“Hannibal” – R – New This Week to Video/DVD
After the huge success of “Silence of the Lambs” could a sequel measure up? When Jody Foster could not commit to the movie and to the role of Clarice, should they have stopped production? I finally had the chance to watch this film. It cost me a total of $30.00 in late fees at my local BlockBuster, but I knew that eventually I would get to see this movie! Here is my review!
“Hannibal” takes place 10 years after “Silence of the Lambs.” Clarice Starling (now played by Julianne Moore) is still in the FBI and has become quite a prominent employee. During a FBI bust, some things go terribly wrong and Clarice is blamed. The only way she can save face is to reopen the Hannibal Lecter case. A rich man is interested in finding Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). It turns out that this rich man; Mason Verger (Gary Oldman) was Hannibal’s 4th victim and was the only surviving victim. He wants to capture Hannibal to inflict his own brand of revenge on him.
Clarice is on the hunt for him as well and has a clue that Mason plans revenge on Dr. Lecter and wants to find him first. Hannibal knows everyone is looking for him and sends “invitations” to Clarice.
Hannibal has been living in Florence, Italy for the past few years. He considered himself retired from his life of crime. But when he finds out he has made the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list, he tells Clarice that there is no better time to come out of retirement. A Florence detective learns that Hannibal is in his city and that there is a huge reward. He starts to work with Mason to capture him. Can Clarice save Dr. Lecter?
Thomas Harris is responsible for writing the ‘Hannibal the Cannibal’ series of books. David Mamet wrote this screenplay and Ridley Scott directed it. I was very unhappy that they were making this sequel without Jody Foster. To me she made the first one come to life. I was not disappointed with Julianne Moore though. She played the FBI agent well. Her sometimes-sympathetic way with Lecter was chilling. Anthony Hopkins was just as creepy as the first. He IS Hannibal Lecter! Ok, those were the only good things about this film.
So, what was wrong with it, you ask? The gore, for one. This movie seemed to be going with the gross-out factor instead of the thrill and horror it should have had. Maybe they thought that seeing terribly disgusting bloody scenes makes a scary movie, but they were wrong. It did not make it scarier; it made it grosser! The blood-bath scenes were not really necessary. We all know what Lecter does. We do not need to see it. Was “Silence of the Lambs” scary and thrilling? Yes! It didn’t have to throw all the blood and guts into your face to make it an extremely captivating movie and it is still considered a horror/thriller movie. I think that the writing and directing team thought they needed that aspect to get the fans from the first one back. They didn’t. Anthony Hopkins is just as spooky without showing all these extras. I don’t want to give away any of the movie, but if you rent it be prepared for very bothersome murders scenes. If you are just thrilled about seeing this sequel, don’t let me stop you. I am actually glad I Finally got to see it for myself. But I did not need to see EVERYTHING that happened in Hannibal’s life. Especially before I went to bed!
Enjoy!
©2001 KAC