So, being responsible for the death of a couple cops is no big deal

Good question. I've thought about it many times.

It seems clear that Graham is not trying to be a hero. Rather there is something driving him to do what he does. It may be that he senses someone is in immediate danger - which he confirms as he approaches the house. And Graham does in fact arrive in the nick of time to save Reba. If he had waited for the SWAT team, Dolarhyde may have "changed" Reba in the meantime.

Then again, it may just be coincidence that Graham arrives in the nick of time. Maybe the same special ability he has to see into the minds of monsters becomes stronger as he gets closer. And in those last several minutes Graham is just consumed, unable to think of anything but stopping the monster.

Otherwise, I get what you are saying. In movies, characters are always going lone wolf, and nameless cops or others pay the price. I've caught myself talking the screen many times to ask if the "hero" plans to visit the dead cops' wives and children to explain why it was okay for him to be the hero and cause their husbands/fathers to be killed.

Oh, my God! They're turkeys!

[deleted]

I don't know why it bugged you either. The film ends at the point that any repercussions might commence. Perhaps you would have preferred Manhunter to be about an internal investigation into Graham's unauthorised behaviour. We could begin with Dollarhyde's death and everything else could just be recalled as part of the investigation. What do you think?

The universe has no centre and no edges. Reality is arbitrary.

The point of Graham's dramatic dive through the glass and a melee attempt at Dollarhyde harks back to what Lector was provoking him with, the fact that he was a born killer... Graham is even preparing for a confrontation in the journey to the house, because he can smell the kill already. This is why Graham has to 'recouperate' after every assignment, to realign himself! "If you want to get the scent... smell yourself!"

--------------------
Duty Now For The Future

There was a woman in aparrently immediate mortal danger, about to be stabbed right in front of him. The sole reason he took the case was to provent this.

With the exception of outbursts of anger and dread, Graham doesn't display many overt emotion inthe movie so who's to say he doesn't have at least mixed feelings if not outright regret, remorse.

He gets the crap beaten out of him by the Toothfairy and saves the potential victim (just as Crawford desired). Law officer superiors only chew out subordinates for perhaps endangering other people in scenarios like this one in movies like Lethal Weapon, Beverly Hills cop, TJ Hooker etc.

Personally, I have thought about the repercussions of the climax of the film, but I've never felt it was a flaw that it did not spoon feed or excplicitly affirm my feelings about it.


@Twitzkrieg - Glasgow's FOREMOST authority

Gee...Dollarhyde slams Graham against a fridge, there are floor-to-ceiling windows all around the house, and Dollardhyde has shot two different times to blow out some lights. My guess is any half-assed cop with a brain would NOT have gone for thye front door at that point...

"This killing....it's got to stop."

"He's got someone in the house with him Jack."

"Stop it, stop it!"

I don't think Graham wanted it on his conscience if he waited for the swat team to arrive and Reba was killed by Dollarhyde. His job has already tormented him enough over the years.

"Death has come to your little town, Sheriff."

Dollarhyde was ready to cut a woman's throat and he could not wait for backup.....

Go Big Red