Stars: Gaspard Ulliel, Gong Li, Rhys Ifans

Director: Peter Webber

Summary:

Long before a certain cannibal sipped his first Chianti or dined on his first human liver, a young boy named Hannibal Lecter received a stark lesson in mortality as war raged around him. But of all the horrors he witnessed growing up in Lithuania, none could have prepared him for the brutal murder of his family at the hands of the Nazis. Somehow, he manages to survive this horrific ordeal and ends up years later in France, where he studies medicine and forensics. But despite all his academic achievements, Lecter is haunted by memories of the abuse he faced as a child, and sets out to exact revenge on the predators who robbed him of his innocence. The film raises some interesting questions about the nature of evil; is a person born evil or do they gradually become evil as a result of their environment? While offering no conclusive answer, director Peter Webber does appear to subscribe to the latter theory. In the same way that MONSTER turned serial-killing prostitute Aileen Wuornos into a sympathetic figure, HANNIBAL RISING tries to humanise Lecter by putting his later actions into context of this tragic upbringing. Despite the notable absence of Anthony Hopkins, rising star Gaspard Ulliel (A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT) delivers a credible performance as the young Hannibal Lecter with just the right balance of charm and menace. Based on Thomas Harris’ book of the same name, Webber’s dark and intense prequel offers a valuable insight into the background and psyche of a character that has fascinated and terrified audiences ever since they were introduced to him in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.

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Though Hannibal Rising's Lecter (Gaspard Ulliel) is a pussycat compared to Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, this sequel's story of revenge is grizzly enough to satisfy lovers of Thomas Harris's epic tale. After young Hannibal (Aaron Thomas) is forced to watch his little sister, Mischa (Helena Lia Tachovska), devoured by starving soldiers in his homeland Lithuania, Hannibal vows to avenge his sister's death by slaying those who committed not only war crimes against the Lecters, but also against other families during WW II.

In detailing Hannibal's revenge plan, the film investigates the psychological implications of witnessing cannibalism to justify Hannibal's insatiable appetite for human flesh. The most interesting aspect of Hannibal Rising--its analytical connections drawn between Hannibal's childhood traumas and his murderous adult obsessions--is also the film's weak point. The links oversimplify Lecter's complex character. For example, though titillating to see flashbacks of Lecter's sister hacked up and boiled while Lecter visits a Parisian meat market, the reference is too obvious. One learns why he excels in his medical school classes dissecting cadavers, and we're given explicit explanation for why he slices off and eats his victims' cheeks. The story only complicates when Hannibal interacts with his sexy Aunt, Lady Murasaki (Gong Li). When Murasaki educates him in the art of beheading, the viewer sees Hannibal's sword fetish as a manifestation of physical lust. --Trinie Dalton

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Trailer, Making of, Deleted scenes, Audio commentary with Peter Webber & Martha De Laurentiis
Year:	2007
Release Date:	June 4, 2007
Runtime:	125 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	M P 711 D
Keywords:	English, Rising, Drama, Thriller, Horror, Psychological, Hannibal, Lecter, Cannibalism
Genre:	Thriller