This prequel to Silence of the Lambs (and all of the other Hannibal Lecter movies) showcases Hannibal’s upbringing from childhood through his teenage years and twenties demonstrating how he came to be a demented, cold and calculating cannibal and it’s actually very sad.
The film looks good and plays well at a decent enough pace with a good cast but lacks the chills found in previous Lecter outings. It also lacks the edge Anthony Hopkins provides the character in The Silence of the Lambs, although having said that, Gaspard Uliell does well as the young Hannibal caught up in conflict and carnage.
OVERALL SUMMARY
It’s not a patch on Silence or Hannibal but I personally didn’t think it was as bad as everyone made out upon its theatrical release. I’m glad I waited for DVD though, as this may have been a tad disappointing had I seen it at the cinema.