shirleyfuller This is the lesser known Hannibal Lector film(to Silence of the lambs) but some consider it as good or even better than that film. I happen to feel that both have their plus points and this Michael Mann film has many strong points including an amazing soundtrack and great performance by William Peterson as Det. Will Graham. Brian Cox is chilling in his own way as Lector and his interactions with Peterson just show the kind of magnitude two capable and talented actors can bring to a scene. This is a must watch film.

Tweekums A killer, dubbed the 'Tooth Fairy' by the police has murdered two apparently unconnected families; one on Atlanta, the other in Birmingham, Alabama. He strikes each month on the night of the full moon so the race is on to catch him. With no other leads the FBI call in Will Graham, a former profiler, who retired after a particularly traumatic, high-profile case. In order to get his mind back in the game he goes to visit Dr Hannibal Lecktor, the infamous killer he put behind bars. This meeting gets reported in the gutter press and ultimately puts his family in danger. As he reviews the crime scenes Will starts to get into the head of the killer; working out how he operates and ultimately how he selects the families he intends to kill.This is a gripping thriller with Nietzschean undertones. Will Graham is an interesting central character; a man who as looked into the abyss before and felt it looking back and now he is being asked to do it again. We don't see the killer until a scene where he is clearly identified; this isn't about the viewer figuring out who did it ahead of the detective it is about seeing how the detective closes in on the killer. Director Michael Mann keeps everything very stylish; not surprising that he'd previously given us the TV series 'Miami Vice'; the epitome of '80s cool. William Petersen does a really fine job as Will Graham; an interesting character with a history. Brian Cox may only have a small part as Dr Lecktor but he manages to be menacing in a subtle manner. Tom Noonan is suitably menacing as the killer, especially in the scenes where he takes a blind colleague on a date and later gets jealous when he sees her talking to another man. The supporting cast is pretty solid too. Given the subject matter there could be plenty of disturbing content; thankfully it is more restrained and apart from a brief shot of crime scene photographs and blood stains in a house there is little in the way of disturbing material; it is described but not shown. Overall this is a really solid thriller that I'd certainly recommend.

leplatypus I didn't know that my last movie with Kim was about this degenerate (as David Lynch told) character of Hannibal! But while all the others movies are famous, this one is rather leftover and it's a pity because it's a very tense thriller and very cautious movie: Unlike the nauseating Scott movie that keeps on talking and showing the thing, here it's always unexposed and you don't see anything. So on the other hand, the psychological tension is really high and with Mann stylized directing (big frame, slow pace), the movie keeps on playing with your nerves and sometimes it's even very ironic: Manhunter talks about Hannibal with his son in a grocery store! The next female victim drinks with a long, thick glass in front of this sexual pervert! ...The cast is really excellent: the Manhunter is a newcomer for me and he is really good to play his torments; Noonan is always impressive with his dark nutty parts and if Kim is indeed totally wasted in her small part, she is always this same cute girl! So this movie is just a best example when less means more!

newmie537 It absolutely baffles me that so many people have rated this movie a 10/10. After watching both Red Dragon and Manhunter, I've never been so disappointed. The acting in this movie was sub par at best; it was impossible to watch at times. The characters were not well constructed at all and there honestly wasn't one character that truly felt like they fit this movie. Watch Red Dragon if you haven't already and you will never watch this movie again. There were no thrills to this movie, the final scene was one of the worst climaxes I've ever seen, though there wasn't really much build up to it so you could only be so disappointed. This movie does for Red Dragon what The Godfather part 3 does for the original godfather. Save your time and your money, do not watch this movie!