Red Dragon Details

In this remake of Michael Mann's revered Manhunter (the first version of Thomas Harris's novel Red Dragon filmed in 1986), which starred Brian Cox as Dr Lecter before Anthony Hopkins took over the role, ex-FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) investigates a series of killings committed by Francis Dolarhyde (a tattooed Ralph Fiennes), known only as “The Tooth Fairy”. To get inside the killer's head, Graham has to consult his arch-nemesis — and the man he put behind bars — Dr Lecter. Closer to The Silence of the Lambs than Hannibal in tone and tension, this is a classier, less campy outing for the gourmet doctor, who is well matched in the psycho stakes by Fiennes's dentally challenged killer. With this prequel/remake, the people behind the film series seem to have taken to the idea of cannibalism a bit too literally. A crass idea, maybe, but despite a more literal interpretation of the book than Mann's version, it's done with class by director Brett Ratner and The Silence of the Lambs screenwriter Ted Tally.

A remake that didn't need to be made, other than as a source of profit and to allow Hopkins to perform his gustatory routine as Hannibal Lecter; it's slickly done, but might have been better left undone.