Red Dragon

I’m sure many of you readers, oh wait, none of you are left, have long missed my movie reviews. Well! Here comes one and there are more to follow, I assure you!

Red Dragon is hyped to be the most terrifying in the series, though I must admit that it is not. Nothing can top The Silence of the Lambs, for it is in this movie that we first get a glimpse of a terrifying character(Hannibal Lector) and it is the mystery behind him that makes him scary. Now we know him too well to be afraid, since we know that he only kills those who are really just nasty people…he seems almost a tragic hero.

Anyway, to the movie. The real scene stealer is neither the expected Anthony Hopkins or one of my favorite actors, Edward Norton. In fact, I think these two seem to be the most bland characters in the movie, though they are the two main characters.

Ralph Fiennes wins the award for best actor by far. He is disturbing and yet human, unlike the first movie’s character who seemed so reclusive and distant(which I actually think makes him the scariest of all the characters in the trilogies) Ralph Fiennes is not so much scary as awe-inspiring, towering over the other characters and covered in tattoos. He’s fucked up and he does a brilliant job of making his character believable.

Emily Watson comes in a close second, doing absolutely brilliantly as the one salvation, the one flaw that helps overcome Ralph’s character. She really plays her character especially well, since she plays a blind woman….though I must say that Al Pacino still takes the cake for best blind person.

Even Harvey Keitel seems to overpower the main characters. He plays the first very honest and ballsy but loveable cop we meet. Remember the head of the department in Silence? Not exactly the friendliest cat, and Ray Liotta was such an ass. This time, the cops a pretty good guy.

Now this is not to demean Edward Norton or Anthony Hopkins. Norton is awesome as always, but he’s playing the typical hero and there is no getting around the absolutely predictable character he is. He’s smart and savvy and strong, but he still is a bland character.

Hopkins serves more as comic relief than anything else. He serves up very little fright in this movie, even in the scenes where he is supposed to be scary, though I don’t think this is Hopkins fault as much as the fault of the movie makers who have his made his character far too chummy. Ever since Hannibal, we’ve lost the fright.

The movie is, however, excellent. There is plenty of hidden detail that if one focuses they can pick up on. They also employ some brilliant little scenes which you think are absolutely frill extra, but actually help steer your mind in the direction the writer wants.

Overall, on the Brad star system, a new invention, I give it: 8 of 10 stars.

Maybe I should make some references to other movies, so here would be the star system on other movies:

XXX: 6 of 10 stars. (Though I loved it.)

Signs: 10 of 10 stars.

Road to Perdition: 10 of 10 stars.

Hannibal: 7 of 10 stars.

Silence of the Lambs: 10 of 10 stars.

I’m an easy pleaser as far as movies go, but I thought I’d just as well invent a system to satisfy myself if no one else. Oh, here are some movies you might want to watch:

Boondock Saints: 8 of 10 stars. The movie is witty, action packed, and pretty unexpected. It’s quite the unique little film and I think it is very well filmed and the way the story is told is brilliant. Unfortunately, the plot falters somewhat.

Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels: 10 of 10 stars. Absolutely bitchin music, excellent acting, a brilliant comedy, and a plot with more twists than a twizzler. Guy Ritchie has yet to dissapoint me. He and M. Night Shymalan are about the only two who I’ve given all their films 10 of 10 stars for.

Snatch: If you like the above film and you haven’t seen this brilliant bit of film, see it. The way that Guy Ritchie tells his stories and the camera work is brilliant….very unique and rivetting.

I think that’s it for now. I’m looking forward to watching Knockaround Guys and The Transporter soon, so I’ll keep you updated and post some more of my ratings in here later! Ta-ta for now!