Monday Movie You Aught To See: Red Dragon

Regardless of whether the decade ended already ended in 2009 or will end at the close of the current year, the 2000s were a wonderful period of cinema with many treasures that deserve to be remembered. Check in at Movies with Abe on Mondays for Movies You Aught to See, a look back at memorable movies from the aughts. They are posted in no particular order, and if you have a great film from the 2000s that you think merits consideration, leave a note in the comments!

Red Dragon
Directed by Brett Ratner
Released October 4, 2002



It’s hard to top “The Silence of the Lambs.” Since that film is from the 1990s and already has all the praise it needs (and still deserves, of course), it’s worth spotlighting another entry in the saga that didn’t get such a warm and fuzzy reception. This prequel and remake of Michael Mann’s 1986 film “Manhunter” may not have the old-fashioned look and feel of the Oscar-winning Hannibal Lecter film, but it’s still a superb movie that serves as a prime example of what a thriller should be. It boasts a tremendous cast of famous actors, including Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Mary-Louise Parker, all of whom turn in excellent performances as Hannibal Lecter appears in another film where he’s not actually the primary villain! It’s a marked improvement over 2001’s “Hannibal,” which was hypnotic and captivating but utterly senseless by the end. A thrilling score by Danny Elfman and the return of Anthony Hopkins to his inimitable role enhance the feel of the film, and not having Clarice Starling around isn’t nearly as much as a negative as it might seem. If you’ve never seen this one, give it a chance; it’s a chilling, fantastic film.