Hannibal Lecter

First movie about Hannibal Lecter, based on a book Red Dragon. Not as good as Lambs, but anyhow, it is good movie with good cast.

Hopkins is reason enough

I have no idea how many times I saw this movie in the past 25 years, but it keeps my attention every time the same as the first. It deserves all 5 Oscars it won. Excellent story and legendary Hopkins that makes you shiver even when you already know the movie by heart.

8/10

Better than the Lambs

It's not the same without Jodie Foster, but if she really had to be replaced, there's no better choice than Julianne Moore. To me, this one has an even better story than "The Silence of the Lambs". Moore and Gary Oldman are very convincing, Giancarlo Giannini has the most likable role in the movie and Hopkins is simply perfect as he always is. The only downside is Ray Liotta. He looks like he wandered into this story by mistake. He's not a bad actor, but he simply does not fit in with the others or in this type of movie. Also, this movie has several scenes that engrave into your brain forever. Hopkins and Giannini on the balcony, boar's jaw enclosing, dinner scene, and kiss-cuffs-chopping grand finale. This film provides a good mixture of emotions, action, smart dialogues and shockers to ensure you won't get bored even after several watching.

8,5/10

"Manhunter" renewed

After "The Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal", it was logical to do a remake of "Manhunter" to complete the trilogy with Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal in all parts. Too much time has passed since I watched the original movie for me to be able to remember all the details, but it seems to me that "Red Dragon" is an almost exact copy of "Manhunter". Production is better and no one is better Hannibal than Hopkins, but the rest is pretty much the same. Cast in "Manhunter" may be better though. For real fans of this trilogy and/or Hopkins this is mandatory, but for all the rest who already saw "Manhunter", this movie is unnecessary. During the whole first watching, I had a feeling like I'm watching it again, and as it is a thriller and I knew what's next all of the time it was pretty much boring to watch. Don't get me wrong, the movie is good, and those who did not see "Manhunter" will surely enjoy it, but it is pretty much pointless to watch them both.

7/10

Good job, Gaspard

Seriously underrated and unreasonably criticized movie. It is accused to exist only to milk additional money from the successful franchise, that demystifying of the psycho killer is spoiling whole franchise, that Gaspard Ulliel cannot fill the shoes of Anthony Hopkins and similar nonsense. Lack of Hopkins is one and the only downside of this movie, but it was unavoidable. And yes, no one could possibly fill the shoes of Hopkins, but Hopkins could not act young Lecter, he had to be replaced and Gaspard did a great job in this role. To me, he is even creepier than Hopkins. In every other way this movie does not fall behind the rest of the franchise.

7,5/10