This long-awaited sequel to ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ will ultimately disappoint many of the fans that will be queuing up to see it.
‘Lambs’ was one of the classic horror/chiller films of the past decade, undoubtedly, but this sequel - good that it is as a stand-alone film – pales in comparison for several reasons
Firstly, this film had problems before it got into production as original ‘Lambs’ director Jonathan Demme and one of the main stars, the excellent Jodie Foster (as Clarice Starling) refused to have any part of this follow up. True, Hannibal Lector is still played by the inimitable Anthony Hopkins with his usual enigmatic power and Demme’s place at the helm is taken by Ridley Scott. With his phenomenal success of his last Directorial project , ‘Gladiator’, Scott will be expected to really produce the goods with Hannibal. BUT Can he ? Does he ? The answer as far as I am concerned is a resounding – NO !
Dr Lector is now a ‘changed’ man. Escaped from the Baltimore Asylum, he is now living in Florence, Italy and working as an art curator. Eating well (a definite change of diet!) and drinking the finest Chianti. His cannibalism is behind him, we are told – For Now!
Julianne Moore takes over the role left vacant by Ms Foster’s defection, FBI agent Clarice Starling. In my view, she is too passive in the role and her interplay with Hopkins’ Lector is rather unconvincing. We first see her taking care of a drugs bust – but that gets her suspended from duty. She then gets given information about Lector’s whereabouts by Mason Verger (Gary Oldman) and sets out to track him down. Verger has a hidden agenda – he WANTS Lector too, as he is the only person to have survived at Lector’s evil hands(he was his 4th victim if I remember correctly).
Meanwhile back at the scene of the crime – Lector has now reverted to type and started killing again. Unlike in most serial killer/chillers, where you feel sorry for the victims, I’m afraid to say that on this occasion they are all pretty much as vile as he is!
It all sounds very promising, I know, but it does not quite fulfil that promise on screen. The original movie was highly mesmeric and suspenseful, whereas this is a pale shadow and although there are ‘high points’ of suspense, it lacks that definate thread that went through ‘Lambs’.
‘Hannibal’ made big money at the Cinema Box Office. Many people who enjoyed ‘Silence of the Lambs’, will also see and enjoy this too. But I honestly believe that if this had been the ‘original’ we may not be seeing a Hannibal 2. As it is, the ending of this film is left open – so look out for a Hannibal 3 sometime in the future