Hannibal Review
by Ishmael Williams
Okay, let's get right to it. I found this movie to be so-so.
It had been billed by someone I know as "the goriest movie" he'd
ever seen. I therefore went with an expectation to be grossed out beyond
description. But honestly, I've seen worse in some action-adventure flicks.
Be warned, what was there was graphic to be sure. But I wouldn't call it
the goriest flick I've seen.
Anthony Hopkins did, in my opinion a good job of recreating the
title character. He brought the urbane charm he showed in the first film
(Silence of the Lambs) back to this one, and pretty much made me care for
the character at key points. No, none of those key points involved eating.
Still, I thought there was some fatigue in the role. It didn't seem as
cracklingly fresh as in the first installment.
Clarice Starling was played this time by Julianne Moore, and I must
say I've not seen many main characters as unsympathetic and unable to arouse
my loyalty as this portrayal. I'm sure Ms. Moore is a fine actress, but I
did not like the direction in which they took Starling. To say more is to
give away key points of plot, but it is a bit of a departure from what we
knew.
Beyond that, the other major detraction of the film is that there
are too many characters and too many motivations. With so much driving so
many, no time can be spent really on getting to understand why some of the
important-but-extra characters are doing what they are doing. The movie
would have moved a bit better and quicker with fewer people doing things
about which we needed to know and care.
In the end, I give this one 3 beakers because Hopkins worked so
hard. It is not one I'd see again, nor add to my video collection.
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Hannibal
Three Beakers
(out of five)
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Ishmael I. Williams is a fan of both movies and television, and
doesn't get to see as much as he'd like in any given year. Still, what he
does get to see he enjoys writing about, and hope people will stop by from
time to time to see what he has to say. He also thinks he's going to be a
pretty good foil for Tim Wick, fellow board member and with whom he often
disagrees on a film (ask Tim and Ish about Wild Wild West sometime).
He previously wrote an obituary for Ray Walston
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