Hannibal (2001)
- written August 2000
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Dr. Hannibal Lecter is back - and just as hungry as ever. Seems that after he escaped from the makeshift prison in Baltimore, he has found himself as the chief curator at a Italian art museum. But his lavish tastes are getting him in trouble. Clarice Starling is still paying attention 4 years later but her career has only been hurt by her initial success with Buffalo Bill. And one of the good doctor's living patients, Mason Verger, isn't satisfied at just surviving, he wants revenge. And he is planning it in meticulous fashion down to every last drop of blood. Who will get to Lecter first: the FBI or will Mason’s Italian mercenaries? Or will Clarice foil everything and let him continue to be free?
Overall: Well what can I say? The film revels in the gore and the drama it creates. Every scene seems to be in honor of it's own grossness. Explicit scenes of flesh being eaten, ripped apart, brain eating, etc. In essence, the film is a crude imitation of the first film. In and of itself the movie/book were both good - It sucks as a sequel because "Silence" was a nice psychological thriller - this is a gory thriller. To give you an example of difference: had part 1 been done like part 2, you would have seen "Buffalo Bob" actually cutting the skin off the woman while they were alive - maybe even showed Hannibal ripping the skin off the cop and opening his bowels ups, with close-ups. That's how 2 and 1 differ. I see this film like I see "Bram Stoker's Dracula" - book and movie. I hate Bram's book because I think the story should have been all about Dracula or all about Van Helsing and felt it really sucked by dedicating 1/2 of the book to each. The first film is all about Clarice Starling - this film is all about Hannibal -- together I don't think they work well. The brilliance in part 1 was the scenes where no main characters were involved - elevator scene and police staring at it -- this film shows too much - has deep close-ups of Mason Verger (who has no eyebrows, no lips, and generally has a "mushed" face) and at every part they can, the film seeks to disgust you. So when you go see this, you will be astounded at the character of Mason Veger because I guarantee you won't guess who it is - do e-mail me for the answer. Great acting by a great actor. But you'll think twice about getting fajitas ever again. :) Comparison: American Psycho meets The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover |
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