Susan Granger’s review of “Hannibal Rising” (MGM/Weinstein)
Ever wonder how Hannibal Lecter became Hannibal the Cannibal? This prequel, written by novelist Thomas Harris, attempts to answer your questions in disturbing detail.
It begins in Lithuania in 1944, when historic Lecter Castle is abandoned to the Nazis as the aristocratic family takes refuge in their hunting lodge. Everyone is killed except young Hannibal (Aaron Thomas) and his little sister Mischa (Helena-Lia Tachovska), whom five savage militiamen (Rhys Ifans, Kevin McKidd, Richard Brake, Stephen Walters, Ivan Merevitch) boil and eat. Somehow, Hannibal manages to survive these and other atrocities.
Flash forward eight years: Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel) escapes to the West and makes his way to the outskirts of Paris, where he’s reunited with his last living relative, a scheming Japanese aunt, Lady Murasaki (Gong Li). Hannibal studies medicine but grisly revenge is uppermost on his mind and a local police inspector (Dominic West) is on his trail.
Under the slick direction of Peter Webber (“The Girl With a Pearl Earring”), French actor Gaspard Ulliel oozes creepy charm in the role immortalized by Anthony Hopkins but there’s an obvious disconnect in continuity and credibility. The Hannibal Lecter we’ve come to know and love is a deliciously evil madman who must be muzzled when he’s not devouring human flesh with good Chianti, while this maniacal Hannibal is a victim of circumstance. And the psychobabble sympathy card doesn’t play well here.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Hannibal Rising” is a tarnished 2. Back in February, 1991, I went way out on a limb, predicting “The Silence of the Lambs” would be the Best Picture of that year – now it’s not too difficult to consider that this could be one of the worst of this year.
