Blu-Ray Review: Riveting, Memorable ‘Red Riding Trilogy’

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CHICAGO – Thriller fans should seek out the fascinating “Red Riding Trilogy,” a series of films with largely different casts set in different time periods that attempts to pull back the facade of peace to reveal the dark face of evil underneath. The films are not perfect but they work together to create a memorable portrait of corruption that has infected an entire country and taken more than a few victims in its grip.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0

“Red Riding 1974” stars the new Spider-man, Andrew Garfield, as Eddie Dunford, a young journalist caught up in the mystery of missing little girls in his job at the Yorkshire Post. When one of the girls is found raped, murdered, and with swan wings sewn on her back, Eddie finds himself drawn even deeper into a disturbing nightmare. With one of the best supporting performances of the year to date from the great Rebecca Hall, Julian Jarrold’s (“Brideshead Revisited”) installment sets the right tone by starting with an optimistic young professional and ending by hinting at the darkness of humanity this trilogy will expose.

Red Riding Trilogy was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 17th, 2010
Red Riding Trilogy was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 17th, 2010
Photo credit: MPI

“Red Riding 1980” features the best lead performance of all three films from the great Paddy Considine (“In America”) and arguably the best director from James Marsh, the Oscar-winning helmer of “Man on Wire.” Marsh tones down the dreaminess of the first installment and brings a more procedural atomosphere to the “Empire Strikes Back” of the trilogy. Considine plays Peter Hunter, an officer taking over a notorious serial killer case from an older cop who may have been driven made by it. The second film strengthens the theme that digging into murders this widespread and horrendous will unearth skeletons of powerful people that be better left buried and that corruption is only becoming more widespread as the chasm between the haves and the have-nots widens with the passage of time. It’s a good film on its own that’s made significantly better by the way it bridges the gap between the bookends of the trilogy.

Red Riding Trilogy was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 17th, 2010
Red Riding Trilogy was released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 17th, 2010
Photo credit: MPI

“Red Riding 1983” could be best summed-up by a quote from the film — “To the North, where we do what we want.” The final film moves from the men caught up in a web of corruption to the men who spin it. It both presents its own story and illuminates lingering questions from the first two films. The film features the intersecting arcs of an old characer (played by David Morrissey) and a new one (Mark Addy), a public solicitor who is asked for help by a man who looks like he’s being framed for murder. It’s not quite as strong a stand-alone film as the first two, but it’s a riveting final act when viewed in the context of the entire trilogy.

“The Red Riding Trilogy” is a sum much greater than its parts. Each film makes the other two deeper, making this not a traditional trilogy as much as a five-hour film or mini-series. Overall, it is about looking at things from different angles to uncover the truth. Each case in the films is more complex than it looks and each film can be viewed as a witness to a crime. Only when you hear all their stories, do you see the whole picture. Even the professions of the three leads — journalist, detective, solicitor — hint at the scope of the overall project. It takes looking at something this big from several angles to see its entirety.

It’s wonderful that IFC/MPI has chosen to release the trilogy in one two-disc Blu-ray set instead of multiple releases. As I believe they should be viewed as one piece, this is really the only way to watch them. Don’t miss one of the best films of 2010 to date.

Special Features:
o TV Spot — all three films and the trilogy as a whole
o Deleted Scenes — all three films
o Making Of — “Red Riding 1980,” “Red Riding 1983,” & “Red Riding Trilogy”
o Julian Jarrold Interview
o Theatrical Trailers

“Red Riding 1974” stars Andrew Garfield, David Morrissey, John Henshaw, Anthon Flanagan, Rebecca Hall, Sean Bean, and Eddie Marsan. It was written by Tony Grisoni and directed by Julian Jarrold. “Red Riding 1980” stars Paddy Considine, Maxine Peake, Peter Mullan, Sean Harris, David Morrissey, Jim Carter, Warren Clarke, Tony Pitts, and Eddie Marsan. It was written by Tony Grisoni and directed by James Marsh. “Red Riding 1983” stars David Morrissey, Peter Mullan, Mark Addy, and Saskia Reeves. It was written by Tony Grisoni and directed by Anand Tucker.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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