Looking for a gripping psychological thriller to get you through this wet and windy week? BBC Two is adding a cult classic to its movie line-up – and it's the perfect weeknight watch if you're craving something dark and twisted. Manhunter is a 1986 thriller directed by Michael Mann (The Insider, Hancock, Miami Vice) and based on Thomas Harris's novel Red Dragon. Starring William Petersen, the film follows an FBI profiler forced out of retirement to investigate a new serial killer case – only to come face to face with the sinister Hannibal Lecter, the very man who drove him into retirement in the first place.
If you're a fan of The Silence of the Lambs (and honestly, who isn't?), Manhunter is essential viewing. Both films are adaptations of Harris's novels – Manhunter from Red Dragon and Silence from its sequel – and both feature the chilling cannibal Dr Hannibal Lecter. While The Silence of the Lambs received more mainstream critical acclaim, Manhunter has since earned a reputation as an unfairly overlooked masterpiece – and Brian Cox's take on the sinister Hannibal alone makes it worth the watch. Read on for everything you need to know about the film…
© Getty Images, Michael Ochs ArchivesWhat is Manhunter about?
The film centres on FBI criminal profiler Will Graham, a man haunted by his past, who is persuaded by his former boss Jack Crawford to return from early retirement to track down a serial killer known as the Tooth Fairy.
© Getty Images, Michael Ochs ArchivesThe synopsis continues: "Graham enlists the help of imprisoned serial killer and cannibal Dr Hannibal Lecter, 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, Lector and an interfering journalist."
Who stars in Manhunter?
Leading the cast is William Petersen (Fear) as FBI Agent Will Graham, while the brilliant Brian Cox (Succession, Braveheart) plays Dr Hannibal Lecter. They're joined by Tom Noonan (The Monster Squad), who plays Francis Dollarhyde, while Dennis Farina (Snatch, New Girl) plays FBI Agent Jack Crawford.
© Home Box OfficeRounding out the cast are Kim Greist (Brazil) as Molly Graham, Joan Allen (The Bourne Supremacy) as Reba McClane and Stephen Lang (Avatar, Don't Breathe) as Freddy Lounds.
Manhunter's Rotten Tomatoes score
While the movie initially premiered to mixed reviews, it has achieved a cult status in recent years – mainly for its style and visuals, which have been better appreciated by today's viewers. That might be why the film sits at an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, with Variety noting it's "an unpleasantly gripping thriller that rubs one's nose in a sick criminal mentality for two hours."
In its review, the BBC wrote: "This is a truly suspenseful, stylish thriller, sadly overlooked since the Oscar-winning The Silence of the Lambs. In many ways, this is a subtler and equally skilful film," while Time Out penned: "The performances are superior, most memorably Cox's intellectually brilliant and malevolent asylum inmate. One of the most impressive American thrillers of the late '80s." Meanwhile, The Times added: "This slick thriller has been overshadowed by The Silence of the Lambs, but it is a compelling piece of film-making."
Manhunter airs on BBC Two at 11pm on Monday 20 October and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer afterwards.
