RED DRAGON

(Same as Manhunter script / story outline, the earlier cinematic adaptation): a psychopath is on the loose, killing a family each full moon and the police and FBI are seemingly helpless. Enter Will Graham, the original agent who captured Doctor Hannibal Lecktor*, to look into the case and then hopefully catch the killer they've dubbed The Tooth Fairy. Anthony Hopkins brings back more of the Silence ...-style Lecter to this particular rendition [same subdued-but-on-the-edge-of-violence voice] and this helps make this movie better overall than Hannibal in many ways.

According to various press reports, Brian Cox (the actor playing Lecter in 1986's Manhunter) opined that a "remake will always be a remake" and Tom Noonan (who played Francis Dolarhyde / The Tooth Fairy in Manhunter) was disappointed with the end result, generally citing it as yet another example of Hollywood's chase for dollars over substance. Thomas Harris, however, was reportedly very pleased with the result and did consider it an improvement over the earlier attempt to bring the same story to the silver screen.

Probably one to see a couple of times before I'm comfortable with Ed Norton taking Lecter on. He seems like he should be just that slightly bit older to be truly convincing as Will Graham, as he doesn't quite look like he's been around the Bureau for long enough to be allowed to go and capture cunning fiends of Lecter's magnitude! Oh well, what's a few more times watching what is still, overall, a great movie? As I mentioned a bit earlier, it does complete the Hopkins-as-Lecter cycle nicely. I think that another definite bonus about this movie is that Ted Tally is back on screenplay duties. This means it avoids the more comic elements of Hannibal. As far as I'm concerned, that's a BIG relief and that alone might be a reason to see this movie :)