'Red Dragon' a waste for DVD buyers

Brett Ratner surprised many with "Red Dragon" this past fall. The director's previous efforts ("Money Talks" and "Rush Hour") were fairly lame, though "Rush Hour 2" was an entertaining improvement over its predecessor and "Family Man" was a deftly crafted comedic drama. But who knew this guy was capable of taking on Hannibal Lecter and actually winning? If only the DVD itself were half as successful. Anthony Hopkins reprises the legendary role of Lecter, who after being arrested by FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) assists his captor in apprehending a newfangled serial killer known as "The Tooth Fairy" (Ralph Fiennes). Murder and mayhem ensue in this well-made, all-star thriller, also starring such noted performers as Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson and Philip Seymour Hoffman. \nWhile the flick itself is certainly entertaining, the DVD is quite a letdown. The menus are overly long and annoying. Ratner and screenwriter Ted Tally's (who also adapted "Silence of the Lambs") commentary track is overly congratulatory. And all featurettes run no longer than a scant 10 minutes. Aside from the sterling transfer and sound mix, the disc is rather haphazardly strewn together. But the movie is great!