term that has no place in my description of that movie is this: entertainment.

Now, I want to put the kibosh (to put an end to or dispose of decisively) on two theories that are possibly forming in your head as you read this article: first and foremost, I am not writing this to condemn the movie industry or point fingers at how evil theaters are. The purpose of this is not to create a fear of Hollywood or paint the picture that I’m some saint that is appalled by anyone else who enjoyed the movie. Okay? Okay.

Second and just as important, I’m not writing about this movie for the fun of it. I’m not trying to draw attention to myself or tell you what to think. Honestly, my main goal is this: to get God off my back. Ever since I walked out of the theater on January 13th at 11:15 pm, I knew that I couldn’t NOT do something in response to what I saw, and that it wasn’t going to be enough to just say, “Yeah, and boy was it intense…” when someone asked me if I had seen it. And so, because fear (of your opinion, of rejection, of standing out, etc.) still controls so much of my life, it has taken many weeks of Jesus lovingly but persistently hounding me to get me to sit down and write this.

For those of you who haven’t seen the movie, either Google the summary or buy a ticket (or do neither, it’s completely up to you). My untidy and shambolic summary of the movie is this:

Unknown crazy serial killer guy (whose motivation is in part coming from verses found in the Old Testament) is raping, mutilating, and disposing of a variety of women. Journalist gets hired to solve the case of one of the victims and to find the bad guy. Genius girl with dragon tattoo helps journalist guy. DRAGON GIRL GETS RAPED. MOVIE DOES NOT DO NORMAL MOVIE THING OF IMPLYING THE RAPE SCENE AND THEN CUTTING OUT— MOVIE SHOWS EVERYTHING. Girl later turns around and brings justice to the man by raping him back, among other things. Movie shows everything. Girl with tattoo and journalist guy do the classic “let’s both have sex because this movie won’t sell without it” routine, and again, movie chooses a raw and pornographic tactic of depicting it. Dragon girl and journalist find the bad guy and the movie ends with a twist.

Despite my summary’s roughness, hopefully you can see why I was deeply affected by seeing that (and also why I had nightmares the night after I saw it). It showed things that are not usually (at least to my knowledge) shown in movie theaters. It showed the reality of a horrific aspect of life instead of glossing it over with shiny, sparkly Hollywood gloss. And, it gave me a myriad of options to choose from when I was deciding what I was going to take away after seeing it. I don’t know what was running through your mind after watching it, but here’s a list of some of the feelings that flashed through mine:

1. Men are evil because they rape girls.

2. This movie is evil because it showed me what it looks like for men to rape girls.

3. Wow, there were a lot of naked bodies in that film.

4. I’m gonna be scarred for life from seeing that.

5. Despite everything, the movie was incredibly directed and written.

6. Aahhhhh (brain overload) hhhhhh (I don’t know what to do with this information) hhhhhhh (that was scary and awful) hhhhhh (how am I going to sleep tonight?) hhhhh.

With all of those responses and many more swarming thoughts, I knew that I had to actively choose the ones I was going to accept and let change my world view, and which ones I wasn’t (reference above list for those). Looking back, I know that God in His mercy gave me the clarity to take an active rather than passive role in that moment. I have decided on two worthy reactions:

1. I can no longer ignore and sugarcoat the suffering that takes place in this world. I may not understand the reason behind why my brothers, sisters, friends, and strangers are suffering, but I HAVE to do something to end it. “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:14-17).

2. I have a responsibility to draw the attention of those around me (you) to what God is calling us to do:

a. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

b. “Greater love has no one than this: that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

c. “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1).

d. And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Mark 10:21).

e. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay” (Matthew 10:8).

Now you have been told. What will you do?

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:2).