By Chris Johnson
“You stink of fear underneath that cheap lotion.” That raspy contempt can only mean one thing: Dr. Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter is back! Yes, Sir Anthony Hopkins reprises the role that has made him an icon for one last time. This completes the trilogy of Hopkins/Lecter films that started with Silence of the Lambs in 1990 and continued with Hannibal in 2001. However, Red Dragon is considered to be the prequel to the beginning legacy of Hannibal Lecter.
Hannibal is a free man in 1980, but unknown to the public, he is a monster that has been killing and cannibalizing his prey. Agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) is trying to capture the killer. However, when it becomes clear that Lecter is the serial killer, a struggle ensues that ends with Lecter’s incarceration. After that, Graham eventually retires.
A few years later, a new serial killer rises up; one who follows a ritual. Dubbed the “Tooth Fairy,” he watches his prey, and once they die, he believes he is ever closer to transforming into the “Red Dragon.” Behavioral Science director Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel) calls Graham out of retirement to profile this new predator. To get insight, Graham must gain help from none other than Dr. Lecter.
Red Dragon is the second version of the same story. Manhunter came out in 1986 and was a moderate success. However, Red Dragon is nearly identical to the book in every way and is the true vision of what Thomas Harris created in 1981. The acting is superb, the script is genius, and once again, Hopkins steals the show. The Lecter in this movie is more vicious, but still retains some of the Lecter charm that we have come to know and love. Ralph Fiennes, who portrays the Tooth Fairy, is frighteningly real as a killer who is mentally unstable. Norton is an excellent addition to the canon of formidable adversaries of Lecter, alongside Jodie Foster and Julianne Moore.
However, this movie also boasts the return of two characters that added something to the Lecter mythos: Dr. Frederick Chilton (Anthony Heald), head of the asylum, and loyal Barney, played again by Frankie Faison, who is the only person who has appeared in all four Lecter films. In the Hopkins trilogy, he has played Barney, and in Manhunter, he played a cop. Red Dragon completes the circle, and even if Hopkins never plays Lecter again, he will have made all audiences happy that he gave so much for one character. If Hollywood decides to bring the good doctor back, we will welcome Hopkins as Lecter one more time. In fact, we’ll have some fava beans and a nice Chianti to go with his return. Ta ta!
CARDINAL GRADE: A+
