User Score
8.8 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 171 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 5 out of 171

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  1. MarcD.
    Apr 3, 2001
    10
    This is one of those movies that had me glued to my seat in fear. Not your classic horror format, but you could cut the atmosphere in it with a very large knife.
  2. MichaelF.
    Sep 2, 2001
    10
    Probably the greatest film ever made! I wasn't too scared but it was very disturbing! I can't believe that Ted Levine wasn't nominated!
  3. IvelisseS.
    Oct 18, 2002
    10
    This movie is like no other, is thrilling and exciting. How one man can have a great deal of influence over a person and have them do what he wants.
  4. [Anonymous]
    Jan 8, 2002
    10
    Definitely a '10.'
  5. AmyS.
    Sep 25, 2002
    10
    One of the best thriller films ever made. Can watch it again and again to just hear hannibal's creepy voice!
  6. BeckyW.
    Jul 3, 2003
    10
    This is the best horror/thriller film I have ever seen.
  7. AlexanderW.
    Oct 8, 2004
    10
    Excellent story, excellent acting, exceptional 2DVD Special Edition.
  8. wooo
    Apr 3, 2005
    10
    Amazing. Gripping from start to finish. Surely the best thriller ever made.
  9. RH
    Apr 3, 2005
    10
    Anthony Hopkins is perfect as a terrifying, psycotic cannibal. I can't get enough of it!
  10. JimD
    Oct 23, 2006
    10
    This was the best movie I have ever seen.
  11. KellyB.
    Jan 27, 2007
    10
    Love it, love it, love it. Hopkins is amazing - some of the best acting every put on film. And Foster is breathtaking as Clarice. It gives me chills every time I watch it.
  12. RyanM.
    Aug 13, 2001
    10
    Not often do you see a film this razor-sharp. It's one of the most suspensful films of all time, and after a decade of film, it still holds it's ground.
  13. Veronica
    Aug 17, 2002
    10
    I've never been more scared in my life!!!
  14. PatC.
    Dec 18, 2003
    10
    Kindly allow me to add my 10 to the Average User Rating. Agent Starling had her defining moment with the lambs. Such a twist of fate seem preordained, affecting a person before it even occurs, as in some time warp. This idea underscored the obvious events, and showed how far the mind can deviate from a nonproblematic modulation and still function. And, just plain old riveting storytelling.
  15. RubenR.
    Apr 24, 2003
    10
    3rd best movie ever truly complex yet frightening deserved all 5 academy awards and critc awards.
  16. AndrewM.
    May 17, 2004
    10
    This is a film of amazing suspense, driven home largely by the unbearable scene at the end (you know the one). I wouldn't call it a horror film, nor even a scary film. For me it was a penetrating psychological drama, stylish and smart, with moments of intense suspense. But whatever you call it, it is an exceptional film! The acting is flawless (has evil ever been epitomised more fully than by Hopkin's performance?), the story is riveting, and the production is scrupulous. An truly unforgettable film, sadly not liven up to by its descendant. Expand
  17. TylerG.
    May 7, 2007
    10
    One of the best movies I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot of movies. From the acting to the story this movie was a 10 in every category. Go buyh this DVD right now!
  18. EmmanuelG.
    May 28, 2001
    10
    The movie adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs is exciting, captivating and superbly acted. Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins bring to life two of the most complex and intense characters I have ever seen in my life: Clarice Starling, a metaphor of fortitude in the face of danger, and Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a metaphor of calculated evil behind a sophisticated veneer.
  19. AlishaT.
    Oct 12, 2002
    10
    An excellent film! Still shines, even through a decade of films! Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins create such electricity between the two characters, that your mind almost wants them together. Deserves every compliment!
  20. FrankieM.
    Dec 16, 2002
    10
    I never left my seat for a second.
  21. DanC.
    Apr 16, 2004
    10
    Anthony Hopkins creates one of the greatest characters ever! He's only in the movie for about 20-30 minutes, yet he dominates the film. Foster does a pretty good job too.
  22. patrick
    Jul 23, 2005
    10
    One of the scariest and one of the absolute best movies I've ever seen!
  23. CharlieN.
    May 17, 2006
    10
    One of my favorite films of all time! Mind-blowing!
  24. Jan 4, 2011
    10
    A classic. Everyone in this film brings their A-game. Whenever Ted Levine or Anthony Hopkins were n the screen, the tension went up. Although the film is quite slow, the tension is kept up with a great musical score and great dialogue. It kept my eyes glued to the screen.
  25. Oct 14, 2010
    10
    if u looking for a amazing acting and amazing story then this movie is the right choice and its one of the best i have ever seen ,this movie will make speechless at some moments at i was
  26. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    A great thriller that easily gets your attention from the beginning to the end. And the actors did an amazing job, especially Anthony Hopkins. But, this movie isn't particularly scary, and I wouldn't complain if there were more scares.
  27. Jun 28, 2011
    10
    A fantastic, haunting experience. You won't be scared in the traditional horror movie sense, but you will be terrified in the psychological horror sense. Anthony Hopkins is absolutely haunting as Hannibal Lecter, and he pulls the roll off very well. A classic movie that no sane person will want to miss. It may be slow, but your attention will not be lost. One of the best films of the last 50 years, easily. Expand
  28. Mar 4, 2013
    10
    How anybody could not like this moving is beyond me. Director Jonathan Demme did a fantastic job and all of the actors were marvelous, especially Hopkins and Foster. The film is an 11/10. A 10/10 doesn't do it justice.
  29. Oct 15, 2012
    10
    One of the best movies in history , What if Brian De Palma directed Silence of the Lambs? It's funny because Lithgow was a choice to play Lecter when Manhunter was in production.
  30. Oct 6, 2012
    10
    A surprisingly great film. Great performances by the lead actors, which contribute all the more to the sense of tension throughout the film, and a stunning finale. One of the most breathtaking movies I have ever seen (and I say this as a person who generally dislikes the horror/thriller genre).
  31. May 3, 2013
    10
    Two hours is long for movie time, but watching this might make you think it is like watching only 30 minutes. This movie is epic and contains all the things needed for a horror flick. I agree if IMDb who gave it an high rating of 8.8/ 10. Seriously, you can't watch any horror as good as this.
  32. May 13, 2013
    10
    hannibal anthony terrorises one n all wid his ever engaging killer stare..foster deservs a standing ovation for hr potrayl of a lady cop,who finds a way 2 ovrcum hr fears n solve d most notorious of cases.grt background score,intense screen presence of d cast,all n all a director's mastrpc
  33. S.K.
    May 2, 2004
    9
    I would like to have given this film an 8.5, but it wasn't an option. My only reason for not giving it a 10 has to do with the ending. After almost 2 hours of innovation and intelligent intrigue, the ending just bombed. Totally. All I kept thinking was: "What are you DOING? Get out of there and call for backup!" Instead, Clarice just wandered about ridiculously. And the more she did, the more it grated on my nerves. If I were to write the ending I would have had "Wild Bill" cut the lights around the time he went to look for that phone number/address. At least that way, the suspense would have begun much sooner and it would have been out of Clarice?s control. I believe that would have forged a legitimate drama instead of the way it was scripted. Just my 2 cents; your mileage may vary. Expand
  34. JM
    May 19, 2009
    9
    This is a classic movie and todays horror movies should take some notes. No this movie is not the scariest movie but it still makes you think about it well after it is over. In my opinion there is not enough credit given to the author of the novel, with too much credit being given to the director. The story is what makes the movie so chilling, while the direction was an important component. As for the person who said it was stupid for Clarice to go downstairs, I would suggest you read the book as it describes whats going on in her head at the time. She knew that if she waited till she got backup Catherine would be dead. It is a tough decision, risk your life or let someone else get killed, but I wouldn't call it a stupid decision. Like I said, I would check out the book if you liked the movie, it is obviously much more detailed than the movie and it's very fast paced. That being said, the movie is a classic and thats coming from someone who doesn't like horror movies. Amazing job by Anthony Hopkins. Expand
  35. GavinC
    Jul 27, 2009
    9
    This is a near-perfect film because it chooses to get inside the viewer's head instead of displaying blood and carnage every 5 minutes.
  36. Jun 3, 2011
    9
    Horror movies are either going to be your best friend, or your worst nightmare. They either scare you to death, or you love them. Now most people would say the scarier, the better. But if something is scary to you, I don't see how you could like it. And yet, this film had scared me like never before and yet I can never let go of the feeling of how amazing it was. The Silence of the Lambs is a crime-suspense thriller, starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. It's about a FBI trainee Clarice Starling, who is assigned to help capture a serial killer by the name of Buffalo Bill. She simply has to question a former murderer, Hannibal Lector, better known as "Hannibal the Cannibal". The FBI believes there might be some sort of connections between the two killers, and asks Clarice to figure out what. And what begins as a small questioning process begins to evolve into one of the greatest crime story ever told. The Silence of the Lambs won 5 Academy Awards, including Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, and Best Picture. It truly deserved all these wins, especially the acting. Jodie Foster's acting as Clarice Starling was great, but what really made this film worthwhile was Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector. Never have I seen a villain so kind, yet so sinister and evil. Every word and breath he takes is haunting. You know that even when he talks so kindly to Clarice, he has some evil thoughts or something processing in his mind that the viewer can't just understand. That's what makes Anthony Hopkins the best thing about the whole film. Then I believe the second best thing is the cinematography. This film's cinematography is excellent, and done like no other movie before. You see that whenever there's a new character introduced, it's shown in the perspective of the main characterâ Expand
  37. May 25, 2012
    9
    One of the classic horror films. Anthony Hopkins' performance is brilliant and definitely creepy. Jodie Foster also did a brilliant job in the film. Everything is just fantastic. There is nothing I can say...just excellence from this classic film............
  38. Dec 9, 2011
    9
    Foster and Hopkins really shine on their roles. Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling could not ask for best performers. Add an impeccable screenplay and an involving, organic directon from Demme, and then you have the best thriller for years to come.
Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 17 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 17
  2. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. An accomplished, effective, grisly, and exceptionally sick slasher film that I can't with any conscience recommend, because the purposes to which it places its considerable ingenuity are ultimately rather foul.
  2. 88
    It has been a good long while since I have felt the presence of Evil so manifestly demonstrated as in the first appearance of Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs.
  3. Demme's pacing is tight throughout, marred only by some low-angle close-ups of the cannibal that are right out of old Vincent Price thrillers. [Feb 18, 1991]