Hannibal

Grade: B-

Director Ridley Scott does a masterful job capitalizing on the fear he knows the audience brings walking into the theater, building suspense in this beautifully filmed worked. I had to remind myself to breathe for much of the film’s first hour. Anthony Hopkins is great here, reprising his famed role with much relish, even if the added years and added pounds attempt to betray him. Julian Moore is great here as well, outshining Jodie Foster’s somewhat overrated turn in the last film, bringing just the right mix of strength and hidden vulnerability to the role. Alas, in the final reel the film chooses slow motion and computer generated gore over genuine terror, and the audience leaves the theater feeling grossed-out rather than scared. This one might truly have the distinction of the single most disgusting moment on film, not something the filmmakers should be proud of. A fun enough ride for what it is – but it should have been something more.

More Movie Info: http://imdb.com/title/tt0212985/