HANNIBAL (2001) / ***
Directed by Ridley Scott. Screenplay by David Mamet and Steven Zaillian, based on the novel by Thomas Harris. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Giancarlo Giannini. Running time: 134 minutes. Rated AA for blood letting by the MFCB. Reviewed on February 19th, 2001.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
I admit, I had some concerns about "Hannibal" heading into the theatre. Thomas Harris' novel of the same name (unread by me) was hardly a critical darling, and neither "Silence Of The Lambs" director Jonathan Demme nor Clarice Starling originator Jodie Foster -- in many ways the lynchpin of the earlier movie -- were returning for the new installment. Sequels are often a mixed bag, anyway: for every successful follow-up such as "The Godfather Part II", there have been dozens of odious imitators like "The Lost World".
As a sequel to "Silence" and as a movie in its own right, "Hannibal" falls somewhere around the upper middle of the pack. Certainly, it is very different from its predecessor -- whereas that film was a taught, atmospheric thriller, "Hannibal" tends toward dark comedy. "Silence" boasted a superb, absorbing plot; "Hannibal" is almost entirely a character piece, with a patchwork story which primarily exists as a showcase for the title cannibal. And make no mistake, this movie is entirely owned by the murderous Hannibal Lecter, played once again by Anthony Hopkins.
When last we saw him at the end of "Silence", Lecter had escaped custody and fled to Europe. "Hannibal" picks up the story a decade on, with Lecter masquerading as the interim head of a Florence art museum. Investigating the disappearance of the museum's previous director is the unfortunately-named Inspector Pazzi (Giancarlo Giannini), who soon uncovers the truth about Lecter's identity. Rather than bring his suspicions to his police superiors, however, Pazzi keeps the knowledge to himself, hoping to capture Lecter and win the substantial reward offered by American millionaire Mason Verger (Gary Oldman).
Verger, it transpires, was the only survivor of Hannibal's original killing spree. A paedophile, Verger had been placed in Lecter's psychiatric care, only to suffer abhorrent tortures at the murderer's hands, resulting in his gruesome disfigurement. Verger wants revenge on Lecter, and has secretly engaged the services of FBI lawyer Paul Krendler (Ray Liotta), who puts him in touch with Agent Clarice Starling (now played by Julianne Moore). Starling has problems all her own: a drug bust gone wrong has threatened her entire career. As Verger draws the threads of his plan together, it is only a matter of time before Hannibal and Clarice meet once more.
As good as Foster was in "Silence", few people will dispute that it was Hopkins' portrayal of Lecter that was the most memorable aspect of that much-laurelled film -- despite the fact that he was on-screen for less than one-fifth of the running time. In "Hannibal", Hopkins takes centre stage, and his performance is more than up to the challenge. Lecter is truly a quintessential movie villain, up there with Darth Vader and Bela Lugosi's Dracula. Despite his atrocities, no matter how inherently reprehensible his bloody lifestyle, Lecter is charming and captivating. If you had to be eaten by a fellow human being, is there anyone you'd rather have devour your kidneys than Hannibal the Cannibal?
Much of the attraction of the character comes from the deep conviction Hopkins brings to the role. Yes, by traditional human morality, Lecter is a monster. But, in Hopkins' hands, Hannibal is lifted beyond such pedestrian mores: he is a law unto himself, adhering to his own beliefs in spite of society. Even his murders have their own perverse logic and nobility. In some ways, then, he is a classic anti-hero (albeit as warped an anti-hero as they come), a man who refuses to let petty strictures deter him from how he wants to live his life. Consequently, it is difficult not to admire Lecter's clarity of self; add to this his gentlemanly demeanour and you have a perfect role model (well, if only he didn't kill and devour people).
So engrossing is Hopkins' performance that all else pales in comparison. Particularly ill-served is Clarice, who is even more of a secondary character here than Hannibal was in "Silence". It is not surprising that Foster turned down the picture, which barely develops the character beyond her earlier appearance. Moore's version of the role is at best serviceable, but it seems clear that this is the fault of the script and not the actress.
Oldman does what he can with Verger, but his madman is doomed to toil in the shadow of Hannibal. So firmly ensconced is Hopkins in his role that Oldman simply cannot compete. Similarly, Giannini is never entirely satisfying as Pazzi -- the character lacks substance and motivation, and his ultimate fate is so clearly telegraphed that it is difficult to feel much connection with him.
But maybe that's entirely intentional. Rather appropriate to the European setting which dominates its first half, "Hannibal" is a rare Hollywood example of Grand Guignol, the late-nineteenth century French theatrical tradition of comedies thick with rape, murder and deeds equally heinous. Given how firmly established Hannibal's culinary preferences are in the minds of the audience, director Ridley Scott and scriptwriter Steven Zaillian (David Mamet authored an earlier, discarded draft) mine them for a number of creepy laughs. This builds up to a truly revolting -- yet somehow uncomfortably funny -- climax which will, I expect, cause the cancellation of any number of dinner parties in the next few weeks.
But, for all the Grand Guignol trappings of "Hannibal", Zaillian and Scott have otherwise forgotten to give the movie a real sense of story. There is a disjointed, episodic feel to events: even the aforementioned dinner scene feels like a tacked-on coda rather than a natural development of the plot. As a result, "Hannibal" possesses none of the atmosphere of "Silence", and for all its gross-out moments is nowhere near as scary.
Were the movie theatre a circus, "The Silence Of The Lambs" would be the centre ring. "Hannibal", on the other hand, would be the freak show just outside the main tent -- watchable and even mesmerising in its own right, but not something that will have stayed with its audience ten years later.
Copyright © 2001 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies/Hannibal.html
_______________________________________________________________________ / Shannon Patrick Sullivan | "We are all in the gutter, but some of us \ | shannon@mun.ca | are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde | \___________________________|__________________________________________/ | Popcorn Gallery Movie Reviews www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html | | Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time (Travel) /drwho.html |
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