Hannibal

The action picks up some months after Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter’s escape from that homey, isolated cell in Silence of the Lambs. He has fled to Florence, somehow conniving his way into a position as a museum curator, where he can cultivate and brag about his knowledge of the arts, most notably works depicting brutal hangings.

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Unfortunately, the movie itself is not as comprehensive. Jonathan Demme approached Silence of the Lambs from a rich, thought-provoking angle that reflected his usually offbeat sensibility; Ridley Scott directs Hannibal much like he helmed Gladiator, or even Alien: there’s a good guy, bad guy, big setting, conflict, and smash-em-up ending. That’s a major trip-up in the script, where the motivation for action is sacrificed in the name of just cutting to the chase. And he also contacts Starling again, continuing their unique game of cat-and-mouse.

Anyway, Lecter (the slithery Anthony Hopkins, if you didn’t already know) somehow ends up back on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. ack in the US, FBI agent Clarice Starling (a very capable Julianne Moore, slipping nicely into Jodie Foster’s creation) is in boiling hot water for the botched arrest of an HIV-positive drug lord, and feels her career slipping away as a result.

Julianne Moore does a fine job of inhabiting the role of Starling, affecting a slight twang, appearing sad, yet determined, and displaying that clean, hard-working look that Foster had. She soon meets with Mason Verger (Gary Oldman), a wounded, deformed man with lavish wealth, who is hell-bent on capturing and torturing Lecter by making him swine meal. Remember the grisly images of Silence of the Lambs? You can’t because there weren’t any. Veteran screenwriter David Mamet (State and Main) and rewrite man Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List) compile a tense, witty script, but holes like this are apparent. Which is unfair, because it’s certainly ample entertainment. ) Does it all come together? Kind of, but not as well as it could. Hopkins remains a treasure to watch and listen to, especially as Lecter: his visible contempt, crisp diction with that slight femininity in his voice, and confident quick motions, complete the picture of this complex, delicate man.

Common topics in this essay:
Silence Lambs, Schindlers List, Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Foster Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Jodie Fosters, Gladiator Alien, Scott Gladiator, Giancarlo Giannini, silence lambs, ridley scott, julianne moore,

Approximate Word count = 605
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

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