BRIEF THOUGHTS: Hannibal

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Julianne Moore, Anthony Hopkins
Plot: Ten years after his escape from the asylum, Dr. Hannibal Lecter decides to come out of retirement, and Clarice Starling must face him once again.
Thoughts: Ridley Scott had a tough job on his hands when he chose to adapt the most complex novel about Hannibal Lecter for the big screen. Unfortunately, the result is mediocre at best. Given the absence of Jodie Foster, Moore does a decent job taking on the role of Starling, but one can only wish her efforts had gone towards a better script. This is the goriest of the Hannibal films so far, and that wouldn't be a problem unless, like Silence of the Lambs, it came at the culmination of suspense. Unfortunately, most of the suspense is lost in the break-neck pace. Though the last scene falls flat, the film's climax is handled relatively well, and is the only case in which the tempo creates a sense of dread. Hopkins is just as spectacular as usual, and to his credit manages to brings a lot of life into what winds up being a somewhat disappointing sequel.