This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The two movies opening today in theaters are both good, but otherwise are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
For the thrill-loving family audience, there's "The Adventures of Tintin," an adaptation of Hergé's famous comic character — a globe-trotting journalist (performed by Jamie Bell) who uncovers a mystery involving sunken pirate treasure. Director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson unveil some state-of-the-art motion-capture animation, to create a rousing and eye-popping action movie that neatly bridges the photo-realistic locations with the cartoony characters.
On the other side, for strong-stomached adults only, is "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," director David Fincher's adaptation of Stieg Larsson's best-selling thriller. Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is hired to unlock a decades-old murder mystery — and hires computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) to help him. The movie belongs to Mara, who brings all the prickly toughness and inner vulnerability to the Salander character. (Be warned: There are scenes of rape and other violence that may be hard to handle.)