The principal (Marcia Gay Harden) is being fired, and her faculty (Christina Hendricks, Blythe Danner, William Petersen, Lucy Liu, James Caan) look hollowed out and spent.

NEWYORKER: Not Child��s Play

William Petersen was more effective than the oddly unsympathetic Edward Norton, Tom Noonan was much scarier than Ralph Fiennes, and Anthony Hopkins hams it up really REALLY badly here, compared to Brian Cox in Manhunter.

BBC: Red Dragon: Your views

Amid the overkill, there are scenes of a sudden and startling beauty, and the impotent ranks of teachers are played by a cast of surprising (if underused) power, including Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, Blythe Danner, William Petersen, Lucy Liu, a tweedy Tim Blake Nelson, and, best of all, James Caan.

NEWYORKER: Movies