Red Dragon (2002)
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An FBI agent must consult a notorious incarcerated cannibal to track down a new serial killer.
The story
In 1980, FBI agent Will Graham visits forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter to discuss a case. Graham has been working with Lecter on a psychological profile of a serial killer; Graham is certain the killer is a cannibal, based on the fact that organs taken from just the victims are often used in cooking. He accidentally discovers a bookmarked sweetbreads recipe in Lecter's study that includes those organs, revealing Lecter as the killer. Lecter stabs him, but Graham stabs him back with arrowheads and shoots him before falling unconscious. Lecter is tried, found not guilty by reason of insanity, and is institutionalized. Years later, a new serial killer nicknamed the "Tooth Fairy" emerges, and Graham is forced to consult Lecter again.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1980, FBI agent Will Graham works with the incarcerated Hannibal Lecter to profile a cannibalistic killer. During a confrontation, Graham discovers Lecter's identity as a killer and is forced to shoot him to defend himself. Lecter is institutionalized, and Graham retires to Florida. Years later, a new killer known as the "Tooth Fairy"—Francis Dolarhyde—begins a spree of murders. Dolarhyde is driven by an alter ego called the Great Red Dragon, inspired by a William Blake painting. After a fan of Lecter's work sends a letter to the prison, Graham is forced to consult Lecter again to track Dolarhyde. The investigation leads to a home video business in St. Louis. Dolarhyde, struggling with his inner demon, eventually infiltrates the Graham home in Florida. In a final confrontation, Graham and his wife Molly face Dolarhyde, and she ultimately kills him. The film ends with Graham and his family on a sailboat, receiving a letter of praise from Lecter.
- First release year
- 2002
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- Germany; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Brett Ratner
- Writers
- Ted Tally · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Anthony Hopkins · Hannibal Lecter; Edward Norton · Will Graham; Ralph Fiennes · Francis Dolarhyde; Harvey Keitel; Emily Watson; Mary-Louise Parker; Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Genres
- psychological horror; thriller
- Themes
- Identity; Psychopathology; Dualism
- Tone and mood
- Dark; Suspenseful
- Setting
- 1980s Baltimore and St. Louis, USA
- Premise and plot tags
- Prequel; Serial Killer; Psychological Thriller
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1981 novel by Thomas Harris
- Franchise connections
- Hannibal Lecter series
- Content notes
- Psychological Horror
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, who considered it an improvement over Hannibal but inferior to The Silence of the Lambs. It was a box office success.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 69% · scale: percentage · review count: 191; Metacritic · score: 60 · scale: 100 · review count: 36
- Awards and nominations
- Empire Award · Best British Actress · Won; Young Artist Award · Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Actor Age Ten or Younger · Won
- Production trivia
- Both the 1986 film Manhunter and the 2002 Red Dragon featured the same cinematographer, Dante Spinotti.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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