In an age where lackluster prequels and sequels saturate the cinema landscape, it is rare to find one as pitch-perfect as its original.Brett Ratner’s 2002Red Dragon, a prequel toJonathan Demme’s iconicSilence of the Lambs, is one of the few films to know when to play off its source material and when to diverge creatively. FollowingEdward Nortonas Will Graham, the now-retired FBI agent who took downAnthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter,Red Dragonplays with the same structure of an agent and Dr. Lecter working together to take down a new, esoteric serial killer.Red Dragondoes not serve as Hannibal’s villain origin story. Instead,Red Dragonis a true thriller thatcan matchSilence of the Lambsin its height of psychological terror and gritty crime horror.
‘Red Dragon’ Knows When to Play Homage to ‘Silence of the Lambs’
Rather than doing the expected and giving Hannibal an origin story,Red Dragonmimics the narrative structure ofTheSilence of the Lambsto deliver anothertense crime thriller.The set-up of using an imprisoned Lecter as a consultant does not ring as lazy because of the drastically different relationship Lecter shares with Graham when compared to Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster). Anthony Hopkinsreprises his Oscar-award-winning role, delivering the terrifying line, “Remarkable boy. I do admire your courage. I think I’ll eat your heart,” with both tenderness and rage. Norton’s eccentric Will Graham prevents the film from feeling like a repeat ofThe Silence of the Lambs.In the opening sequence, Graham identifies Lecter, his psychiatrist, asthe killer the FBI has been tracking. Their complicated history weighs on every scene between them thereafter. Past affection and current resentments evoke a push-and-pull quality in all their conversations. Their scenes together are electric and brimming with suspense and tension,with both men knowing exactly how to verbally wound the other.
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The aesthetic and genre inspirations ofRed Dragonlikewise honor Demme’s original vision.Red Dragonemulates a modern-daygothic horrorthat mimics Hannibal’s polished personality. From the sets with dark mood lighting to the bloody crime scenes, there is a classically sinister quality toRed Dragon. The thoughtful meditations on human psychology through examinations of Lecter, Graham, and the Tooth Fairy killer’s character deepen the film’s horror by incorporating a psychological thriller angle.This allows Will Graham to pop off the screen as an individual character instead of a Starling stand-in.His rougher, more eccentric personality is akin toa classic noir detective, trusting his instincts and possessing an innate ability to spot killers. The Tooth Fairy is also able to stand on his own without being seen as a pale shadow of Buffalo Bill.Red Dragondedicates a comprehensive backstory forthis serial killer, perhaps as an attempt to overcorrect following the pushback againstSilence of the Lambs’flimsy “transgender but not transgender” explanation for Buffalo Bill. While Hannibal does not get an origin story in this film,Red Dragonstill delivers complex portraits of all its major players.
‘Red Dragon’ Does Crime Thriller Right
Much ofRed Dragon’shorror is derived from its use of tone and atmosphere rather than from the gore. While there is plenty of blood thanks to the Tooth Fairy, it is clearthe film is more interested inunnerving its audience than making them gag.Graham’s reluctance to return to the field and see Lecter casts an oppressive dread over the whole movie. It is a stark contrast toStarling’s eagerness to prove herself. The audience already knows how dangerous Hannibal is from the original, soRed Dragonuses Graham’s weariness to subtly reinforce this peril.
Hannibal never attacked Starling, but he opensRed Dragonattempting to kill Graham. Just because Hannibal is still in prison at the start ofSilence of the Lambsdoes not mean the audience can relax around him.The terror generated by these two killers combined with Graham’s declining mental state means there is no breathing room for the audience. From the opening sequence, there is a relentless tone of menacing suspense. The film’s major narrative thrust is Graham’s investigation of the Tooth Fairy killer. As Graham gets closer to finding them, theediting of Graham’s breakthroughsis purposefully nightmarish. Bright, sterile lighting highlights gruesome images as they flash across the screen. These moments are jarring, with choppy cutsmeant to unnervethe audience. The horror of the Tooth Fairy is elevated through this particular style of editing. The elusive serial killer feels like an imposing and erratic force because of how shocking the editing is.
Red Dragonis widely forgotten when reviewing the Hannibal media available. Often overlooked for ‘87’sManhunterorthe NBC series,Red Dragonis the tonal twin toSilence of the Lambs.Red Dragonis a pure crime thriller, dedicated to scaring its viewership through a creeping dread rather than jumpscares or shoot-outs. Now that it’s available on Netflix, there is no reason not to show this one some love.
Red Dragon
Red Dragonis available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
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