Red Dragon

So this movie was on TV last week, but I didn't feel like staying up as late as it was on. Luckily I own the movie and actually went and found it and watched it the other day. I've seen this movie a couple times before, but not recently, so it was kind of like new again.
When this movie came out in 2002 it was like they released it for me or something. You know when things happen and it's just too much of a coincidence to just be a coincidence? This movie coming out was one of those moments for me. I was in grade 12 and was reading all of Thomas Harris' books (who wrote The Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon, etc.) It started with The Silence of the Lambs because that was the one I was most familiar with (I didn't know about Red Dragon until later). While I was reading Red Dragon I discovered the movie adaptation was coming out a few weeks later, and not only that, but Edward Norton (who I was in love with at the time) was playing the main character. What are the chances, right?!

Anyways, on this viewing I kind of realized how this blog is ruining movies for me. That might be a little extreme, but I am watching movies more critically now and I am noticing cheesey and overly dramatic moments more easily. This movie did fall victim to some scary movie staples such as turning the lights on and there is blood all over the place and the violins are just screaming to make things scarier. But aside from those few moments that made me snicker, the movie is really low in the "don't do that" moments, like when the character runs the wrong way or goes into the scary building at night etc. This is a really smart movie, as all of the Lector movies are ("Hannibal" less so but I won't go there) The characters are interesting and complex and it's more of an in your head scary than a jumping out at you scary.

The cast in the movie is just perfect. Anthony Hopkins is at the top of his game and a scene at the beginning between him and Edward Norton is really well done. The chemistry between Graham (Norton) and Lector is not as interesting and dynamic as with Jodi Foster, but definitely satisfying. Solid and believable performances by Emily Watson and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Harvey Keitel fills the necessary role of Crawford. But it is Ralph Fiennes that steals the show. He is scary and confusing and you even pity him at some points. Fiennes is so fascinating, even in the rom-com "Maid in Manhatten" there is just something about him, plus he has some mad acting chops, he's just amazing in Schindler's List. (I would talk about how amazing he was in The English Patient, but I haven't seen it - don't judge me)

Red Dragon brings the Lector franchise back to The Silence of the Lambs form after a dissapointing Hannibal. A good scary movie to watch during one of the many rainy evenings we've been having.

Sidenote: This story was already told in movie form, 1986's "Manhunter", I actually have this movie, but just haven't watched the whole thing, I vote for watching Red Dragon. Also, Ebert wrote a nice review on Red Dragon, read it here: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20021004/REVIEWS/210040302/1023