• Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore
  • Summary: Hannibal continues the story begun in "The Silence of the Lambs." Ten years have passed since Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins) escaped from custody, ten years since FBI Agent Clarice Starling (Moore) interviewed him in a maximum-security hospital for the criminally insane. The doctor is now at large in Italy, gloriously at liberty in an unguarded world. But Starling has never forgotten her encounters with Dr. Lecter -- his cold voice still haunts her dreams. (Universal Pictures) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 36
  2. Negative: 1 out of 36
  1. 90
    It's unmissable, flaws and all, because riveting suspense spiced with diabolical laughs and garnished with a sprig of kinky romance add up to the tastiest dish around.
  2. 60
    Though the movie is clearly meant to work on its own, the relationship between Starling and Lecter plays best if you're familiar with "Lambs."
  3. 0
    Hannibal, which is very likely the worst film of this year and quite possibly the next, achieves what no movie I can recall ever even attempting: It somehow manages to be both repugnant and boring.

See all 36 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 26
  2. Negative: 1 out of 26
  1. Hopkins portrayal of Lecter was not like it's predecessor (Silence of the Lambs)...Making Hannibal feel more like a pompous old geezer with a taste for hedonism and human flesh. Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  2. 10
    This movie is superb, i strongly believe that those that didn't enjoy it did not or perhaps cannot appreciate its finer points. I don't know what people were expecting but i watched this alone and still gave a round of applause when the credits rolled. Its a deep and interesting story because while Hannibal is a killer, and of course a gruesome cannibal, everyone he killed in some way deserved it, and if youve read the books you will know that the trauma Hannibal suffered as a child goes a long way to excuse him. So the films begs the viewer the question as to his morality, and his punishment if any at all. The viewer perhaps will grow to like Hannibal, and so will be presented with many philosophical quandaries as the film progresses, would they rather see him jailed or free, alive or dead? Hannibals interaction with Agent Starling is a fascinating one, wrought with sexual and psychological tension as agent Starling and the viewer both *feel* that Hannibal wouldn't harm her, but you are never quite sure and neither is she. The pace of the film builds up to a climactic finish which doesn't give itself away until the very end. You are always guessing, will they run away together? will he kill her? will she kill him? will she hand him into the police? will he escape? Watch it and see. I would say that this film doesn't hold your hand, there are a lot of finer details which may be unappreciable to those who haven't read the books or at least seen the "dragon rising" movie which explains Hannibals childhood. Many will be dismayed by the end because they think that Hannibal is meant to be a cardboard cut out villain, he isn't, and they're wrong, this is a fantastic movie. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. R.Dalvi
    5
    The brain scene is awful and disgusting. But Anthony hopkins' terrifc performance almost lifts it from the pits of mediocrity. Moore9;s charcter sketch is very poor though. but her performance is very good. Not as suspenseful as The Silence of the Lambs but has more gruesome violence than it. Also, Oldman is good but is not recognisable. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 26 User Reviews

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