 Tagline: His genius... UNDENIABLE - His evil... UNSPEAKABLE - His name... UNFORGETTABLE Related Movies: • Manhunter (1986) [Blu-ray] • Silence of the Lambs (1991) [Blu-ray] • Hannibal (2001) • Red Dragon (2002) [Blu-ray] • Hannibal Rising (2007) Based on the best-selling novel by Thomas Harris, Hannibal continues the story begun in The Silence of the Lambs. Seven years have passed since Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) escaped from custody, seven years since FBI Agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore) interviewed him in a maximum-security hospital for the criminally insane. The doctor is now at large in Europe, pursuing his own interests, savoring the scents, the essences of an unguarded world. But Starling has never forgotten her encounters with Dr. Lecter - his seldom-used voice still haunts her dreams. Mason Verger (Gary Oldman) remembers Dr. Lecter, too, and is obsessed with revenge. Verger was Dr. Lecter’s sixth victim, and, though hideously disfigured, has survived. Verger soon realizes that in order to draw the doctor out into the open, he must use someone Lecter cannot resist as bait: Clarice Starling. Storyline: The continuing saga of Hannibal Lecter, the murdering cannibal. He is presently in Italy and works as a curator at a museum. Clarice Starling, the FBI agent whom he aided to apprehend a serial killer, was placed in charge of an operation but when one of her men botches it, she's called to the mat by the Bureau. One high ranking official, Paul Krendler has it in for her. But she gets a reprieve because Mason Verger, one of Lecter's victims who is looking to get back at Lecter for what Lecter did to him, wants to use Starling to lure him out. When Lecter sends her a note she learns that he's in Italy so she asks the police to keep an eye out for him. But a corrupt policeman who wants to get the reward that Verger placed on him, tells Verger where he is. But they fail to get him. Later Verger decides to frame Starling which makes Lecter return to the States. And the race to get Lecter begins. Written by rcs0411@yahoo.com Cast Notes: Anthony Hopkins (Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter), Julianne Moore (FBI Agent Clarice Starling), Gary Oldman (Mason Verger), Ray Liotta (Paul Krendler), Giancarlo Giannini (Inspector Rinaldo Pazzi), Frankie Faison (Barney), Francesca Neri (Allegra Pazzi), Zeljko Ivanek (Dr. Cordell Doemling), Hazelle Goodman (Evelda Drumgo), David Andrews [I] (Clint Pearsall), Francis Guinan (Assistant Director Noonan), Enrico Lo Verso (Gnocco), Mark Margolis (Perfume/Cologne analyst), Ivano Marescotti (Carlo), Fabrizio Gifuni (Matteo). User Comment: Clarice-5 Victoria, Canada • Hannibal is a pure pleasure! While a little unevenly paced (the beginning was a bit slow), David Mamet and Steve Zallian have done a good job of telling the basic story Thomas Harris gave to us - and, incidently, the book was incredibly underrated by critics whose thought processes seem to have been damaged by too little quality literature. People have complained that it took ten years for Harris to write it - well, read it! It is chock-a-block full of mythology, astronomical and religious themes that weave their way throughout. The threads never break. The movie would have had to be eight hours long to even begin to explore the depths plumbed by Harris in the book. Anthony Hopkins is, as usual, brilliant! Julianne Moore was sexy and strong. Giancarlo Giannini was outstanding and Gary Oldman creditable. My only complaint with casting was Ray Liotta, who just didn't have "it". Having seen this movie three times thus far, I will say that watching it is like peeling layers off an onion. You see more and more with each viewing - little treasures and nuggets that you find almost by accident. The first time I saw it, I left the theatre not really knowing what I thought of it. Then I found myself smiling. I did like it. When I went back again (and again!) I liked it more and more. Gory? Not really - and I consider myself pretty sensitive to gore. I have seen far worse. The story does have violence in it, and I think Ridley Scott, while depicting an integral part of the story, handled the violence tastefully (if you'll pardon the expression). Is it as good as Silence of the Lambs? No. It's DIFFERENT from SotL. In Silence we had a caged monster whose intensity was extremely focussed. Here, we have a monster who is on the loose in a great big world, free to indulge in his passions. Hannibal Lecter's essence has not changed. He's merely in a different situation. My only disappointments were: The changed ending. This was the major one. I realize the critics lambasted Thomas Harris for the ending in the book, saying "Clarice would never have done that", but Clarice was the child of Harris' imagination. The author is god, and if god says a character will do something, who are we to second-guess? The length of the movie. It could have been a little longer and more focus could have been put on the relationship between Hannibal and Clarice - specifically, his obsession with her, and the time they spent together after the fiasco at the Verger Estate. It was also too bad that Mason Verger's sister, Margot, was written out of the script. All in all, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the dark humor and the adventure. Hans Zimmer's score is magnificent! This is a really good film - not a great film, but a really good one. Don't go into it expecting to see another Silence of the Lambs. It's not - and I don't think anyone has ever tried to claim that it is. Expect to see a weird and wonderful love story and an adventure! (It's just too bad about that ending!). Summary: A Pleasure! IMDb Rating (08/01/12): 6.6/10 from 115,934 users IMDb Rating (08/05/01): 6.5/10 from 8,350 users
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