Red Dragon (Widescreen Director's Edition) [2 Discs]

 

 

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Excellent movie. Anthony Hopkins is always great. Worth seeing.

Pierrette. (Mirabel, Qc. Canada)

(This movie was originally made as Manhunter)i liked "red dragon" a
lot.it was was well written and well directed.the acting was very
good,in particular harvey keitel, in a small role.the action scenes
were well done and the characters were sympathetic,so you felt their
pain and anguish.the dramatic scenes were done to great effect,not
simply filler,but actually serving a purpose.there was also plenty of
suspense,excellent in this case, since the movie take place before the
events in "the silence of the lambs"do. even though you know the
story,the director still manages to keep you on edge and keep you
interested in the story .i found the dialogue refreshing,not clichéd
and awkward, as is the case quite often.i bought "red dragon and have
watched it more than once, enjoying it each time.if this is your type
of genre,you will like this movie. 4/5

I've seen "Red Dragon" years ago but couldn't recollect it from my thoughts. Last night it reappear to me that it's a great film. This of course is a remake of "Manhunter (Full Screen Edition)," the first in the series of films centering on FBI profilers, serial killers, and the infamous Hannibal Lecter, who I suppose is the modern day equivalent of "Jack the Ripper." I haven't read the novel by Thomas Harris so I can't say which is the more authentic, but they're both very good films.

As in the original, "Red Dragon" centers around the character of Will Graham, a retired FBI profiler who is brought back to help find a serial killer (Ralph Fiennes), known as "The Tooth Fairy," preying on women with families. He kills once a month in sync with the lunar cycle, so Graham has time to investigate the two crime scenes and look for evidence that would indicate who the next target is. The beginning of the scene will capture your interest right away, because it sets up the relationship of Hopkins and Norton; it also gives Hopkins, without whom this film wouldn't exist, more screen-time.

Also as in the original, Hannibal Lecter is a supporting figure, not the main attraction, though Anthony Hopkins certainly chews up the scenery in a performance he's gotten quite good at. The relationship between Lecter and Graham never intrigued me as much and I'm not convinced that Norton was the best choice for the part of Graham. Somehow, Norton came across to me as too innocent and youthful for the kind of role he was playing. Towards the end he turns out to be a good performance. The movie doesn't play up his character as much as "Manhunter" did for William L. Petersen, but that's just a style difference in the directors. Weaknesses, though, were compensated for by a marvelous performance from Ralph Fiennes as the killer as Dolarhyde, and he's downright creepy. Michael Mann cast one of his favorites, Tom Noonan, as Dolarhyde in the original, and he played the part brilliantly. Though here, the killer is developed more and you see why he became such a twisted figure. Think Norman Bates on steroids. And that tattoo is down right gorgeous. Emily Watson did a good job as Reba and there's really not much I can say about her.

When Michael Mann made "Manhunter" in 1986, he was at the peak of his success with "Miami Vice" and the movie reflected that genre, with hip characters and rock & roll music on the soundtrack. Who could forget the ending when Will Graham crashes through the window while "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is blasting away. Here, Brett Ratner (the "Rush Hour" films) directs "Red Dragon" as a more traditional suspense film without the flashiness of Mann's creation. Different creations of the same story, but both very good in their own way.

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2.0 out of 5 stars So, You like the Good Doctor?
Then, Red Dragon is Ok, worth seeing. But, DO NOT MISS "MANHUNTER"!
Aside from some 80's stylings, most notably the closing music over the credits, while still... Read more

Published on July 3 2004 by Peter Wojciechowski

4.0 out of 5 stars "Manhunter", updated for the 2000s
Red Dragon, third in the line of "Hannibal Lector" series featuring Anthony Hopkins, is preceded by the 1986 Michael Mann film, Manhunter. Read more

Published on Jun 26 2004 by Keen Anthony

2.0 out of 5 stars Ok, but no Manhunter....
Red Dragon was a decent movie by itself, though it relied on the prestige of SOTL too much. It starts off adding an extra scene to include Anthony Hopkins, and continues this... Read more

Published on Jun 25 2004

2.0 out of 5 stars "Dutiful" is the best compliment I can give...
Red Dragon, the film, is more an annoying example of Hollywood's mewling efforts to create continuity by simply milking a concept for all it's worth, than a quality adaptation of... Read more

Published on Jun 23 2004 by Jebus

4.0 out of 5 stars Red Dragon
Red Dragon is a wonderful prequel.From what I've heard it is a breath of fresh air from the 2001's Hannibal which trashed the series. Read more

Published on Jun 21 2004 by mac301

3.0 out of 5 stars Do Fries Go With That Blake?
...this is a moderately entertaining upgrade of the Michael Mann cinema Manhunter with THE Hannibal Lector, Anthony Hopkins, pre-queling his role. Read more

Published on May 28 2004 by yygsgsdrassil

3.0 out of 5 stars Stellar Cast, Great Production...but we've seen this movie
Loved SILENCE OF THE LAMB and was disappointed with HANNIBAL. And I remember and enjoyed MANHUNTER back in the 80's. Read more

Published on May 9 2004 by The JuRK

5.0 out of 5 stars Vain is the belief that criminals are insane
Hannibal the Cannibal is back with a vengeance, though in fact it is his first episode. This thriller is marvellously well done. Read more

Published on May 1 2004 by Jacques COULARDEAU

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Movie!
Why am i seeing so many people criticise this movie? Who cares if it isnt a great adaption from the novel, or whatever it is some of you are saying. Read more

Published on April 16 2004 by Adam Coughlan

1.0 out of 5 stars Want to see the REAL Red Dragon adaption? See Manhunter.
What do I consider to be the absolute movie ever made? Well, it'd have to be a movie that is not interesting in any way, that features poor acting, and no style. Read more

Published on Feb 29 2004

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