A brilliant detective for the FBI, Will Graham (Edward Norton), manages to discover and catch the elusive cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), at nearly the cost of his own life. Several years later, the FBI approaches Will about tracking down a new serial killer (Ralph Fiennes) who is butchering entire families. Will finds himself reluctantly returning to Dr. Lecter for aid in this latest case. But Dr. Lecter, a genius psychologist, enjoys testing the intellectual prowess of others. Will he help Will find the killer, or will he lead Will directly into the killer's open hands?
The Hannibal Lecter quadrilogy is my all-time favorite book series, and Red Dragon, being the first of the series, introduces the infamous cannibal to the world. However, the film version was released as a prequel after The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Hannibal (2001) got their movie debuts.
Dr. Hannibal Lecter himself is a captivating character. A cannibalistic serial killer, yes, but also highly intelligent, extremely cultured and proper, and choosing only to dine on others who are rude or a burden on society. I was fascinated with human psychology as a teenager, which led me to read Red Dragon, a book all about analyzing human behavior and how mental abuse can lead someone to become a serial killer. These books are brilliantly written, and gave me a better understanding of the human mind, which is why I am so extremely patient with everyone I meet.
This movie captures the novel exceptionally well. Ralph Fiennes portrays a tortured soul so incredibly, you truly believe he's the "Red Dragon." Anthony Hopkins continues to terrify audiences with his cryptic Hannibal character. In all, an excellent film. Not horror, persay, but more of a psychological thriller/mystery that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.
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