Hannibal Rising

Name: Hannibal Rising
Genre: Thriller, Crime
Released: February 9, 2007
Duration: 121 min
Rating: 35
Cast: Gaspard Ulliel, Li Gong, Rhys Ifans

2007

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Generally unfavorable reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 132 Ratings

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4.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 132 Ratings

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Hannibal Rising

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Movie Details & Credits

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) | Release Date: February 9, 2007 | R

Starring: Gaspard Ulliel, Li Gong, Rhys Ifans

Summary: In "Red Dragon" we learned who he was. In "Silence of the Lambs" we learned how he did it. Now comes the most chilling chapter in the life of Hannibal Lecter -- the one that answers the most elusive question of all -- why? (MGM)

Director: Peter Webber

Genre(s): Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 121 min

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Critic Reviews

Peter Hartlaub

Hannibal Rising isn't a classic, but it's entertaining and a surprisingly fitting addition to the franchise. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Ken Fox

It's a handsomely mounted but poky thriller undone by a fatally miscast lead. Read full review

Dennis Harvey

This upmarket slasher is a well-produced but slow-moving thriller that never quite roars to life. Read full review

David Edelstein

Hannibal Rising is basically a Steven Seagal vigilante movie with a hero who eats the people he kills. At least it's ecofriendly. Read full review

Josh Rosenblatt

Who would have thought mass murder and cannibalism could be so dull? Read full review

Phil Vettel

A sort-of combination of "Lambs," "Batman Begins" and "The Joy of Cooking," Hannibal Rising ostensibly dramatizes the atrocities that turned Hannibal Lecter from loving child to serial killer. But this film is larded up with so many food references that I'm undecided whether this story belongs in a film compendium or a recipe file. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Silly, slack and unforgivably tedious, Thomas Harris's screenplay is padded with interminable flashbacks and a bombastic score that telegraphs every emotion Hannibal represses. And there are a lot of them. Read full review

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User Reviews

SergioJ.

Jun 1, 2007

I don't understand why this movie received very terrilbe reviews. It was one of the best recent movies I have viewed. Ive never seen the other two in the Lecter series but this sure is good.

1 of 3 users found this helpful

AlanD.

Feb 10, 2007

Its always kinda funny to watch critics trip over themselves in blasting something as atrocious when it's merely not that great. it was about as engaging and boringly weird as red dragon and hannibal was, but harris still manages to create that hannibal magnetism that, despite theIts always kinda funny to watch critics trip over themselves in blasting something as atrocious when it's merely not that great. it was about as engaging and boringly weird as red dragon and hannibal was, but harris still manages to create that hannibal magnetism that, despite the distracting fluff surrounding him, makes you not care for anything but the pure entertainment from his infalliabillity. a good watch, if not a particularly good movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Tss5078

Feb 24, 2013

Contrary to popular belief, this movie is not about Anthony Hopkins experimenting with Viagra. In fact, the man who made Hannibal Lecter a household name, doesn't so much as have a cameo in this film. Hannibal Rising takes the story to where it's never been before, back to the beginning. WeContrary to popular belief, this movie is not about Anthony Hopkins experimenting with Viagra. In fact, the man who made Hannibal Lecter a household name, doesn't so much as have a cameo in this film. Hannibal Rising takes the story to where it's never been before, back to the beginning. We see a young Hannibal in Europe, during WWII, and we learn how he grew into the monster he became. What made this different from the other Lecter films, was that Hannibal is seen as a good guy for much of the film, just out seeking revenge. French film star Gaspard Ulliel is fantastic in his first American film and was the perfect choice to play a young lecter. As a fan of the film franchise, I found this movie fascinating, but as an outsider I can see how some people would find it a bit long and slow.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

PatC.

Jul 3, 2007

After five minutes the premise is a foregone conclusion: Young Hannibal sets out on a vendetta to find closure with past dinner guests who had served up his sister as the main course. It makes sense as a tale of revenge, but is neither engaging nor indicative as to how he went on to become After five minutes the premise is a foregone conclusion: Young Hannibal sets out on a vendetta to find closure with past dinner guests who had served up his sister as the main course. It makes sense as a tale of revenge, but is neither engaging nor indicative as to how he went on to become the insanely dispassionate gourmet irrepressibly played by Hopkins. Upon reflection it does explain why Hannibal was attracted to Starling and her quest to come to terms with her past, but this only makes Silence of the Lambs more of an achievement. It does not make Hannibal Rising a better movie, and the procession of blown opportunities is the most shocking thing about it. I hope that any sequel concerning Hannibal's transitional years serves up whoever wrote the unimaginative dialogue.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Cementer200

Sep 24, 2020

Hannibal Rising is a bad movie. the story doesn't fit in the Hannibal Lecter movie series. what were they thinking giving Hannibal Lecter a backstory? if some told me this psychology thriller set in post world war II France and has nothing thing to do with Hannibal Lecter I would've likedHannibal Rising is a bad movie. the story doesn't fit in the Hannibal Lecter movie series. what were they thinking giving Hannibal Lecter a backstory? if some told me this psychology thriller set in post world war II France and has nothing thing to do with Hannibal Lecter I would've liked this movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MovieManiac83

Apr 24, 2015

Hannibal Rising is the funniest movie of the year - a true laugh riot. Viewers will be holding their sides to contain the laughter. Forget Borat - if you're looking for something hilarious, this is the movie to see. What's that? It's not supposed to be a comedy. Oops.

First of all, whoHannibal Rising is the funniest movie of the year - a true laugh riot. Viewers will be holding their sides to contain the laughter. Forget Borat - if you're looking for something hilarious, this is the movie to see. What's that? It's not supposed to be a comedy. Oops.

First of all, who had the bright idea of making a Hannibal movie without Anthony Hopkins? That's like making a Pink Panther movie without Peter Sellars. (Yes, they did that and look at the result.) Frankly, after The Silence of the Lambs, the only reason to see the Hannibal movies was because of Hopkins. Secondly, using the critically panned novel by Thomas Harris as the template was another bad move. To his credit, Harris manages to make the screenplay worse than the novel.

Hannibal Rising effectively demystifies one of the 20th century's most iconic cinematic villains, stripping away his icy intellect and turning him into just another victim of a bad childhood. With its trifecta of bad writing, bad acting, and bad direction, Hannibal Rising is to Silence of the Lambs as Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is to Superman. Critical miscalculations at every turn have taken this latest (and hopefully last) Hannibal movie beyond the realm of camp and into that special hell reserved for only the most rancid of sequels.

Hannibal Rising is a gross excursion into bad melodrama, clumsily cannibalizing everything from war movies and vampire flicks to the previous Hannibal films. To call the film's tone uneven would be kind and to consider the lead actor's performance anything close to acceptable would require greater hyperbole than I can produce. There are, however, laughs to be had - all of which are unintentional. Even the movie's self-important style can provide chuckles, but the real humor comes from the overacting and the absurd plot contortions. Not since Kevin Costner's The Postman has a "serious" movie ventured so far into unintentional comedy. In the history of Dino DeLaurentiis motion pictures, this one is second-worst, beaten only by the crapfest of King Kong Lives.

Based on his performance in A Very Long Engagement, I would have never guessed that Gaspard Ulliel had it in him to act this badly. His performance careens from lifeless to campy with little ground in between, and there always seems to be a smile on his face. One might be willing to accept that he looks nothing like Anthony Hopkins had he brought anything except ridicule to the role. As for the other lead: I'm glad that Gong Li is getting more international exposure via English-speaking parts but I have to believe that her limitations with the language caused her to misread the script. There's no other explanation for why she would appear here, once again playing a Japanese woman. She is, however, Hannibal Rising's saving grace. Her acting is about as good as one could hope for in these circumstances and, at age 41, she is stunning. One other note: you know you're in trouble when comedic actor Rhys Ifans is one of the villains.

It would be interesting to know how Peter Webber (Girl with a Pearl Earring) became involved in this misbegotten project. His work appears to be that of a director for hire. There's no style evident. Meanwhile, Hannibal's creator, Thomas Harris, has apparently elected to destroy his creation during this outing. Not only does he postulate an absurd reason for the character's later psychosis but he provides an individual who is so at variance with the Anthony Hopkins version that we can't believe they're supposed to be the same man. It would have been better to give the character another name. It wouldn't have made Hannibal Rising any better, but it would have prevented The Silence of the Lambs from suffering guilt by association.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

EricC.

Mar 23, 2007

I'm not really reviewing this movie. It's crap, period. I just want to point out the plost holes in Emo Kid's review.This was your first R rated movie, but you're a fan of the Hannibal series? And the reason they didn't make this movie first isn't because they I'm not really reviewing this movie. It's crap, period. I just want to point out the plost holes in Emo Kid's review.This was your first R rated movie, but you're a fan of the Hannibal series? And the reason they didn't make this movie first isn't because they didn't want to turn hurt their franchise. It's because the book for this movie was written long after the previous novels and was just recently published. And it sucks because Harris was pretty much blackmailed in to writing the prequel, and probably intentially made it garbage. Now stop spewing nonsense, Kid.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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