By John Ruffino (October 24, 2002)

As most of us know, the movie industry has been consistently releasing terrible movies for over a year now. Hopefully, during these times a great movie will come along that will blow every other out of the water. October 4 marked the release of "Red Dragon", the anticipated prequel to the ever-popular "Silence of the Lambs" and this flick may just be the one we’ve been waiting for. 

The superb acting by Anthony Hopkins and Edward Norton create a truly suspenseful masterpiece. The personalities of Hopkins and Norton perform together beautifully, which results in an unforgettable movie experience that will be talked about for a long time. 

The movie begins with an intense scene involving Will Graham (Edward Norton) a highly intelligent and skilled FBI murder investigator, who works by the side of the renowned forensic scientist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). The two become separated after a very traumatic event, which causes the incarceration of Dr. Lecter, and Graham to quit his line of work and retire to a beach house in Florida with his wife and son.

Years pass, and Graham is asked to help the FBI crack a murder case. The murder case involves "the Tooth Fairy," a man who has savagely murdered two families. Possessing only DNA as a direct link to the "Tooth Fairy," Graham must track him down, but can only do it with the help of the man who betrayed him – Dr. Lecter. 

The movie follows Graham on his quest to bring the "Tooth Fairy" to justice, with the help of several visits to Hannibal in his trademark jail cell of glass. Containing many thrills and suspense, "Red Dragon" is by far the best movie out of the trilogy. 

"Red Dragon" is the first book from a series of 3 written by Thomas Harris, but it is the last to hit the movie screen. Although "Red Dragon" sets the stage for "Silence of the Lambs" and "Hannibal," it was released after the production and release of "Hannibal" and "Silence of the Lambs," which causes more suspense and surprise. If you haven’t seen it yet, I strongly recommend it.