Red Dragon (2002)

A retired FBI agent with psychological gifts is assigned to help track down "The Tooth Fairy", a mysterious serial killer. Aiding him is imprisoned forensic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter.

Director:

Brett Ratner

Writers:

Thomas Harris (novel), Ted Tally (screenplay)

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes

4 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Edward Norton	...	Will Graham
Ralph Fiennes	...	Francis Dolarhyde
Harvey Keitel	...	Jack Crawford
Emily Watson	...	Reba McClane
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Molly Graham
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Freddy Lounds
Anthony Heald	...	Dr. Frederick Chilton
Ken Leung	...	Lloyd Bowman
Frankie Faison	...	Barney Matthews
Tyler Patrick Jones	...	Josh Graham
Lalo Schifrin	...	Conductor
Tim Wheater	...	Flautist
John Rubinstein	...	Dinner Guest
David Doty	...	Dinner Guest

Storyline

Three years after retiring from the F.B.I. because of a nearly fatal encounter with Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Sir Anthony Hopkins), who was helping him catch the "Chesapeake Ripper", only to reveal it was Hannibal, Will Graham (Edward Norton) is asked by his ex-partner Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel) to come solve one last case, two slaughtered families every full moon. They have three weeks until the next full moon to find the madman (Ralph Fiennes, but an innocent blind woman (Emily Watson) has found him first. Will Graham must risk his family's security and his own safety to track down this one last murderer, the epitome of all evil, The Red Dragon.

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Plot Keywords:

fbi agent | madman | male bare butt | male full frontal nudity | male rear nudity | 

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Taglines:

Before the Silence, there was the Dragon

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, grisly images, language, some nudity and sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official page [Spain] UIP [Germany]

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

4 October 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dragón rojo

Filming Locations:

Mount Vernon, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$78,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$36,540,945, 6 October 2002, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$93,149,898

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$209,196,298

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Dino De Laurentiis Company, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an opening scene, a dinner guest asks Dr. Hannibal Lecter "What is this divine-looking amuse-bouche?" An amuse-bouche ("mouth-amuser") is a kind of custom-made appetizer meant to showcase the cook's utmost talents, both visual and culinary (and in this case, other talents). There is usually a complementary wine which Lecter is shown serving. It could be said that this scene, and what immediately follows, is a tasty amuse-bouche for the rest of this movie.

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Goofs

"Before setting him on fire Dolarhyde, "The Tooth Fairy", forces Freddy Lounds to dictate his manifesto on a tape recorder and then delivers the tape to the FBI by putting on the wheelchair that Lounds is glued to. Dolarhyde then sets Lounds and the wheelchair on fire and sends it rolling down a street, and yet the tape somehow survives and avoids being melted by the fire."

Well, none of the detectives have stated that the tape was actually found on the burnt body or wheelchair, so more than likely Dolarhyde sent the tape to them soon after or dropped the tape for them to find near the remains.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Hannibal Lecter: Think to yourself that every day is your last. The hour to which you do not look forward will come as a welcome surprise. As for me, when you want a good laugh, you will find me in fine state, fat and sleek, a true hog of Epicurus's herd.

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Crazy Credits

Thanks to the men and women of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

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Connections

Referenced in Manhunter: The Eye of the Storm - An Interview with Dante Spinotti (2016)

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Soundtracks

Lament for Javanette
Written by Barney Bigard and Billy Strayhorn
Performed by Barney Bigard and His Orchestra
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label, a unit of BMG Music
Under license from BMG Special Products

User Reviews

Much better!

Having seen the disappointing Hannibal, I was a bit reticent about seeing this. The original Manhunter film was simply on the edge and excellent, and another prequel could have gone either way.

Prequels are the fashion of the moment aren't they?

This was actually very good, and most enjoyable. Fiennes and Norton added much to the story, and were both absolutely excellent.

Hopkins gave the performance you'd have expected from him in his role, and this was also notable for a fine performance as Fiennes' blind girlfriend of the bird that appeared in the ever-so-nauseating and vomit enducing Angela's Ashes [which gave a whole new meaning to stereotypical grim films].

Don't be put off by Hannibal, definitely see this one.