The Silence of the Lambs introduced to us among the most complicated characters of all times - Dr. Hannibal Lecter, brilliantly played by Anthony Hopkins. The portrayal was so strong that one would have felt that there was a need to remake the Manhunter and so it was done - The Red Dragon is worthy remake this time with Anthony Hopkins in another brilliant portrayal as Dr. Lecter. But this movie is different from Silence of the Lambs in many ways. I would not prefer making the comparison and lowering credit for this movie because it is different from the Silence of the Lambs.
Let us have a small comparison to begin with. The Silence of the Lambs is more about Agent Starling and her interaction with Dr. Lecter rather than about the man they are trying to catch. Dr. Lecter's interest in the FBI trainee and Starling's apprehension of dealing with a man of Hannibal's reputation is the central theme of the Silence of the Lambs. We are not keen on exploring the past evolution of the Buffalo Bill character. He only defines the purpose that brings the two central characters together. On the other hand, the Red Dragon is more about the guy they are trying to catch and also the intense feelings the two lead characters have for each other. Hannibal was scary in the first movie and a great part of the scariness came because Starling was scared of him as well. But here you have Will Graham who is not completely scared of him though discomforted by his presence. Will Graham is more bold and straight in his approach making Hannibal's presence less effective but that is how it ought to be because somebody who has faced the worst with Hannibal already cannot be expected to fear him as much as an FBI trainee with a troubled past. Moreover, Will Graham also has a similar gift like Lecter which allows him to explore minds other than his own. So, honestly, the fear and tension of Silence of the Lambs will not be found here. But I feel that this toe-to-toe standing up of Lecter and Graham to each other is the treat of this movie.
The character who is being chased is a complex character indeed. He has emotions but is disturbed enough to commit brutal crimes to bring about what he believes to be the most important transformation in his life. He is not an average serial killer who is killing out of sadistic motives. He has a complex motive and the very attempt to step inside his shoes and imagine what he is thinking is a thrill. Ralph Fiennes fits the role of Francis Dolyerhyde beautifully. His love interest Reba again wonderfully played by Emily Watson plays a very important few minutes on screen as well. Overall, he proves himself to be a complex and a scary villain in his own right.
The direction of the movie is very decent. A changed director can easily lead to a steep fall of the effectiveness of the franchise. But Brett Ratner does a wonderful job. The way the first scene has been shot is simply brilliant. The camera shows a crowd and there is something about the way it has been done but your eyes cannot but catch hold of Lecter sitting in the middle and his expressions are so rich.
Overall, I loved the movie and I think that down rating it because it does not have the element of fear that Silence of the Lambs had is not fair. I cannot think of a better way of doing this movie. I simply love it when Hannibal finds a near equal in Will Graham and deep down inside knows that he are Will are matched rivals.
A splendid movie indeed! My personal all time favorite.
Let us have a small comparison to begin with. The Silence of the Lambs is more about Agent Starling and her interaction with Dr. Lecter rather than about the man they are trying to catch. Dr. Lecter's interest in the FBI trainee and Starling's apprehension of dealing with a man of Hannibal's reputation is the central theme of the Silence of the Lambs. We are not keen on exploring the past evolution of the Buffalo Bill character. He only defines the purpose that brings the two central characters together. On the other hand, the Red Dragon is more about the guy they are trying to catch and also the intense feelings the two lead characters have for each other. Hannibal was scary in the first movie and a great part of the scariness came because Starling was scared of him as well. But here you have Will Graham who is not completely scared of him though discomforted by his presence. Will Graham is more bold and straight in his approach making Hannibal's presence less effective but that is how it ought to be because somebody who has faced the worst with Hannibal already cannot be expected to fear him as much as an FBI trainee with a troubled past. Moreover, Will Graham also has a similar gift like Lecter which allows him to explore minds other than his own. So, honestly, the fear and tension of Silence of the Lambs will not be found here. But I feel that this toe-to-toe standing up of Lecter and Graham to each other is the treat of this movie.
The character who is being chased is a complex character indeed. He has emotions but is disturbed enough to commit brutal crimes to bring about what he believes to be the most important transformation in his life. He is not an average serial killer who is killing out of sadistic motives. He has a complex motive and the very attempt to step inside his shoes and imagine what he is thinking is a thrill. Ralph Fiennes fits the role of Francis Dolyerhyde beautifully. His love interest Reba again wonderfully played by Emily Watson plays a very important few minutes on screen as well. Overall, he proves himself to be a complex and a scary villain in his own right.
The direction of the movie is very decent. A changed director can easily lead to a steep fall of the effectiveness of the franchise. But Brett Ratner does a wonderful job. The way the first scene has been shot is simply brilliant. The camera shows a crowd and there is something about the way it has been done but your eyes cannot but catch hold of Lecter sitting in the middle and his expressions are so rich.
Overall, I loved the movie and I think that down rating it because it does not have the element of fear that Silence of the Lambs had is not fair. I cannot think of a better way of doing this movie. I simply love it when Hannibal finds a near equal in Will Graham and deep down inside knows that he are Will are matched rivals.
A splendid movie indeed! My personal all time favorite.