Fourth movie of the serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter series.
“In Red Dragon we learned who he was. In the silence of the Lambs we learned how he did it. Now comes the most chilling chapter in the saga of Hannibal Lecter – the one that answers the most elusive question of all – why?” – From the back cover of Hannibal Rising DVD.
So, this movie is about how and why Hannibal, a brilliant medical student turns himself into a monster. The story starts during 2nd world war when the German army are crossing Lithuania pursued by the Russians. Hannibal and his parents have escaped from their castle home in Lithuania to their family’s hunting lodge in the woods. When a team of Russian army stops to get water they’re spotted by German bombers and Hannibal’s parents are killed leaving him and his sister. Soon they are discovered by a team of looters and his sister Mischa is killed.
Then he goes to his aunt (Gong Li) and stays with her for few years. During that time he kills a local butcher for insulting his aunt. Eventually he gets himself admitted into a medical school and he starts to take the revenge for his sisters death.
Things I liked:
Gaspard Ulliel plays excellently as young Hannibal Lecter. Though few of the times he tries too desperately to be creepy :p
Things I didn’t like:
First part of the movie makes sense. At the end it just goes too fast. It doesn’t sound easy to find 5/6 soldiers after 10/12 years of a major war just by remembering their faces. Still he quietly finds them (no threat, no chase) and quietly kills them and then walks away; police knows he’s doing it but don’t stop him.
Just another revenge taking action movie. Nothing special. This isnt a great movie. It’s not a bad one either. If you are crazy about Hannibal’s movies, you probably will enjoy this one.
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