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Manhunter

Play trailer Poster for Manhunter R 1986 1h 59m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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90% Tomatometer 52 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
FBI criminal profiler Will Graham (William L. Petersen) is called out of early retirement to assist on a serial murder case involving a killer known as the "Tooth Fairy" (Tom Noonan). Graham enlists the help of imprisoned serial killer -- and cannibal -- Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Brian Cox), who is the reason Graham took an early retirement. Soon, Graham and the FBI are entangled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game between the Tooth Fairy, Lecter and an interfering journalist (Stephen Lang).
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Manhunter

Manhunter

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Critics Consensus

Michael Mann introduces audiences to Hannibal Lecter for the first time in Manhunter, a modish thriller that fleshes out Thomas Harris' heinous creations with an elegant, chilling detachment.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide The Times (UK) 09/08/2023
This slick thriller has been overshadowed by The Silence of the Lambs, but it is a compelling piece of film-making. Go to Full Review
Paul Attanasio Washington Post 01/04/2018
... "Manhunter" is a gory and gorgeous cop thriller... Go to Full Review
David Edelstein Slate 02/07/2007
Manhunter ushered in the age of empathy for the devil. Go to Full Review
David Elliott Copley News Service Jan 7
Mann's approach is preening and full of nightmarish portents that never clarify the rushed, confusing plot. Go to Full Review
Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Dec 30
Its inherent action and suspense are practically buried beneath Mann's pretentious direction. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Dec 27
3.5/4
Innovatively shot by ace cinematographer Dante Spinotti, this contains at least two bravura sequences that still stand out. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Justin T 3d This has that lovely eighties look to it. The cinematography was fine but some of the editing was a bit jarring. The music is great but otherwise the sound design is fairly standard. The story was a bit slow but actually quite memorable. Not as good as The Silence of the Lambs (1991) by a long shot, mostly because of the cast. See more William C. @WFCfilmdirector 6d Michael Mann's Manhunter is a film that has a very sleek, neon-drenched fever dream that prioritizes atmosphere and psychological dread over traditional slasher tropes. While having a great performance from Brian Cox as the titular Dr. Hannibal Lector (Lektor in this film), trading theatricality for a quiet, mundane menace that makes his manipulative streak feel truly dangerous. While his understated work has since been overshadowed by the more iconic turns from Sir Anthony Hopkins and Mads Mikkelsen, Cox’s "normalcy" remains a masterclass in psychological subtlety. William Petersen is electrifying as a man on the brink of a nervous breakdown. He portrays Will Graham not as a superhero but as a delicate container for the darkness he studies, making his "empathy" a true burden. It is a twitchy, inner performance that captures to perfection the high price of gazing too long into the abyss. However, despite these strong performances, the film often trades the thematic substance of the novel for Michael Mann’s signature style. This becomes most apparent in the final act, which suffers from a rushed, lackluster ending and jarringly poor editing that undermines the tension built throughout the film. 3.5/5 7/10 See more Michel V Jan 6 Great movie. It has the kind of Miami Vice style from in the 80's. When it started the name Brian Cox showed up, I was a fan of him in Succession, and he is great in this one too. I had seen Silence of the Lambs many many years ago and decided to watch the whole series over the weekend, and when it I saw BC his name I was afraid he could top Sir Antony Hopkins but he just did great, in fact this version was much better than the Red Dragon remake they did in 2002 with Sir Antony Hopkins. Just love the overall vibe of this movie, classic! See more Girish S @GirishShenoy Dec 29 A fine crime thriller made to perfection! All the characters nail their performance. A solid soundtrack and editing hits it out of the park. Cinematography and Direction was way ahead of the time and redefines greatness. 4.5 out 5 from me! See more Janos B Oct 2 Worked in forensic’s for over 2 decades. Material is very accurate, this is an excellent movie. See more Amber M Sep 3 Mann's visual aesthetic combined with the source material of Harris is a slick and tense package with its own unique boatload of frights. See more Read all reviews
Manhunter

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Movie Info

Synopsis FBI criminal profiler Will Graham (William L. Petersen) is called out of early retirement to assist on a serial murder case involving a killer known as the "Tooth Fairy" (Tom Noonan). Graham enlists the help of imprisoned serial killer -- and cannibal -- Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Brian Cox), who is the reason Graham took an early retirement. Soon, Graham and the FBI are entangled in a deadly cat-and-mouse game between the Tooth Fairy, Lecter and an interfering journalist (Stephen Lang).
Director
Michael Mann
Producer
Dino De Laurentiis
Screenwriter
Michael Mann
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
Columbia, Sony Pictures Classics
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 22, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$7.0M
Runtime
1h 59m
Sound Mix
Surround
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