A very serious, and conveniently photogenic, FBI man named Will Graham (William Petersen) takes a personal interest in catching a serial killer. It's an average thriller.
The first half is quite good as Graham, recovering from psychological trauma of a previous case, learns about the current killer, called the "tooth fairy"; consults with other cops; and gathers forensic evidence. He interviews Hannibal Lecktor (Brian Cox) in prison, to see if Lecktor can help him psychoanalyze the tooth fairy. There is a subtle sense of alienation about all the characters, trapped in their urban environments. Glass and windows play into this motif.
Unfortunately, the second half is terrible. It's like it was written by an amateur scriptwriter. While the first half focuses on Graham, the second half alternates between Graham and the tooth fairy, presenting a choppy, back-and-forth plot structure. Further, the killer is introduced too abruptly, and scenes generally lack effective transitions.
We never learn much about the killer's motivation. The "lunar cycle" theme is not explained, nor are we given much explanation about the "red dragon". Various geographic locations seem arbitrary. The appearance of the killer, especially when he's first introduced, is laughable. And the film's ending is preposterous and silly.
The film has a distinctive 1980s look and feel, with its fashions, slow-motion camera shots, and music track. Except for the killer, casting is acceptable. Acting ranges from acceptable to below average. Joan Allen gives a really nice performance.
If the second half had maintained the quality of the first half, this film would have been quite good. As is, "Manhunter" is an average cop movie, wherein the villain is a kind of stereotyped, and rather typical, bogeyman.
The first half is quite good as Graham, recovering from psychological trauma of a previous case, learns about the current killer, called the "tooth fairy"; consults with other cops; and gathers forensic evidence. He interviews Hannibal Lecktor (Brian Cox) in prison, to see if Lecktor can help him psychoanalyze the tooth fairy. There is a subtle sense of alienation about all the characters, trapped in their urban environments. Glass and windows play into this motif.
Unfortunately, the second half is terrible. It's like it was written by an amateur scriptwriter. While the first half focuses on Graham, the second half alternates between Graham and the tooth fairy, presenting a choppy, back-and-forth plot structure. Further, the killer is introduced too abruptly, and scenes generally lack effective transitions.
We never learn much about the killer's motivation. The "lunar cycle" theme is not explained, nor are we given much explanation about the "red dragon". Various geographic locations seem arbitrary. The appearance of the killer, especially when he's first introduced, is laughable. And the film's ending is preposterous and silly.
The film has a distinctive 1980s look and feel, with its fashions, slow-motion camera shots, and music track. Except for the killer, casting is acceptable. Acting ranges from acceptable to below average. Joan Allen gives a really nice performance.
If the second half had maintained the quality of the first half, this film would have been quite good. As is, "Manhunter" is an average cop movie, wherein the villain is a kind of stereotyped, and rather typical, bogeyman.