Rating: 
Summary: Hopkins Does It Again
Review: RED DRAGON is one of the best movies if its year, and provides a wonderful capper for the Lecter trilogy. I know that there are a great many fans of MANHUNTER who still feel that it is a better movie, but I am definitely not one of them. Brian Cox is a wonderful actor, but he never captured the true malevolence of Lecter, only his remarkable stillness. Anthony Hopkins is simply (in the words of the NY Times) "the best [screen] actor working in [film] today." Even though Lecter is a minor character in the the original novel, you remember him long after putting the book down. Anthony Hopkins does the same thing for Lecter in the movies. If it hadn't been for the inevitable comparisons between the two films, Brian Cox would hardly be remembered at all for his portrayal of Lecter. Although Tom Noonan is especially creepy as the villain of MANHUNTER, Ralph Fiennes equals, if not exceeds, his creepiness, and Ed Norton brings everything you would expect from an actor of his calibur. This movie is simply a MUST SEE, and I can't wait until the DVD arrives.
Rating:
Summary: edward norton is sexxxy
Review: this movie kicked soooo much ...!! i was on the edge of my seat tho whole time. besides that, edward norton is the sexxiest man alive. i think this is by far the best movie dealing with hannibal lector & it is one of my favorite movies!!
Rating:
Summary: DELICIOUS...ALMOST AS TASTY AS "LAMBS"
Review: Like many other reviewers, I went into this movie expecting the worst, but was absolutely blown away. Very nearly as good as the original ("Silence of the Lambs") and better than
"Hannibal" (though I think that one gets slagged way too much).
Great beginning, taut storytelling, Anthony Hopkins...what more do you need?
Rating:
Summary: Almost as good as "Lambs"
Review: Red Dragon completes the Hannibal Lecter trilogy with new scenes never before included in the novel that expand the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter and give us the story of his capture by FBI Investigator Will Graham (Edward Norton).Jack Crawford convinces the now retired Will Graham to help track down a killer known as The Tooth Fairy, a man who brutally kills entire families. But Graham needs help, he must recover the mindset of a serial killer, he must visit his arch-enemy, the cunning Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). Graham quickly discovers that the evil doctor may be contained, but he can't be controlled and it just might cost Graham and his family their lives. This is probably the second-best of this thrilling trilogy. I recommend this to anyone who liked "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal".
Rating: 
Summary: Not too keen on this one
Review: Perhaps it was me comparing this movie with it's earlier version, 'Manhunter', but I just didn't buy the acting. Edward Norton is a fantastic actor, but after seeing William Petersen in the role of Will Graham, Ed just didn't make me believe it. 'Red Dragon' does follow the book closer, but rarely will you find a movie that does justice to the print that inspires it. I believe 'Silence' to be a better film and 'Hannibal' just plain sucked. If you're a Hopkins fan as I am, 'Hannibal' probably left you with a bad taste in your mouth; however, this one does go a long way in redeeming the Hannibal character. PS. Tom Noonan IS the Tooth Fairy! Sorry Ralph.
Rating:
Summary: INCREDIBLE!!!!! Lives up to the novel all the way.
Review: I went to see this movie the day it came out in the theater and loved it as much as I loved the book (which I gave 5 stars also). This is the Prequel to the movie "The Silence of the Lambs", and lives up to it all the way. But the only think I think they couldnt do was make Anthony Hopkins look as young as he did in "TSOTL". But its ok, he still does a great job. As always, they change the movie a little bit to make viewers happy, but nothing major that effected my view of the film. Edward Norton was not exactly my idea of Will Graham, but he played the part great, adn now i can only picture him as Graham. One thing I found very cool about this flick was that they even made an exact recreation of Lecters cell from "TSOTL", and use some of the same actors from the movie also. All of this adds up to make a great movie that you should not miss. All and all, this book and movie was excellent and a must watch for any fan of mystery thrillers.
Rating:
Summary: Good on its Own, But No Surprise with This Cast
Review: Don't ever try to compare "Red Dragon" with "The Silence of the Lambs." The "prequel" of the story of Hannibal Lector, which is once made by director Michael "Heat" Mann as "Manhunter" before, is just an OK thriller. You get scared, certainly, but not by the undercurrent phychological power of "Lambs," but by sudden big noise and loud, pounding music by Danny Elfman. The story is virtually same as that of "Manhunter" except that you see Dr. Lector as a civilian in Boltimore, listening to classic music among other law-abiding people (a rare scene, indeed), and that the relation between Dolarhyde and Reba has been explored more. A retired FBI agent Will Graham agrees to go back in work to investigate the two related bloody murders of families, and to have an aid he meets again Master of Evil, Hannibal Lector, now in maximum-security custody in institution, as you saw in "Lams." But with Lector's cunning trick Graham and his family are exposed to the danger of the still unknown serial killer, who is sure to commit another murder within days. The speed is fast enough to forget the plot holes, and the thrills are provided a lot, thanks to Ted Tally's good script. The new cast is also effective with Edward Norton as Graham and of course Anthony Hopkins as Lector. Norton, unlike his predecessor William Pertersen in "Manhunter", doesn't yell at TV set to "think like the killer," which is a good thing. Philip Seymore Hoffman is also good as a gossip-hungry journalist while my favorite, impressive Harvey Keitel replaces Dennis Farrina role as an FBI partner. But I found two defects in "Red Dragon"; one of them is that there is no sizzling interaction between Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins across the cell wall. The same set was recreated for this film, I heard, but there is no tension during their dialogues (which I found almost the same as those in "Manhunter.") It is curious because they must have decided to remake this one to capitalize on the popularity of Hopkins' Lector, and as if to show that to us, they give more chances for Graham to meet Lector (in "Manhunter" they meet only once face to face). The reason for the lower tension might be attributed to Hopkins's less interest, but my feeling is that it should be owing to director's skill. The other flaw is less convincing relation between the characters by Emily Watson and Ralph Fiennes. It is certain that their roles are given more time, but I frankly say that I find that part boring. I simply couldn't help thinking that they overact a bit, especially Fiennes with body tattoos and exaggerated gestures, which are bordering on caricature. As for this sub-plot, Tom Noonan and Joan Allen did a better job. "Red Dragon" succeeds as fast-paced thriller, but without depth. Brett Ratner is famous for two "Rush Hour" films, which are certainly hits, but no definite Jackie Chan film. If you need a definite Lector, you must watch "Lambs" again.
Rating: 
Summary: Second-best of the trilogy
Review: While I did enjoy this film, I think I do have to agree with a couple of other reviewers who said Edward Norton was miscast. I think he's an excellent actor, but he didn't quite fit the role of Will Graham. I don't understand why critics insist on calling this a "Hannibal Lecter" film. The movie does include some scenes with Lecter, but overall this movie (as well as the book) is more about Will Graham and Francis Dollarhyde/the Tooth Fairy. Ralph Fiennes does a superb job as the creepy Tooth Fairy, a killer with serious issues involving his grandmother and his facial "deformity." I was glad to see the movie bringing these issues, as they were not included in the previous screen version "Manhunter." These details make the character more believable, in my opinion. Overall, this is an above-average film, and is enough to satisfy fans of "Silence of the Lambs."
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant nail-biting suspense
Review: I must say, "What a major improvement over Silence of the Lambs." As someone who feels "Lambs" is one of the most overhyped and painfully overrated films of all time, and Hannibal is just plain terrible, I am glad to admit that I absolutely LOVED Brett Rhatner's film adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel, "Red Dragon, a true edge-of-the-seat psychological thriller. This is a smartly crafted and well-paced thriller with brilliantly powerful peformances by the superb all-star cast. There is never a dull moment--this one is fueled by adrenaline from the engrossing start to the pulse-pounding finale. Anthony Hopkins, being one of the only redeeming qualities in "Lambs," is in top form here, giving yet another chilling performance. Edward Norton is wonderful as William Graham, who, wounded by Lecter years before, has been asked to request his help in finding a deadly killer called "The Tooth Fairy," a bone-chilling performance by Ralph Fiennes. The supporting cast has Phillip Seymour Hoffman in another great performance as a greedy tabloid reporter, the beautiful Emily Watson as "The Tooth Fairy"'s love interest, and Mary Louise Parker as Graham's wife. This is a change in form for comedy director Brett Rhatner (Rush Hour) and he does a wonderful job with the material. I was pleasantly surprised by Red Dragon and strongly recommend it for anyone looking for a thriller that actually thrills. This is a wonderful film!!!
Rating:
Summary: What we've been waiting for
Review: Red Dragon It cannot be denied that Silence of the Lambs fans were on the whole bitterly disappointed by Ridley Scott's Hannibal. It was perhaps a victim of its prequel's success; what could possibly live up to the film that brought about the larger than life character that is Hannibal Lecter? Director Brett Ratner brings us a prequel to The Silence Of The Lambs by the name of Red Dragon, another Thomas Harris novel adaptation, the question is though, will it bring more disappointment? The film does not take long to get going and before long you are engrossed in what remains a compelling story throughout. We are introduced to a Lecter that is still on the loose, one that is about to be apprehended. He appears somewhat younger, perhaps due to a pony tail that one cannot help but be thankful for not appearing any longer than the first 5 minutes of the film. His character still has that sophisticated and intriguing nature that one feels compelled to like, despite him frequently showing what he is capable of. After the first few minutes of this film any worries of a Hannibal repeat are dispelled, as it is clear that the toned down version of Lecter has been abandoned. Clarice Starling's replacement comes in the form of Will Graham (the formidable Edward Norton) whom we are introduced to following a Lecter hosted dinner party. Graham appears to be much overworked, unshaven and generally dishevelled. He informs Hannibal that he is very close to finding their killer, not realising that Hannibal, whom he has been coming to for advice on the case is in fact the killer himself. Both Graham and Hannibal are nearly killed in the fight that follows but neither of them die; Hannibal goes to prison and Graham moves to a seaside retreat following a huge press scandal. Before long, America's latest serial killer is on the loose and a pair of equally gruesome murders occur, with connecting themes. The FBI is at a loose end and FBI Director Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel) is forced to ask Graham to come back into the fray and help them, in particular by obtaining a psychological profile from Lecter. Despite having both physical and mental wounds created by Lecter the reluctant Graham agrees and we follow his nerve-wracking search for the killer (Ralph Fiennes). This is a big film for Ratner, whose previous works include Rush Hour, Rush Hour 2 & Family Man, none of which have brought much to what might now turn into a very respectable career. Ratner proves himself a master of a number of cinematic devices, most noticeably the ability to create tension which will have many people jumping in their seats. Furthermore he has managed to include what lacked so much in Hannibal, the air of sinister doom which represents so much of what Silence Of the Lambs was about. There is a fine cast in this picture that in total have received no less than 11 Oscar nominations and countless numbers of other cinematic accolades. They all give fine performances, in particular Ralph Fiennes who gives a very interesting portrayal of our serial killer who appears quite disturbed having received years upon years of abuse. Edward Norton also deserves praise for his performance as our reluctant hero who manages to add a human touch to a character that could be quite impersonal.
This film is definitely worth watching, especially if you have seen Silence Of The Lambs fans of which could not ask for a better attempt at a prequel (Ratner even uses the original jail cell, recreated with incredible attention to detail). It has many nice touches that please the audience and, even if the Hannibal series is of no interest to you, this is still a great film that will hold your attention for a couple of hours. There is nothing too deep about it, probably because Ratner was no doubt worried about deviating from simply keeping the film as more of the same.
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