Hannibal

I saw Silence of the Lambs and was horrified. I kept telling myself I shouldn't go to see Hannibal but then curiosity won out, and besides I could get through it by holding my hands up in front of my face and peering out between my fingers as I saw the approaching terror, shutting my eyes at the final moment. This technique does not work in this movie.

Sick, sick, sick. I like horror in books and movies, at least I thought I did. I grew up seeing horror films and reading mysteries. But it seems horror has become beyond horror. There are no boundaries and it is frightening to try to think of what these people will come up with next.

I don't need to summarize the plot, because basically it's Julianne Moore as FBI Agent Starling reassigned to the case of cannibal Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins, who has become bored with his life and wants to re-emerge as the notorious human flesh eating predator again.

I've read many reviews of this movie panning it because of the character change ascribed to Lecter, that he's not the arch villain as before but has assumed a crusader guise, that is, he's not such a bad guy now because he only eats the really bad guys. That doesn't wash with me.

It's also being said that his character has changed because he's now erudite and artistically inclined. I don't know where people got the idea that he ever was not. While that side of his persona was not explored in "Lambs", he was always portrayed as an educated man, a doctor, and one would assume he would have these intellectual interests as such.

To me he has become a much more evil character in that I saw no spontaneity in his killings whereas in "Lambs" he reacted with animal ferocity. In Hannibal, every one was plotted and committed with diabolical thoroughness. I was particularly revolted when Agent Starling deliberately saved him from the stampeding man-eating hogs. Typical law enforcement thinking, play the hero, turn the criminal loose and let the taxpayer pay even more to clean up his mess.

Then there was the brain eating episode. Too much for me, but FBI haters would enjoy that. But the child at the end of the picture and what Hannibal did, that was the ultimate in monstrous. I get upset at seeing cruelty to animals and children. I see them as helpless and innocent in this world.

I just don't know what's coming next. But if there is a third sequel I will probably go to see it because the fascination of ultimate evil will probably get the better of me.