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Hannibal

Hannibal

List Price: $22.98
Your Price: $18.38
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good But Book Is Better....
Review: I first read the book "Hannibal" and later learned that there was to be a movie. I was excited and nearly broke my neck running to the theater when it came out. I was disappointed mainly becuz the book was nothing like the movie and vice versa.

HOWEVER, I did find the movie entertaining enough to order it on DVD. Julianne Moore did a wonderful job playing Sterling and Anthony Hopkins by far was excellent in the film as well.

Reading most of the reviews online and elsewhere, I see that lots of people termed this movie as a SEQUEL to "Silence Of The Lambs" and altho I can understand how and why this would be assumed, I personally don't see it as a sequel at all. Both movies are totally different from the other so in my opinion, the movies really shouldn't be correlated in the sense where Rocky I, II, and III or Nightmare on Elm Street trilogy would be.

The DVD in and of itself (Hannibal) comes with lots of features that I found very interesting and I'm glad I did buy it even if I wish the movie itself was at least a little similiar to the book - rather the ending, I should say.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Unfairly doomed to be compared with Silence of the Lambs
Review: The moment he signed on to film Hannibal, Ridley Scott must have known he would be thrown out of the window and left to dangle like a Pazzi. It was utterly unavoidable that Hannibal would be held up against Jonathan Demme's rendition of Silence of the Lambs, and inevitable it would come off second best. Silence of the Lambs is not just any old potboiler, after all.

So, instead of going head-to-head with Demme in the serial thriller stakes, Scott has done what any sensible director would do - made a different sort of film altogether. In some ways, he didn't have a choice - it's a different sort of book altogether. Inevitable though they may be, comparisons with Silence of the Lambs are pointless - you may as well compare Hannibal with The Remains of the Day - they both star Anthony Hopkins, after all.

Where Demme concentrated on the suspense and narrative, Scott explores Harris' characterisation and the deeper thematic content of Harris' writing. The scenes in Florence especially, dealing with avarice and betrayal and Dante's inferno - all of which manifest themselves in poor Pazzi's undoing - are beautifully shot and constructed. This isn't to say the pulse doesn't quicken from time to time along the way, of course. But this time Hopkins tends to play it for laughs and not chills.

The American half of the film is much less interesting, and departs more radically from Harris' novel. Sure, certain themes are reinforced - Starling repeatedly crosses bridges, (the Rubicon? the Styx?) and the steaming gates and "sulphurous" lakes of Mason Verger's estate are certainly equated with Dante's vision of hell from the earlier part of the film - but I think in this section Scott capitulates a little on his mission to avoid the cheap thriller, and inevitably it pales. Julianne Moore plays Clarice Starling in a far more one-dimensional fashion than Jodie Foster did, when, given Scott's ambition, you'd expect quite the reverse. The contrast between Moore's uneasy performance and Hopkins' assured one is marked. The old boy is clearly having a whale of a time.

The ending, which departs completely from Harris' original, seems to me to sell out the film's artistic pretenses in favour of commercial appeal (by the way, the "alternate ending" isn't very alternative at all, and is even less like the novel). Granted, the novel's ending wasn't popular, but it was courageous. The film's conclusion is neither, and the cynic in me wonders whether Scott wasn't leaving the way open for a sequel. Not, I should think, that Harris will write one.

So, no fifth star, but a fascinating movie - in parts - all the same.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: This addaptation of a horrible book fits.
Review: i think that they relied too much on shock value(but did it have allot!) and wasted a truely tallented cast in what is whithout a doubt one of the sorriest excuses of a film i have ever seen. when i saw this in the theatre, i spent more time looking at the innocent filmgoers facial expressions of digust than watching the movie so i rented it just cause my friends wanted to see it. needless to say the movie was a laugh riot(especialy in the end on the plane...hoo hoo ha!!!). This movie just ads to the list of movies lacking any inner depth but allot of gore.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hannibal- Best Movie Since Silence Of The Lambs
Review: Hannibal is one of the most gross movies I have ever seen, which makes it one of the best I have ever seen. Anthony Hopkins is a great actor, he makes the movie so convincing which makes it so much better than if there were any other actor. Moore is also a great actress, and its great to see her chase after Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lector. Ten years after his escape, he is taken off the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List. He comes back and tries to meet Clarice. I don't wanna give too much else away. If I had to choose between this and Silence Of The Lambs, it would be a nearly impossible decision. If action is your thing, I'd go with Silence Of The Lambs, but if you like more disgusting exciting thrillers, try Hannibal. But just do yourself a favor and buy them both.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Save your $$$
Review: This is a truly awful sequel. Not only is it overly gross and boring in many segments it has to live up to 2 great movies that preceeded it. Do you remember Exorcist 2? This is as bad. Moore and Hopkins give credible performances considering the weak script. I only give it 1 star for the acting by it's 2 stars otherwise were it possible I would give it zero.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Strange story, strange movie
Review: While this movie has some good qualities about it, it can safely be said that it isn't as good as "The Silence of the Lambs." The thing that gets this is the story. The story seems to have no real planning at all. Things happen that aren't ever really explored or aren't paid too much attention to. The story is basically a revenge plot, in which a rich former patient of Hannibal's wants to capture him and have him tortured to death because Hannibal horribly disfigured him. The movie has three stories in one. We have a guy who wants to capture Lecter to torture him, an Italian investigator who wants to capture Lecter for a reward, and Clarice Starling, who wants to capture Lecter and has to indure her disgrace in the FBI. While highly talked about, the violence isn't really as bad as people said it was. Most of the violence happens in 2 scenes. The music is amazing and the locations are amazing as well. I would recommend seeing it because it is interesting to watch, but don't take it seriously.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Hannibal
Review: Anthony Hopkins does it once again! As always he's wonderful in this film. Julianne Moore is exceptional and does a good job as Agent Starling.

The only thing I did't like about the DVD is this ~ "The Director's" cut out things that should have been left in the film. On the second DVD (that comes in this package) you will see the snip's that were left out of the film. They should for the most part have been left in the film and the DVD shoud be re-done and put back! Those snips matter to this film.

If I had to watch it for the first time again, I think I'd look at the second DVD first then watch the "movie".

All in all, it's a keeper.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Going Up.... Going Up.... Going Up........ BAM!!! It's DOWN!
Review: I read Hannibal as soon as I could get a copy of it!! I loved every minute very page!! Then word comes of a film version!! OMG!! I am psyched!!!! Then, YAYYYYYYYY, it comes out!! I run to the movie and grab a seat!! I sit through the first hour and a half, entranced with the beautiful cinematography and the compelling story....then.... disaster strikes!! ( Spoiler Ahead ) When the agent's head was cut off people began to laugh, not only did the actor act funny, the effect looked cartoonish! It ruined the movie! Plus the ending was a tad different from the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Hannibal Is The Worst Sequel Ever Made Since Halloween III
Review: Hannibal, the sequel to Manhunter and The Silence Of The Lambs, is by far the most disapointing movie ever. The ending was the worst part of the movie. I don't want to ruin it for you, but those who read the book will be disappointed. Now, don't get me wrong. I like Juilianne Moore. But, when you think of Clarice you think of Jodie Foster. It also ditches the psychological horror theme and goes for the more noir meets Italian Drama. It has a few wierd parts in it, but it was nothing like The Silence Of The Lambs. I suggest if you watched the first two, then you may want to rent the sequel. Othereise, save your money for the remake of The Red Dragon.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Enjoy
Review: Granted, I may be giving this movie 5 stars just so that "hopefully" it'll rise from an over all 3 and a half rating. When I first seen the movie I thought it was ok. I'm not sure why I even seen it because i read the book a while ago and thought it was just too darn strange. One thing though that gives the movie power is the excellent soundtrack. Really folks.. the soundtrack is outstanding. Especially the the last two tracks. The opera song i am especially fond of. And when you add the soundtrack with the movie it just makes it a lot better. I"m a little concerned though with the intense glorifying of Lecter in this movie(isn't this the guy who tried to bite the face off a nurse?" I enjoyed this film though in that the people Hannibal killed either we're trying to feed him to hogs or were arrogant fools (which, in the context of a movie can be a fun thing). I do have the dvd and have since watched it 4 or 5 times. I applaud Mr. Hopkins for being able to bring the menace back to his charcter.. with a lot more human emotion mixed in this time around. Anthony Hopkins is great.


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