If this was the story of how it all began (the Thomas Harris Hannibal Lecter books), then what was all the prequel storyline from Hannibal? In fact, all that stuff with the ripping off of the patient’s face doesn’t even mesh with the doctor Lecter. In Red Dragon (based on the book of the same name), Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins, Bad Company) primarily spends all of his time in prison. We only know of one person he served for dinner, oh excuse me only one person he served as dinner, the rest were just referenced to. The doctor’s arrest, trial and imprisonment were a mere blur leading to the real murdering spree in this film. Just like in The Silence of the Lambs, the story’s focus was on another murderer, not Hannibal. If we are going to dance around the doctor’s murdering/cannibalizing spree, then we should spend less time getting only a taste of what the man is capable of. Okay now that I am done ranting about story flow, I have one more issue with this film. The tooth fairy is a cold-blooded calculating killer. He should never have broke character to make for a more pleasant story. He planned on killing this person, he would never have held this person hostage until someone else showed up to see him kill, or more to the point, stop him. He always strikes before anyone has a chance to realize what is happening, so breaking character for this scene took away from the film. There, now I feel better.

Red Dragon begins with Hannibal trying to enjoy the symphony, but the flutist (Tim Wheater) is just atrocious. Cut to a fancy dinner party hosted by Hannibal as they discuss the disappearing of the flutist and his abominable playing. The board members praise Hannibal’s soirée’s as the highlight of the symphony season and inquire about the delectable dinner. Response, “ I am afraid if I told you what it is, you might not eat it.” Ya think? Later that evening FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton, Death to Smoochy) pounds on the doctor’s door. He had an epiphany on the case they are collaborating on, and while discussing it he states his disbelief that Lecter did not come up with this theory first. Lecter excuses himself for a moment and Graham scans the bookcase (first I find if hard to believe he never perused the books on those shelves before this moment, but I digress). Graham discovers a book that clearing implicates Lecter as the serial murderer he was seeking. Hannibal stabs Graham, Graham gets in a stab or two then fires a shot, Lecter is imprisoned and Graham survives, but retires from the force.  Cut to a few years later and Agent Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel, Little Nicky) shows up on Graham’s dock in Florida asking him to help with the Tooth Fairy murders. The reason Graham is so valuable is he has a unique way of looking at the cases, he gets inside the mind of the murderer, which enables him to catch the calculating Lecter (only the way they showed it he looks like he just got lucky) so despite his wife’s (Mary-Louise Parker) plea not to, he goes anyway. Once reviewing the most recent crime scene he discovers many clues that the other agents by-passed. This is when they ask him to consult with Lecter again. So the story begins.

All of the action is not shown. In fact they want to scare you more with music, and innuendo to a crime. Or they show the bloody mess after the fact to give you the chilling scene. This movie is well acted. In fact, I doubt they could have done a better job with the acting in Red Dragon. Except for the few flaws I vented about, this movie was beautifully done. Director Brett Ratner keeps the action flowing and the clues coming. Also appearing in this film were Ralph Fiennes as Francis Dolarhyde (The End of the Affair), Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Freddy Lounds, Tattler reporter (Almost Famous), Emily Watson (Gosford Park), and Anthony Heald (Proof of Life). I just wish they would stop trying to make the movie about Lecter, and just present it as it is, another serial murderer, and in this case the Red Dragon AKA Tooth Fairy. Lecter might be the most interesting character, but it is not him they seek. After all he is behind bars in this film as well as in The Silence of the Lambs. Oh yeah another issue, the very end of this film, Graham leaves Lecter’s cell and in seconds they announce another FBI agent seeking to speak with him, yes Clarice. This was too cheesy for this movie. Well I did enjoy this movie so I am giving it 10 couches. Yes you can score perfect even with a few flaws.

Last updated: Thursday, March 20, 2008 02:48:38 AM

Click Here to get back into frames.