Hannibal brainy sequel to Silence
by Ashley Clark, entertainment editor

    Hannibal definitely lives up to its expectations as the intellectually terrifying and fascinating sequel to the 1991 Academy Award winning Silence of the Lambs.

    However, MGM warns against “strong gruesome violence,” and those who are squeamish and visually sensitive should take caution when considering this film.

    Ten years have passed since Dr. Hannibal Lecter escaped from prison and since his interview with Clarice Starling.

    He is now a reputable doctor in Florence, Italy. However, he is bored with life. He thinks of Starling often and has been following her career as an FBI agent via the media.

    Memories of their encounter haunt her as well, and she is intrigued when she receives a letter from him saying that he would “like to come out of hibernation and return to public life.”

    He is provoked to act on his desire when his picture is once-again added to the FBI’s “most wanted” list and is linked to a $3 million reward offered by Lecter’s surviving sixth victim, Mason Verger.

    Lecter quickly learns that Starling is also involved in the quest to return him to prison. Perhaps it is his desire to meet up with her again that leads him to return to his old ways and once again run from the FBI.

    Silence of the Lambs is memorable for the shocking, bizarre and ghastly actions of Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lecter.

    Hannibal not only lives up to this reputation, but also offers a more visually descriptive look at Lecter’s encounters with his victims.

    Visual tolerance is of no consideration for director, Ridley Scott. When the camera is expected to shy away and let the audience draw its own conclusion as Lecter lifts a knife to disembowel a victim or as hungry wild bores charge a bleeding man, it zooms in and shines its brightest light engraving disturbing images in one’s mind.

    When the plot introduces Verger, he is hideously disfigured. There are many shameless close-ups of him along with a stomach-turning flashback showing the reason for his disfiguration.

    Such directorial decisions satisfy the curiosity, but they also raise the question of how much is too much? Sporadic moments of violence are only the appetizer to the shocking, nauseating and possibly offensive last 30 minutes of the film.

    The conclusion is enough to make even the most tolerable movie watcher feel faint when leaving. Anthony Hopkins is indescribably astounding in his portrayal of Lecter.

    His presence on the screen generates as much terror as it does excitement, and he is the primary reason for Hannibal’s predicted success.

    Although the cannibalistic nature and gruesome crimes committed by Lecter should make him a hated character, his quick wit and deadly allure combined with the talent of Hopkins make him fascinating and almost shamefully endearing.

    The eerie music and stark white lighting that surrounded his trademark stone cold voice in Silence of the Lambs was not left out and is equally effective this time around.

    Missing from the Silence of the Lambs’ coterie is Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, a role for which she won an Academy Award 10 years ago.

    Filling in for the sequel is actress Julianne Moore. Although there are some noticeable changes in the character, her performance is not a disappointment.

    In an interview, Moore complimented Foster’s performance in the original film, but pointed out that Hannibal is a different movie.

    “The last time we saw Clarice Starling, she was still a student,” Moore said.

    “Now, she’s a 10-year veteran of the FBI. So that gives me a different place to start interpreting the character. She is quite a different person at this point in her life,” she added.

    Starling has always been a strong and amiable character. However, Moore succeeds in aging her strength by showing a fearlessness that the younger Starling lacked.

    Other than that, Moore followed Foster’s act completely—right down to the strong South-western accent.

    The famed chemistry between Hopkins and Foster is essentially irreplaceable; however, the Hopkins/ Moore combination is enough to divert from a comparison.

    In fact, when it was announced that Foster was not able to do the film, it was Hopkins who influenced Moore’s invitation.

    “I don’t have any power in casting,” Hopkins said, “but when her name was mentioned, my immediate reaction was, ‘For my money, I think she’s the perfect one for the part.’”

    Moore proves his instincts to be accurate, for it is hard to imagine that another actress could have been considered for the part.

    Hannibal is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

    Those who enjoyed the bizarre, engaging and enigmatic Silence of the Lambs will welcome the chance to catch up with Dr. Lecter and Agent Starling.

    Even though the word sequel frequently makes fans cringe because of Hollywood’s reputation of making try-to-be’s, Hannibal is sufficient enough to stand on its own merit.

    Hannibal is rated “R” for strong gruesome violence, some nudity and language.

    MGM strongly discourages persons under the age of 17 from viewing the film.