Long before the events that occurred in  Silence of the Lambs, FBI agent Will Graham unveils a heinous assault on humanity directed by the prestigious psychiatrist Hannibal Lector . . . and barely escapes to tell the tale. Now, years later, plagued by a creative imagination that can expertly unfurl and understand the goriest incident, the most blood drenched crime, Graham is recalled to solve a befalling series of brutal murders. But, as the mutilated corpses of innocent victims begin to pile up and the murderer continues to rapidly hone his craft, Graham is forced to resort to his conniving consort, Hannibal Lector, the genius extraordinaire and consummate cannibal. The hunt is on and as Hannibal skillfully manipulates Graham’s mind, The Dragon is becoming . . . is evolving . . .is growing stronger. Bring out your dead.


Seductively sinister and masterfully macabre, Red Dragon proves a perfect production, combining mystery with horror, interweaving the ramblings of insane, yet brilliant minds with death and gore. The plot builds upon the best elements of the series, including numerous episodes and confrontations with the charismatically iniquitous Hannibal, yet continues to create an entirely unique plot that builds upon former plots but remains its own exclusive creation. The “Tooth Fairy” killer, aka The Red Dragon, is a phenomenal miscreant that combines humanity with monstrousness and insanity expertly, presenting a dynamic, well rounded, intellectual, yet suitably evil character that the viewer loves to hate. Like Hannibal, The Dragon proves himself an accomplished, sinister individual with a dark, corrupted, yet infinitely fascinating mind and, like Hannibal, The Dragon is evil to the core, presenting the viewer with an assailant to be feared. Fear the reaper and be sure to bring out your dead. . .

Interweaving the threads of serial killer horror into the realm of mystery and imagination, the two arch villains, Hannibal and The Dragon, are encompassed by a fast paced plot, fraught with shock value and emotional realization. The mystery behind the Dragon and his macabre murder methods, added to his fascination with a certain painting by William Blake, coalesce to create an unpredictable plot that holds the viewer, constantly revealing growing horrors and betrayals until the very end.

Of course, good villains (an oxymoronic statement indeed) and an encompassing plot alone are not enough to carry a production. And here is where the brilliant enactment and depiction of personalities and evil depths becomes paramount to the success of Red Dragon. Anthony Hopkins, as always, proves a consummate Hannibal, depicting the perfect measure of sinister fury, cold chilling depths, razor sharp intellect, and a need to feed. Never losing his touch, he slips into his roll and becomes what we fear, loath, and want to see most. Despite the Dragon’s importance to the plot, Hannibal still proves an everlasting star.

Ralph Fiennes, usually mild mannered and somewhat weak willed, was a surprisingly exquisite villain, playing the Red Dragon to rival even the ignoble Hannibal. Crazed, yet coldly calculating, evil, yet confused, blood thirsty, yet somehow still human, Fiennes covers the entire emotional circuit of evil and redemption, betrayal and becoming taking The Red Dragon and giving him a terrifying life, making him an arch villain to rival the ever famous Hannibal. As is his style, he makes much of facial expression, depicting a haunted loneliness and a resilient anger all in one stroke, breathing the fires of life into a Dragon’s lungs.

Poor Detective Graham (Edward Norton), one of the few good guys, just somehow looses his importance as the viewers become entranced by the villains and forget to root for the beleaguered police, the bastion of bumbling goodness. As in all Hannibal movies, the police desperately sort through the crime, discovering just before tragedy some important tidbit. Intelligent, yet just one step behind the masterminds of crime, they continually strive to outwit the deranged geniuses and, in the end . . . . well lets just say that the viewer will be satisfied although somewhat disappointed at the sudden shift from uniqueness to last minute predictability. Regardless, the conclusion is satisfying, and well wrapped up, including a slight bit of humor. Only the last few minutes were a predictable bow to former horror movie glory presenting an unrealistically resilient killer bent on vengeance tracking a protagonist who is making a very big mistake.

Continuing the vein of first-class production, the cinematography, which stands far above most average movies, makes the brutality of the crimes, the richness of the surroundings, and the subtle shifts in a character’s features or emotions pop, bringing the drama from the big screen into the microcosm of the viewer’s imagination. Likewise, the sound is rich, the actor’s growling low voices mellifluously flowing throughout.

 A consummate production encompassing all the realms of first-class entertainment, the Hannibal Series remains strong and forever fascinating creating a new villain and embroiling him in a scintillating plot filled with violence and the machinations of the mad. Combining the talent of several great actors, following a script that combines mystery and horror, Red Dragon is a winning performance that will keep the audience hooked until the very last scene. Highly recommended.

Countess_Eva

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age