Rating: 
Summary: At Least It Made the Filmmakers Some Money...
Review: Rent "Manhunter" instead. That film has more style and substance than "Red Dragon," not to mention much better performances. If you're like me, you'll rent this for curiosity's sake, but after viewing it, will realize that it was merely a vehicle for Anthony Hopkins to exploit his brilliant turn in "The Silence of the Lambs," much like he did in "Hannibal."With the exception of Ralph Fiennes and Harvey Keitel, all of the performances are extremely lazy. Edward Norton, one of my favorite actors, disappoints when compared to William Peterson from the original film. Peterson showed depth and true pain and anguish as a character who has to think like the killer in order to catch him; Norton merely puts his hand on his forehead and raises his eyebrows, attempting to display said anguish. While Fiennes and Keitel are both very good, even they can't give this movie the energy it needs to surpass "Manhunter." And there are those who might say, "Why does it have to be compared to 'Manhunter?" To that I can simply answer: if someone chooses to remake a movie, then, for all intents and purposes, they think they can make the film better than the original director. Brett Ratner vs. Michael Mann? Please. Truth is, Ratner is to blame for all of the movie's faults. The lazy performances, the ridiculous twist ending (which is in the book, but is extremely predictable when transferring the story to film), the assanine explanation of why the Tooth Fairy turned out like he is...ugghh. Brett Ratner remaking a Michael Mann film is like Justin Timberlake covering a Led Zeppelin song -- just plain wrong. I really wanted to like this movie, because the cast is phenomenal (but phenomenally wasted). I found myself looking for reasons to appreciate and cherish it...but all for naught. A bad movie is a bad movie, no matter what. But hey, it did great box office, right?
Rating: 
Summary: Lucifer Fallen
Review: It is odd that the third best of the 'Lector' novels written by Thomas Harris should turn out to be every bit as good as the others when taken to film. Much is due to Brett Ratner's ability to stay focused on creating an unselfconscious story line that sticks to the material and the atmospherics around it. Another large amount is due to Anthony Hopkins ability to recreate a character who exudes evil and fear. But the entire cast of this film manage to play their parts well.
This is the prequel (or near prequel) to the events in Silence of the Lambs. Edward Norton plays Will Graham, the FBI agent who brought Lector to justice in the first case. He has 'escaped' from seeking serial killers and is now making an anonymous life repairing boats. But his retirement is short-lived as Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel) seeks Will out for help on a troubling case where entire families are being killed in a grim ritual. As we quickly find out, one of the things that's wanted is for Will to work with Lector again, this time with the mad psychiatrist behind thick plate glass and bars.
What we find out early in the film is that the new killer is somehow linked to the old. Lector's uncanny ability to reach out and manipulate minds is still strong, and the real story is Will Graham's struggle to evade Lector's plans while trying to identify the killer with Lecter's help. The detective and his family are the goats in a dark hunting game.
Hopkins plays Lecter to perfection. Not the slick Lecter of Silence, but as a man still developing his style. For all his ego, Lecter's real problem is his inability to see Will Graham as anything but an alter-ego. The agent, who survived catching Lecter only by accident has no such self-delusions. His honest brilliance is a counterpoint to Lecter's deviousness.
Another near perfect acting Job is done by Ralph Fienne, who plays Francis Dolahyde, the Red Dragon of the title. This isn't a hysterical portrait. Dolarhyde has his own brilliance despite his emotional ineptness, and Fienne brings this out perfectly, capturing Dolarhyde's fumbling love affair with Reba and his power as a controlled killer with surprising sympathy.
The extras consist of commentaries, interviews and the usual 'making of' film. I tend to look askance at the modern habit of expanding the credence of a film by piling on self-important tidbits, but these are well done, and enhance the viewing experience by surfacing some of the fine details that make this a successful film.
Rating:
Summary: 'AWE' inspiring.....
Review: The BEST suspense thriller ever commited to celluloid, period. This has always been my personal favorite of the 'Lector' chronicles- mainly because the emphasis is not on the infamous doctor, but the far more terrifying and psychologically realistic character of Francis Dolarhyde, and the other side of that coin; the equally fascinating inspector Graham. Much has been made of the original adaptation; 'MANHUNTER'- while I agree that version (directed by the great Michael Mann) has a certain stylistic superiority, not to mention fine performances by William Peterson, Tom Noonan, and Brian Cox (actually a better Lector, in my humble opinion)- This version is much more faithful to the novel, with Dolarhyde's and Reba's relationship being the central issue, and the mythology and origion of 'THE DRAGON' intact. Emily Watson easily outshines Joan Allen, Norton is servicable, and Fiennes is a brillant Dolarhyde, inspiring both pity and terror, as we watch him struggle with the voices commanding him to kill for his 'becoming'. Don't see this without reading the book!!
Rating: 
Summary: Very good, low-key adaption of Harris's novel
Review: I liked the first attempt to bring "Red Dragon" to the screen, 1986's "Manhunter", but I actually prefer this version. It is not as fast-paced, and the secondary characters are generally better developed, making it easier to care about what happens to them.
"Manhunter" may have been closer to the letter, but to me, "Red Dragon" is the better movie.
Brian Cox was excellent as Hannibal Lecter in "Manhunter", but you just can't beat Anthony Hopkins, and Edward Norton is sublime as Special Agent Will Graham, the man who captures Hannibal Lecter.
But it's Ralph Fiennes as Francis Dolarhyde who really steals the show, bringing an incredible depth and nuance to what could very easily be a stereotypical character, and "Red Dragon", unlike the gory "Hannibal", is certainly worthy of its relationship to "Silence Of The Lambs", even if "Lambs" is ultimately a better and more original story.
Definitely recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A competent but unnecessary remake.
Review: It seems a little odd that there should be a remake of a film only 16 years after the somewhat superior original, "Manhunter," which was directed by the great Micheal Mann. The most notable changes here are the cast, obviously, but there are no marked improvements there. Ed Norton is as good as always, but no better than the last guy who played Graham (he's on that "CSI" show, I believe.) Brian Cox is every bit the actor that Anthony Hopkins is, and his Hannibal Lechter is infinitely creepier--not played for laughs as Hopkins often does. Ray Fiennes' Dollarhyde is a murderous freak, but a more sympathetic figure than his successor, which detracts from the punch the original film delivers. This difference is most evident in the altered ending, which provides a more "crowd-pleasing" stock finale than in the earlier film. See both films if you're curious, and you, too, will probably wonder why they bothered to make a remake so similar to the original.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome thriller!
Review: If you liked "Silence of the Lambs," this is a must see! Hannibal was a bit too graphic for my taste, so this movie brought back the class that was originally found in "Lambs." Anthony Hopkins portrays Lector with genius and sophistication, and Edward Norton should be noted for his excellent performance as well. Great movie!
Rating:
Summary: Frightening.
Review: I've wasted enough time arguing in vain with my friends that this picture surpasses Silence of the Lambs. But, I will say that this prequel of the Hannibal Lecter trilogy scared me, surprised me, and dazzled me more than the other films did. This film skips the typical build up and jumps into the climax within the first five minutes where we meet FBI agent Will Graham, played by Edward Norton whose relationship with the yet to be imprisoned Lecter, played terrifyingly by Anthony Hopkins makes for some terrific watching. It's a thriller in every sense of the word.
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't stick to the original plot, but whatever.
Review: This is the prequel to "Silence of the Lambs", and it kind of lays out the story very nicely. I enjoyed "Silence". I thought "Hannibal" was MUCH too graphic, and it made me physically sick... however, I did enjoy the movie. I thought that "The Candyman" wasn't built enough. He should have been more muscular, as the storyline defines him as a big, strong, weightlifter, etc... and he's not. He's a skinney guy with a bad ass tattoo. Anthony Hopkins did a great job in this, as he's done in the past, and I was impressed by Edward Norton. He's the man. Rent it, and watch it in the dark with someone you love.
Rating:
Summary: A Remake Prequel to a Sequel.
Review: I have to be completely honest. As interesting a character Hannibal Lector is, I really haven't enjoyed the Hannibal Lector movies that much. This goes against the popular vein, but other than the acting and some interesting cinematographic effects, I wasn't impressed by SILENCE OF THE LAMBS; MANHUNTER (the original film based off of the novel Red Dragon) was a colorful piece of cinematic art quite creative in its use of lighting, sound, and color; and though I enjoyed HANNIBAL the most of Lector movies, it is very violent and unbelievable absurd. Nevertheless, I was looking forward to watching RED DRAGON, the prequel to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and remake of Michael Mann's MANHUNTER. With Anthony Hopkins back as Dr. Hannibal Lector, the brilliant Edward Norton playing detective Will Graham, and the mysterious Ralph Fiennes as Francis Dolarhyde (aka "The Tooth Fairy") I thought the movie would be the best of them all. I should be used to movie disappointments by now.
The movie begins with prologue illustrating how Will Graham was able to successfully capture Dr. Hannibal Lector. The movie then fast forwards in time three years. A new serial killer is loose killing entire families one an evening when there is a full moon. Graham's former boss at the FBI asks him to come out retirement to help track the madman down. After some internal conflict, soul searching, and weighing the risks Graham agrees. The case proves more difficult than anyone thought and even with the assistance of Dr. Lector, no major leads are discovered. But the killer, "The Tooth Fairy", like the legendary Frankenstein's monster, ends up falling in love with a blind girl. She is oblivious to his flaws. Touched by grace, the killer falls deeper and deeper into a confusing downward spiral of self-loathing and bittered anger.
On the surface, the movie is interesting and entertaing enough. The prologue at the beginning of the movie is brilliant and makes the movie watching solely for that. However, the deeper elements I was expected from the film just weren't there. Edward Norton is a great actor, but he's much too young to play Will Graham and just wasn't able to capture the internal epic struggle that Graham feels throughout. Anthony Hopkins is brilliant as always. However, Ralph Fiennes' talent wasn't used as the role of Francis Dolarhyde seemed to be cut down to a cardboard caricature more than a real life flesh and blood character. Philip Seymour Hoffman (Freddy Lounds), Emily Watson (Reba McClane), and Harvey Keitel (Jack Crawford) did wonderful jobs in their supporting roles, but it isn't enough to counter-balance Norton's miscasting and Fiennes' lack of a meaty role.
Also missing in this film were any elements that would lend it some credibility as a crime drama/thriller. I didn't enjoy MANHUNTER very much, but Michael Mann at least played around with light, color, and sound to produce an ode of moving art. RED DRAGON has none of that. There aren't any outstanding images and the movie's score and soundtrack are seriously lacking. Besides the prologue at the beginning, the pacing of the movie also seems slow, almost too slow for a thriller such as RED DRAGON. In fact, for all intense purposes, RED DRAGON is basically the same type of movie that Hollywood churns out all the time, only with a talented (but misused) cast and a very interesting prologue.
If you're a fan of the series, RED DRAGON is worth watching. Other than that, the film really isn't a must see, but is fun to watch on a weekend if you have nothing better to see.
Rating:
Summary: A fair beginning to a great trilogy.
Review: A few years ago, I saw Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal for the first time. To keep it short, I loved those movies and pratically worshipped Hannibal for being one of the best film characters of the 90's. As the phase died down, I started to hear about Red Dragon being in production. I wasn't very excited. It sounded like a quick cash-in after the immense success that was Hannibal (look at the box office sales for that and see for yourself), and I didn't expect very much out of it. Seeing it in theaters on the opening week, my expectations were set low, but Red Dragon turned out to be above average. It's not on the same level as SotL, but it does the series justice. And this regular dvd edition helps it out a little too.
If you somehow don't know the story of Silence of the Lambs, or even who Hannibal Lecter is, then it wouldn't hurt to start here seeing as how this is the prequel. Dr. Lecter holds a dinner for some of his friends and associates after an evening at the symphony. Agent Will Graham shows up, asking for Dr. Lecter's help with a case. They talk about how he's heading in the wrong direction with the case and discusses his new view on it. After a few minutes of Hannibal leaving the room to take care of something, Graham explore's the office and finds a book of Lecter's, discovering he's a cannibal. As he turns around, he's greeted with a knife right in his stomach. Hannibal and Graham struggle for a few seconds, only to have Graham cram a few arrows in Hannibal's stomach as well. Yes, it sounds silly, and it is. Hannibal staggers a bit, but continues to go after Graham. After a few rounds of the revolver, he's out (but not dead of course). Hannibal is arrested, and Graham makes a recovery. Time passes, and he's given a new case from Jack Crawford (he doesn't look anything like he does in SotL by the way) about the "Tooth Fairy". Because Will is able to tap into the killer's mind and see things as they do, the case requires his gift. But it ends up being too tough for him to handle on his own, so he seeks Hannibal for help on it. It's basically the same premise of SotL with different characters. There's more psychological parts with a lot of hidden messages between Dr. Lecter and the Tooth Fairy But the nice change here is that the killer begins to have feelings for a blind woman, adding a sweet bit of romance to it. The scene with Francis and Reba with the tiger is one of the more romantic things I've seen...involving a serial killer anyway. But in the end, Red Dragon just didn't hit me as hard as its parent movies did. Maybe it was the director (bingo), maybe it was the style it was shot. Either way, it's enjoyable to say the least.
The acting in Red Dragon is just as good as SotL and Hannibal's. Sir Anthony Hopkins does a great job as usual, but I wish they would've touched him up a bit with make-up. He looks so much older than he did in the other two films that you can't help but notice it. Ed Norton was perfect for the casting of Will Graham, and exactly how I imagined him in the book. I liked how they got the original actors who played Barney and Dr. Chilton. Once they appeared on screen I couldn't help but grin like an idiot. Picture and audio quality for this fullscreen edition is about as good as you can get. They did an excellent job with the special effects. I won't ruin anything for you, but near the end of the movie is when everything goes hectic, and fire never looked so good. While Danny Elfman normally does a flawless job with the music score for movies, here it just doesn't have enough of his usual elements. I don't know if it was Ratner's wonderful wisdom that decided on this or not, but I was a little disappointed to find out that the movie had less music than Hannibal did.
The special features here are nice, though the Director's Edition holds all the best material. I accidentally picked this version up (even if I swear it said "Director's Edition" when I bought it) and it turned out to be ok. First is the commentary, which is a joke. Director Brett Ratner and writer Ted Tally sit down to tell us what we'd hope for inside/exclusive information, but it just ends up that Brett wildly masturbates to the "great job" he did on the movie. Seriously, about 2/3 of the commentary is him going on about how great his directing ability is. It's just sickening and I wish I hadn't even selected that special feature. There's also an isolated music feature where you can watch the movie without dialogue or sound effects. This has a few bits of commentary wit Danny Elfman here and there talking about each piece. The rest of the special features are mostly just there to add to the character of Hannibal. FBI files, criminal profiles, the life story, etc. It was interesting to find out about his sister, which is a big part of why he's the kind of person he is. The deleted scenes were deleted for a reason- they didn't add anything at all, and would've slowed down the pace of the movie. So there's no big loss here. And since I have an eMac, I wasn't able to access the dvd-rom features. But from what I've heard, they're small techincal things like a script you can read along while watching the movie.
Red Dragon's a good movie. It doesn't do anything new for the drama/thriller genre, but it doesn't fail either. Fans of the Hannibal series should check this out if only to get more information out of a timeless character. But do yourself a favor and pick up the Director's Edition, or wait until a box set with all 3 movies and more special features comes out. And if one is announced, I'll post so here to let you know.
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