Red Dragon
Red Dragon

Red Dragon

2002Movie124 minEnglish

Former FBI Agent Will Graham, who was once almost killed by the savage Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter, now has no choice but to face him again, as it seems Lecter is the only one who can help Graham track down a new serial killer.

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IMDb6.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes69%
Metacritic61/100
Google Users79%
Director: Brett RatnerGenres: Crime, Thriller, Mystery, Horror

Plot Summary

Disgraced FBI agent Will Graham, who is brilliant but haunted by his past, is coaxed out of early retirement to track down a terrifying serial killer known as 'The Tooth Fairy'. Operating on gut instinct and psychological profiling, Graham finds himself drawn into the mind of the killer, and unsettlingly, into the manipulative gaze of Hannibal Lecter, the incarcerated cannibalistic psychiatrist he once helped capture.

Critical Reception

Red Dragon received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising the performances of the cast, particularly Anthony Hopkins' return as Hannibal Lecter and Ralph Fiennes' chilling portrayal of Francis Dolarhyde. While some critics found it to be a solid but somewhat redundant prequel to 'The Silence of the Lambs' and 'Hannibal', it was generally considered a well-crafted thriller that successfully balanced suspense with psychological depth.

What Reviewers Say

  • A tense and well-acted thriller that successfully builds suspense.
  • Anthony Hopkins delivers another iconic performance as Hannibal Lecter.
  • While not groundbreaking, it serves as a competent and engaging prequel.

Google audience: Audience reviews highlight the film's effective suspense, strong performances from the lead actors, and its ability to stand as a worthy addition to the Hannibal Lecter saga. Some viewers noted that it felt familiar given previous entries, but generally found it to be a thrilling and satisfying watch.

Fun Fact

This film is actually the second adaptation of Thomas Harris's novel 'Red Dragon'. The first was 1986's 'Manhunter', directed by Michael Mann, which also featured Hannibal Lecter (then played by Brian Cox) but was not as commercially successful.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

3 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Retired FBI man "Will Graham" (Ed Norton) finds himself back working with "Hannibal Lecter" (Sir Anthony Hopkins) at whose hands, years earlier, he only narrowly escaped death - this time on the hunt for the elusive "Tooth Fairy" (Ralph Fie...
Gimly

Gimly

This might seriously be the only good thing Brett Ratner has ever done. I don't even mean movies he's made, just like, thing he's done. Ever. In his life. Doesn't live up to the book, or to _Silence of the Lambs_ (though that second part to...
John Chard

John Chard

I am not a man. I began as one, but now I am becoming more than a man, as you will witness. Red Dragon is based on the novel of the same name written by Thomas Harris and is directed by Brett Ratner and written by Ted Tally. It stars Ed...