On M List of Movie Reviews

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Manhunter (1986)

Rate: 10
Viewed: 6/04, 11/07, 6/11, 5/20

Manh
11/07: "It's just you and me now, sport."

I have long expressed my awe for Michael Mann because he's the best in the business when it comes to style mixed with substance. The influence of Miami Vice is all over Manhunter.

William Peterson plays a kick-ass character once again and is the driving force in this dark, brooding neo-noir. The combination of his beard and eyes are drop-dead sexy, and his way of doing things elevates the film as a whole. Dennis Farina also takes the show to another level by giving it a hard edge.

Villains come and go. Some have been memorable, yet a great many of them will vanish into obscurity. But Tom Noonan as Francis Dollarhyde is unforgettable. He's even scarier and more chilling than Dr. Hannibal Lecktor who's marvelously played by Brian Cox. What's interesting is that the movie isn't about Will Graham's day-to-day sleuthing adventure but how he allows the secondary forces come into play while being emotionally involved. Throughout, there's a contrasting mix of "style" and "substance."

If you want to understand the word "genius," look no further than the "Moment of the Truth" scene when Will Graham began to figure out the killer's identity. It's brilliant stuff. In reality, a serial killer can remain elusive for many years. After logging hundreds of thousand man-hours, it only takes one trivial piece of evidence or sheer luck like a routine motor vehicle violation for him to be finally caught.

All in all, Manhunter is one of the finest cinematic masterpieces.

6/11: Michael Mann sure knows how to make films.

He didn't direct many in his life, but almost all are bona fide works of art and Manhunter is one of them. The Miami Vice influence is all over it. William Peterson's look and style are numero uno when it comes to "cool." He's perfect as Will Graham. Tom Noonan's Francis Dollarhyde is an all-time eerie villain.

All in all, if you thought The Silence of the Lambs was the greatest thing ever since sliced bread, then you don't know jack about movies.

5/20: Superior to The Silence of the Lambs in all aspects, Manhunter is an exquisitely photographed serial killer picture that's both style over substance and substance over style.

It's William Petersen's finest hour in acting. The most important aspect is how solving crime cases takes a huge toll on Graham's psyche and relationship with his family. Yet he's obsessed with catching the guy because he's, in effect, saving lives.

The rest of the cast is outstanding, no matter how small their roles are, because they bring emotion to the table: Brian Cox, Dennis Farina, Tom Noonan, Joan Allen, Stephen Lang, and Kim Greist. When the real estate guy was showing William Petersen around the house, that's Michael Talbott who partnered with John Diehl in Miami Vice.

I've seen almost all of Michael Mann's films and think that Manhunter is the best he had done. Every scene is meticulously crafted that's filled with neon pastel colors of Miami Vice. As for the camera angles, it's Citizen Kane all over again with objects that are prominently displayed. The other nice part is the insight into cutting-edge forensic science and criminal profiling, and it's 1986.

All in all, Manhunter is a masterpiece.