Review: Red Dragon

By Jack October 2, 2002 10:48 AM

Release Date: October 4th, 2002 (Friday)
Directed By: Brett Ratner
Written By: Thomas Harris (novel), Ted Tally (screenplay)
Photography: Dante Spinotti
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Anthony Heald

Hannibal Lector is with little doubt a favorite movie serial killer (I say "movie serial killer" because the 20 serial killers I saw on the TV had mullets and seemed to lack the suave and intelligence that Hannibal has) among moviegoers today and with the success of Ridley Scott's Hannibal, studios couldn't avoid making the Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal prequel.

Trivia: Michael Mann directed a variation of this film in 1986 called Manhunter originally to be titled "Red Dragon" after the novel, but when Year of the Dragon flopped, producer Dino de Laurentiis decided to avoid a "dragon" title. While terribly outdated it's still a great film check it out.

As a fan of the Thomas Harris novels and their film adaptations I expected a lot from this film and been eagerly awaiting its release. Then I heard Brett Ratner was directing... Brett Ratner the director of Money Talks, the Rush Hour films and a Mariah Carey music video! Now I'm not saying he's not a good director but really, could he pull off a suspense thriller? Believe it or not, he did!

Of course, he got help from some of the most important crew members of Silence Of The Lambs; Screenwriter Ted Tally does another adequate adaptation of the great novel by Thomas Harris (which, by the way is not easily transferred to script without losing many a psychological twists which can only be written and experienced in a book) and a score by none other than Danny Elfman.

But the most outstanding work in this film would be that of cinematographer Dante Spinotti. Spinotti, who also shot Manhunter returned for another splendid visual adaptation of the book and almost makes you forget his already superior work from the 80's.

Additionally, the star-studded cast contained some of Hollywood's most distinguished actors, Sir Anthony Hopkins again as Lecter (Trivia: Jude Law was considered for the role of a younger Hannibal Lecter), Edward Norton (who's work was somewhat disappointing) playing FBI agent Graham and finally a mildly disturbing preformance by Ralph Fiennes as "The Tooth Fairy". ?All this on top of an exceptional cast of supporting actors including Harvey Keitel, particularly from the always fabulous Philip Seymour Hoffman as a seedy, tabloid journalist and the remarkable Emily Watson as an angelic, blind woman.. that's just to name a few.

The main fault in the movie, in my opinion, lies in the somewhat weak script. It was strong enough to hold up most of the movie, but it fell short in developing the serial killer's character. Unlike the shocking twist at the end of the Silence of the Lambs, the ending was somewhat predictable and similar to the way every other serial killer thriller ends.

Conclusion: Brett Ratner (keep your eye on this guy, his next job is the new Superman film) ?with the help of cinematographer Dante Spinotti has succeeded in the retelling of Harris' novel. See this film. 7.6/10

| comments: 7

Reader Discussions:

Post YOUR opinion too!

Patrick Ewing   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on October 2, 2002 1:10 PM

Would have loved the movie.

Manhunter   reply

Posted by wonko (ryan@wonko.com) on October 2, 2002 3:40 PM

I really didn't like Manhunter. It was tediously slow, badly-edited, badly-acted, and despite what Jack says I didn't find the cinematography terribly good. The movie was okay, but by no means excellent or even good. Also, if any of you were unfortunate enough to buy the two-disc special edition DVD set, I'm sure you shared my pain at discovering that the "special director's cut" looked like someone pointed a camcorder at a screen on which a badly-damaged video of the movie was being projected. That was the crappiest DVD transfer I've ever seen.

In any case, I'm really looking forward to seeing Red Dragon. I like Brett Ratner; he does good work.

okay...   reply

Posted by Yakobusan (spam@mysan.de) on October 3, 2002 4:54 PM

hey, nice review Jack. but one thing: is this movie different from the style of sotl and hannibal? cause i didn?t like those 2 ;)

RE: okay...   reply

Posted by The Original Shemp (Daddy-O@shempsrule.com) on October 4, 2002 7:26 PM

I went to the premire this week and I thought it was on par with SOTL, and far superior to Hannibal. Definitely had the SOTL feel to it...well worth the money to go and see it now before you hear too much about it.

I will agree it was somewhat predictible but being a prequel and remake of a bestselling novel, I'm not sure how it couldn't be a bit predictable.

I think Jack's review was a bit harsh...I'd give it an 8.5.

RE: okay...   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on October 6, 2002 5:45 PM

Are you guys rating movies...or earthquakes?

RE: Manhunter   reply

Posted by The Director (aaron_brown_96@yahoo.com) on October 10, 2002 12:30 PM

You have got to admite the scene from Man Hunter when the detective comes running through the plate glass and gets body slammend effertlessly into the refrigirater was awsome

YEs earth quakes quite right   reply

Posted by The Director (aaron_brown_96@yahoo.com) on October 10, 2002 12:34 PM

I give that comment an 8.5