Sixteen years ago, I guess famous film producer Dino DeLaurentiis felt that a psychological thriller about a retired federal agent going into the mind of a serial killer, called MANHUNTER, wasn't that intresting. Then five years latter, the follow up to that film, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, won every major catageory for the Academy Awards (remember that acceptance speech, Director Jonathan Demme gave saying "uh" sixty some times?) Then when Tom Harris published the third in the series, HANNIBAL, DeLaurentiis scooped up the bidding and made HANNIBAL one of the most successful "R" rated box office grosses of all time. Now ninteen months later, DeLaurentiis feels that going back to the beginning of the Hannibal Trilogy will make more money, eventhough his studio produced the film adaptation of the first of Harris' novel. Since Dino feels that the public WANTS to see Sir Anthony Hopkins put on that grey jump suit, slick his hair back, and givethat errie stare as he has that wicked smirk. RED DRAGON, the latest film adaptation of the Lecter trilogy is the prquel to SILENCE and HANNIBAL. Similar how PHANTOM MENACE and TEMPLE OF DOOM are to A NEW HOPE and RAIDERS. Here's the story, in case you haven't seen MANHUNTER or read the novel. Retired federal agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) is asked by former boss and friend, Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel) to do a research on two grisly murders in Southern U.S. Both crimes had the entire family murdered with grotesque results. Graham trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together by thinking like the murder is still lost and confused in some parts. So to get answers to difficult questions, Graham seeks the assistance of the serial killer he captured and nearly lost his life from years eariler, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). Lecter, as usual, gives riddles as clues, as he tries to minipulate personal answers from the authority figure questioning him. Yet, unlike Agent Clarice Starling, Will Graham is no pushover, and doesn't trust or rely on Lecter for anything but the serial killer's identification. The viewer is then given the story of a physical and emotional tourtered young man, Francis Dolarhyde (Ralph Finnes). A quiet and isolated man who usually keeps to himself, until he befriends a blind photo developer, Reba McClane (Emily Watson), who turns Francis into a more social person and a little more open. But there are very dark secrets and mysteries that lie within Francis that is very terrifying to reveal. Now the big question, how is RED DRAGON compared to SILENCE and HANNIBAL? And how is RED DRAGON compared to Michael Mann's MANHUNTER? Let me start off with the first one, how is the film in the Anthony Hopkins Lecter trilogy. This was a very well done and great thriller. It's not as exciting or intense as SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, but it's not as grotesque or at times as silly as HANNIBAL. RED DRAGON has more of the mood and feeling that SILENCE has with focusing more on the federal agent trying to uncover the serial killer's identity than hunting down the known killer and uncovering his whereabouts. Like SILENCE, Lecter isn't a major character but more of a strong supporting. Lecter is given his screen time, but Graham and Dolarhyed are also given their screen time, a little more than the "Cannibal." Now how is RED DRAGON compared to MANHUNTER? Well, the best way to describe it is by doing a Shakespeare comparison. Think of the Franco Zeferill's 1968 version of ROMEO & JULLIETT and the 1996 Baz Lurhman's ROMEO & JULLIETT. One version was very faithful to the characters, costumes, setting that was written around the peorid when Shakespeare wrote it. While the other focused more on the plot, dialogue, and characters as the Shakespeare classic, yet made it more stylish and flamboyant. While Michael Mann's MANHUNTER is more of the Lurhman's ROMEO & JULLIETT by telling the RED DRAGON story very stylish, and flamboyant. Brett Ratner's RED DRAGON, is more faithful and loyal to the original writing of the Thomas Harris novel. There are the comparisons, now how is the movie? I really enjoyed this version of the RED DRAGON story more than I expected to. After seeing some half-hearted remakes done lately of classic films (i.e. PSYCHO, DOWN TO EARTH (Heaven Can't Wait), etc.) It is definitly one of the better adaptations or remakes done recently. But it is obvious that screenwriter Ted Tally (who wrote the screenplay for SILENCE) and director Ratner tried to put Dr. Lecter in the film as much as possible, giving the audience what they want. As many scenes with Hannibal Lecter in it. But the story is more about Agent Will Graham, than Dr. Lecter. But the acting in RED DRAGON is very well done. Edward Norton does a great job as Agent Will Graham, proving that Norton is still, one of the best actors working in Hollywood today. Ralph Finnes does a great turn as a villian being very quiet yet gives that haunting look on his face, the same expression we've seen from him as Amon Goeth in SCHINDLER'S LIST. There is even a excellent personal conflict scene that Finnes acts out excellent. The supporting cast of Keitel, Parker, Watson are also good. And I couldn't think of a better actor than Phillip Seymour Hoffman playing the sleezing Tattler reporter Freddy Lounds. And of course, Hopkins gives another great performance as Hannibal Lecter, Hopkins most popular role. But I feel that people should also remember Hopkins in other great performances in AMASTAD and ELEPHANT MAN than just Dr. Lecter. I enjoyed the musical score from Danny Elfman. And I was so pleased to see that Dante Spinotti who was the cinematographer for the original MANHUNTER, returns to do the cinematography for this film as well. However, without Michael Mann present, the painter is present, but the visualist isn't. Making the look of RED DRAGON not as mesmorizing or as beautiful as MANHUNTER was. Which is why I would still lean towards MANHUNTER more than RED DRAGON. The look and style of MANHUNTER appealed to me more than RED DRAGON did. But don't get me wrong, in this season of summer left-overs and horrible fall releases (i.e. BALLISTIC & THE TUXEDO). RED DRAGON will sure to please the film public and those who love Dr. Lecter. Like what other comments are said, it will get people back into the Lecter mood again. But for people like me, it would get you in the mood to watch MANHUNTER and compare and contrast the two films. RED DRAGON, a smuge below as good as SILENCE, but quite a bit better than HANNIBAL. A bloody good show, (sorry for the pun). ****1/2 (out of five)
Review of Red Dragon
