MANHUNTER

Cole's Rating: ★★ ½

Director: Michael Mann

Year: 1986

Cast: William Peterson, Kim Greist, Joan Allen, Brian Cox

Genre: Crime/Mystery/Thriller

MPAA Rating: R

        Manhunter feels as if one put a large amount of effort into it, so I almost feel bad saying that it was a large-scale disappointment. I thought that the guy who churned out Heat and Collateral could make a satisfying entry into the “Hannibal Lecter” narrative (?), but I was wrong. Everything about Manhunter feels “poor”, and I’m not talking about the budget. Brian Cox is the poor man’s Anthony Hopkins, just like how William Peterson is the poor man’s Jodie Foster, just how the plot of this thing is like a train that runs out of gas. As I watched the movie, I felt like if I wanted to like it, I would have had to put a hole in my pockets, but instead of doing so, I stand up proud for the predecessor (that actually came after it’s release), The Silence of the Lambs.

        Considering that it clocks in at two long hours, this exercise feels like a drawn out episode of CSI. It contains nowhere near the amount of psychological layers that it should, and the plot has more holes than an episode of Scooby Doo! Where Are You?. In fact, in terms of simplicity, I’d say that by that comparison, my judgment stands uncorrected. 

        Mann directs this whole picture with such hope. As the viewer, I felt it too. For the majority of the plot development (oh, I forgot to mention that it’s basically the same plot as The Silence of the Lambs with a few twists), I kept waiting and waiting. “When’s this thing gonna take off?”, I thought. Finally, the excitement came, but with a price. The stupidity of the film magnified to the point of discomfort. 

        Does this have any assets? Of course. It builds up well, doesn’t leave the viewers behind too much on development, and it offers a premise that is original, but subtle (as you’ll find). It doesn’t boast its creativity like “Lambs” did, even though it really should have considering the conclusion. It’s serviceable, per say, but when it comes down to it, it’s standing weakly at second in line.

-Written by Cole Pollyea