I went into this ready to be disappointed. I'd watched Hannibal and felt cheated. I know how amazing Hopkins is, and I know how easily he slips into character as Lechter, chewing up the screen. But would it work this time? Could he carry this film and make it better than Hannibal? What I should have been asking myself was, "Would he need to?" The answer to that question is no. Red Dragon is so well done, it doesn't rely on Hopkins' skill as Lechter to be a great film.
For those who don't know, Red Dragon is based on the first book in Thomas Harris' series dealing with the evil Dr. Lechter. It was already made into a quality film, Manhunter. But don't waste time comparing the two. They are separate animals all together. They are different takes on the same idea. Leave it at that, and you can easily enjoy both films. Red Dragon opens with the capture of Lechter. Then we quickly move into the main aspect of the film, another serial killer deemed The Tooth Fairy by the tabloid press. The Tooth Fairy is played BRILLIANTLY by Raph Fiennes. For me, the real joy of this film was watching Edward Norton at work as FBI Agent Will Graham. As usual, Norton brings a quiet, subtle touch to his role. So much of his acting work takes place below the surface. He has the innate ability to make you believe in whatever character he is playing, and his role in this is no exception. He's one of the best actors working today, and he proves it once again in Red Dragon.
As with Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon is a tight thriller that triumphs at building suspense. Director Brett Ratner does an excellent job of capturing the same feeling set forth by Slience of the Lambs, but his greatest accomplishment is the fact that he does not just mimic that feeling, he builds on it.
For my money, he doesn't get much better than being able to watch 3 amazing actors dives into their characters and really work them from the inside out. Add a great story, a tight script, and a wonderfully creepy score, and you've got a winner.
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