Rating: 
Summary: And Thus the End of Norton Is Signified...
Review: This movie was fairly awful to watch. I suppose in a very run-of-the-mill sort of way it was all right, but really, I hate this film. All it really said to me was, "Ed, man, I'm sorry, but it's over." With Fight Club, American History X, and Death to Smoochy, I really thought he had a promising career ahead of him, with consequential films, but why on earth did he agree to to this movie? It's basically Silence of the Lambs with Ed Norton instead of Jodie Foster. Oh wait! Accept that Silence of the Lambs was a lot better! This movie was so recycled and boring that I left feeling sorry for the people that had pretty good repertoire (Ralph Fiennes, Anthony Hopkins, and yes, Edward Norton) before this. Yeah, I can't get away from the Ed Norton thing. Why, Ed? I think I should write him a letter and ask him. I guess the rise and fall of Edward Norton can't be totally blamed on Red Dragon. Other contributors: The Score, 25th Hour, and The Italian Job really dug him into the grave and buried him alive.
Rating: 
Summary: Much better than "Manhunter"!
Review: Much more watchable than "Manhunter". This film has style, is well-acted, and doesn't feel so "1980's", unlike "Manhunter". Plus, it features Sir Anthony doing his thing as Hannibal. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Awful! (I'd have given it no stars if I could)
Review: I didn't think it was possible to make something worse than the original "Manhunter" (rumor has it that author Thomas Harris was so appalled by what Michael Mann had done to his book that he refused to allow them to use the title). As for this newer version, which surely owes its existence only to the single-minded greed of Martha DeLaurentiis... Director Ratner needs to look up the world "subtlety" in the dictionary. Oh yeah, and go back to directing Madonna videos and brainless action films like the Rush Hour series. He's playing WAY out of his depth here. Screenwriter Tally clearly demonstrates that the only reason his script SotL was any good at all is that he stayed much closer to the source material. He really should hand the Oscar he won for it over to Thomas Harris. Every scene in this film that isn't copied directly from the book is wincingly bad and most of the others are as well. Edward Norton is horribly miscast and the ever-annoying Philip Seymour Hoffman stays true to form as he fumbles his way self-consciously from scene-to-scene until he is mercifully excised from the story. Ralph Fiennes does a reasonably good job at capturing the torment of Francis Dollarhyde but is also horrendously miscast (has anyone involved with casting either film-adaptation of Red Dragon actually read the book?). The only pleasant surprise of the film is Emily Watson as delightful in her role as the unforgivably bad script and direction allow her to be. Even Hopkins who is normally as focussed and dedicated as actor as most of us are likely to see seems to be thinking of being elsewhere when he plays his scenes... As Hannibal Lector himself would retreat inwardly to his "memory palace" when confined or being tortured - and this film is a little bit of both.
Rating:
Summary: A Grand Adaptation of a Spectacular Novel
Review: I thouroughly enjoyed this movie, for two main reasons. First and foremost is the fact that it provides such a stunning contrast to the superbly inferior Manhunter (which, in my opinion, was a waste of William Petersen's obvious talent). Furthermore, Manhunter didn't have the same kind of psychological suspense between the characters that was present in this particular film.
The second reason is that this film so closely paralleled the movie. Of course, there was a little bit of "liberal interpretation" in the beginning on the part of Brett Ratner and the screenwriters, but it still adheres fairly close to the original storyline, and gives us some more insight into why Lecter and Graham hate each other so much.
Edward Norton delivers a spectacular performance as the psychologically haunted Will Graham, and Anthony Hopkins performs just like he did in "The Silence of the Lambs" as the demonically grotesque Hannibal Lecter. Philip Seymour-Hoffman could have done better as Freddy Lounds, but I think Anthony Heald did one of the best jobs portraying the abrasive Frederick Chilton.
Well, here's to Brett Ratner. Bon Appetit.
Rating:
Summary: Red Dragon Vs. Manhunter
Review: I first saw Michael Mann's "Manhunter" several years ago when I first saw "The Silence of the Lambs." I personally do not admire Michael Mann's work as a director on mostly all levels. His poor choice of music (especially in Manhunter) and terribly choice to date his movies severly by making everyone in "Manhunter" look like their from "Miami Vice!" The film had a much different and less satisfying ending than Harris' original novel had. It ends with no great bang or emotion. The relationship between Dolarhyde and Reba was almost pathetic in how bland their acting was. Basically "Manhunter" is an all in all BAD MOVIE. Now, almost a decade later, Bret Ratner and screenwriter Ted Tally have brought us "Red Dragon" the way Harris truly wanted. All of the characters have been perfectly cast (especailly Dolarhye by Ralph Finnes), the music score by Danny Elfman is magnificent, and the ending will fill you with so much shock and emotion that you are speechless! This film was shot with the right type of dark, noir style photography that gives it th true feeling of a classic thriller. I highly recommend "Red Dragon" over "Manhunter" on every level of filmmaking quality.
Rating: 
Summary: Inferior To The Original
Review: This is an almost word for word remake of the 1986 film "Manhunter." While watching this one I kept asking myself why. Why did someone decide to remake a prefectly good film? This remake adds nothing, in fact it is inferior to Manhunter in many ways. Poor casting is just the beginning of the problem. I never bought Anthony Hopkins as a psycho in any of these in the series. In this one he plays it way over the top in an almost cartoonish manner. Ed Norton does an OK job as Will Graham, but this role could have been done equally well by anyone. Most annoying is Ralph Fiennes as the Tooth Fairy. This guy sleepwalks through the role and is about as authentic as a wooden nickel. The film concludes with a lame "he's not really dead" cliche. This was the choice to make it different from Manhunter? Silly. Two stars for the always interesting Harvey Keitel. Skip this one and rent the far superior Manhunter instead.
Rating: 
Summary: Tooth fairy
Review: Don't expect a film better than "Silence of the Lambs" because "Red Dragon" is far from that. This is the prequel to that film and a replacement for the 1986 film "Manhunter". "Red Dragon" once again stars Anthony Hopkins as the excellent Hannibal Lector, whom Edward Norton "consults" with to find out more about the Tooth Fairy serial killer. The Tooth Fairy is played beautifully by Ralph Fiennes. The only problem is, it is a very long time into the film where he does anything frightening. "Silence of the Lambs" had multiple suspense moments, whereas Red Dragon really lacks in this department. Overall, I was quite disappointed with "Red Dragon". I found Edward Norton very dull, and too long before anything interesting happened. For die-hard fans of the series only.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I went to see this movie, and I will tell you it was excellent, and for those of you who would deam me unfit to give this movie a good review, I can tell I have viewed the original. This movie far surpasses the original, in acting, the way the plot is played out, and scenery. The previews of Anthony Hopkins reprising his Oscer winnig role as Dr. Lecter were excellent. He owns the role of Dr. Lecter doing much better that Brian Cox did in Man Hunter. Ed Nortan was a little off the bare when I thought of this guy cathing Dr. Lecter. I was thinking suuuure, I mean Dr. Lecter would kick this guys ass in a second, but it worked out beautifully and payed omage to the story. The interactions between the two were reminicent of Dr. Lecter and Clarice Starling, even though in this movie Dr. Lecter and Wille Gram show that they hate each other, the docter still plays his mind games, and toyes with Gram even more ruthlessly then when it came to Clarice Starling. I also enjoyed the way that you get the feeling of how dangerous Dr. Lecter really is as in the scenes with him in his cell, it took about two ordarlies, and four armed policemen to just move him around. And even just exercising he was under swat team servalence being targeted by guns everywere in his exercise area, witch went to show how much of an animal people thought of him since exercise pens like that are usually used for hourses. Well anyway I thought this movie was excellent, in every way, and did far better than the original versions in every aspect. Thank you very much.
Rating:
Summary: Weakest Dragon
Review: Please stop the hype! This film is a bomb. It stinks. Edward (Hero of the Chin-less) Norton's mannerisms resemble those of the feeble post-altheimers Ronald Reagan and not those of an F.B.I. agent. How can writers give Norton a line like "put a cap in your ass" and allow him to have that mousy mug under poorly dyed blond hair. Please! Silence of the Lambs set the bar way to high for these filmmakers. Like the audience who went out to see this junk, they should have stayed home.
Rating:
Summary: "Manhunter" was better...
Review: Let me say first off that I guess I've been living under a rock for years... I had absolutely no idea that this was going to be a frame-for-frame remake of the 1986 gem of a thriller "Manhunter". While Ed Norton (as FBI agent Will Graham), Anthony Hopkins (as Hannibal), and Ralph Fiennes (as the "Tooth Fairy" Dolarhyde) gave us fine acting performances here... I can't help but remember Manhunter's William L. Peterson (as Graham) in pursuit, and most significantly Tom Noonan simply freaking me out as the very tall "Tooth Fairy". Not to mention Manhunter's use of Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (even to this day when I hear that song, I think of this movie). Harvey Keitel (as Jack Crawford) is over-rated as an actor these days and his best work is way behind him (Dennis Farina's role as Crawford in '86 was 10x better). "Manhunter" was raw, edgy, and suspenseful. "Red Dragon" is a good movie, but if you've seen "Manhunter", the surprise and suspense is gone. Same script - different actors. Same characters doing the same things; same beach house, same tree sitting scene, same blind girl in the photo lab that falls for Dolarhyde, same shady looking van, etc. It's almost like the director himself thought "Manhunter" was so good... let's just make a remake of IT. The DVD extra's here are good - deleted scenes, the making of "Red Dragon", Commentaries, "Inside The Mind Of A Serial Killer" documentary, and a most interesting look at Lechter's FBI file and case history. "Red Dragon" is worth seeing (as a rental). The first adaptation of the novel ("Manhunter") is still the best.
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