Hannibal (2001)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, Ray Liotta
Director: Ridley Scott
Synopsis: The screens most famous culinary cannibal returns
Reviewed by: Ali Khan

 

It has been a decade since Hannibal Lecter escaped from FBI custody, having helped Agent Clarice Starling kill the serial killer Buffalo Bill. Since then Starling's career has not developed quite as she may have hoped and now she finds herself increasingly alienated from her seniors at the FBI.

Also living under the shadow of Lecter is a former patient of the doctor. Referred to Lecter after being arrested for sexually abusing children, Mason Verger remains Lecter's only surviving victim - but that was not before Lecter had persuaded a drugged Verger to 'cut off his own face' and feed it to the dogs. Now the hideously deformed Verger having put a huge bounty on Lecter's head, lives for a bloody revenge which involves feeding the doctor to his 'raised for the job' flesh eating pigs.

Hannibal Lecter himself has taken up a temporary post as a library curator in an art museum in Florence - where better for this connoisseur of cuisine and art to spend his time? Unfortunately, a local cop becomes suspicious and when Lecter hears that his old acquaintance, Agent Starling, is being stitched up by the FBI, he decides to 'come out of retirement' and settle a few scores. Hannibal is one of the most eagerly awaited sequels of recent years and for the most part, the film is efficiently handled - well acted, technically polished and relatively intelligently scripted. Unfortunately, for fans of Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal suffers from an inevitable flaw - the 'mainstreaming' of Lecter.

In Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal was the heart and soul of the film and his confrontations with Clarice Starling crackled with tension and menace. But we in fact saw little of Lecter and almost whenever we did see him, he was behind bars or tightly bound. Yet Jonathan Demme was able to create an aura of such menace that you could believe that simply talking to Lecter could be fatal. Let him into your head and Lecter would destroy you. And then along came this rookie officer who struck a chord with this evil persona and that was the start of an unlikely bond. Now, the accent is on Lecter the refined killer. He dresses immaculately, is a man of charm and sophistication with a tendency to cracking the occasional humorous quip - 'Ta ta Clarice or Okey Dokey'. Lecter is no longer fearsome.

Whereas in Silence of the Lambs you would fear for a child coming anywhere near this 'monster', now when Lecter explains to a young boy what he is eating, you almost feel that he should adopt the child! As in the 'progression' of Starling's character and the relationship between Starling and Hannibal, the scriptwriters may have felt that the respective characters would have developed along these lines. But as far as the film is concerned it takes the edge and the tension out. The foreboding and darkness of Silence of the Lambs gave it a relentless tension. Hannibal lacks that preferring to use the popular appeal of the Hannibal character and strains of dark humour. But while it was obvious that Hannibal would be the star of any Silence of the Lambs sequel, director Ridley Scott and script writers Steve Zallian and David Mamet must take responsibility for over doing character. Hannibal walks around freely in Florence despite being on the FBI's ten most wanted criminals list. Osama Bin Laden has to live in underground caverns in remote Afghanistan to avoid detection.

Ah! but he hasn't the fastidiousness and foresight of Dr. Lecter, who even wipes the wine glass he uses at a local restaurant to remove any sign of fingerprints. Lecter isn't a step ahead of his rivals - he's miles ahead. Hannibal Lecter, it has to be said, is transformed into a villain more suited to a Bond film than a follow up to Silence of the Lambs and there is a danger that by making him so accessible, Lecter will lose the edge that made him what he is.

Don't be surprised if you have Lecter dolls reprising his famous quips from the film. Despite my criticism the film standing on its own is perfectly enjoyable. Hopkins brings panache and a dash of humour rather than fear and menace to his Lecter character. Julianne Moore's role is far less interesting than Jodie Foster's but she brings a natural maturity to the character. Oldman, as is often the case, steals the show as the hideous Verger. Well, him and his flesh eating pigs! Ridley Scott directs with his usual technical proficiency but sadly his failure to follow his own 'less is more' approach a la Alien, robs the film of tension and atmosphere.

On its own, enjoyable fare. But compared to Silence of the Lambs it would be to Hannibal Lecter's taste buds, akin to comparing a gourmet meal to a fast food one.