Shirkers (2018)

Shirkers: Directed by Sandi Tan. With Sandi Tan, Jasmine Kin Kia Ng, Philip Cheah, Sophia Siddique Harvey. A woman explores the events surrounding a film she and her friends began making with a mysterious stranger decades ago.

“How many times have we heard u0026quot;The film isnu0026#39;t as good as the booku0026quot;? Letu0026#39;s face it. What film IS?! Red Dragon was a masterpiece and so is Manhunter.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eTo appreciate that there are two issues. Firstly, the film was created in 1986. Itu0026#39;s stylised and looks slightly dated. The soundtrack is excellent but again very 1980u0026#39;s. Secondly, Red Dragon was not an easy book to write a screenplay for. There is way too much information that made the book so enthralling to squeeze in to 2 hours.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe cinematography, in particular the clever use of light and colours, is breathtaking. The choice of locations was also very deliberate. The scene where Will is running out of the building after speaking to Hannibal Lecter. They chose a building with a long spiral ramp down. The ramp is white, clinical. Running down the ramp is like those dreams where the bad man is chasing you and you canu0026#39;t get away. Will runs his heart out but doesnu0026#39;t get very far.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI agree that Cox plays a different Lecter but then the book wasnu0026#39;t about Lecter. There was some mention made but Lecter in this film is very much a Cameo appearance. The way in which Will goes about catching the killer is every bit as clever as Starlingu0026#39;s methods, if not more so. In addition, we are treated to the thoughts, the inner monologue, the frustration and triumph of a hunter.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMake no mistake, if you expect an up-to-date movie as good in every respect as the book, youu0026#39;ll be disappointed. If youu0026#39;re sensible and expect nothing more than 2 hours quality entertainment youu0026#39;ll enjoy this one.”