[7]

Hannibal Lecter is still on the lam (no pun intended) after the events in The Silence of the Lambs, but now there’s another killer who wants to bring him to justice. Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) directs this time, taking the subject matter into far more operatic territory. Where The Silence of the Lambs showed restraint with violence and gore, Hannibal does not. The last half-hour of Hannibal almost becomes an exploitation horror movie, if not for the intriguing climactic turn it presents in the relationship between Lecter and Starling. Anthony Hopkins delviers another terrific performance, but Julianne Moore (whom I usually adore) seems uncomfortable under her West Virginia accent. While I enjoy the visceral qualities of the film and its over-the-top final act, I take issue with the screenplay’s structure. There’s a very long, drawn-out sequence involving an Italian detective that dominates the middle of the movie. This subplot removes Starling almost entirely from the story, and has little bearing on the rest of the film. Screenwriters Steven Zaillian and David Mamet should have removed or replaced it (yes, I just told two of the most revered screenwriters in Hollywood they sucked). Despite the second act diversion, Hannibal plays to my proclivities. I’m a horror fan, and this movie serves up some good Grand Guignol. With Gary Oldman and Ray Liotta.