“If I told you, you wouldn’t even try it,” replies Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the film’s opening when asked what is in the meat they are eating at a dinner party after a night at the symphony. Anthony Hopkins returns as Lecter in the third (although chronologically first) installment of the wonderful (well, mostly wonderful) saga based on Thomas Harris’ novels. This prequel to Silence of the Lambs centers on FBI Agent Will Graham (Norton), who after suffering nearly fatal wounds from bringing Lecter to justice, is brought out of retirement to help catch a new deadly serial killer. Known as the “Tooth Fairy” because he leaves bite marks in his victims, this new killer slays entire families and leaves shards of mirror glass in their eyes.
The killer, Francis Dolarhyde, (Fiennes) believes he is the “Red Dragon” a mythical figure from a 200 hundred year old painting and has found a new victim in the form of a blind co-worker named Reba McClane (Watson). A lack of clues forces Graham to turn to Dr. Lecter for help. Naturally, its “quid pro quo” and Graham must get on Lecter’s level to decipher his clues.
This film really works because it takes everything that worked in Silence and duplicated it. The best moments of the film come from the exchanges between Norton and Hopkins, who is as deliciously charming and charismatic as he was 11 years prior when he brought home the Oscar for his first portrayal of Lecter in Silence.
Also worth noting is Watson’s superb performance as the blind Reba, who even after finding out that there is something very disturbing about Francis, still wants to believe that there is still some good in him deep inside.
The plot moves with startling intensity, slowing down from physical horror only long enough to let us get into the psychological horrors of both the Red Dragon and Dr. Lecter’s minds. Director Brett Ratner takes a break from buddy-cop action and family drama (in Rush Hour 1&2 and Family Man, respectively) to do something completely different than he has done before. Instead of taking after Ridley Scott’s high action, gross-out approach in Hannibal, he follows in Silence director Jonathan Demme’s footsteps and delivers a movie that is stylish, scary, and well-crafted.
While squeamish viewers and minors should avoid this film, Red Dragon is a must-see.
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Emily Watson, and more
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Budget / Gross: $90 mil / $107 mil
IMDB Score: 7.2/10
Tomoatometer: 68% critics and 74% audiences liked it
No comments:
Post a Comment