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Studio:Momentum Pictures

Director:Peter Webber

Cast: Gaspard Ulliel, Gong Li, Rhys Ifans

Running Time:125 minutes

Product Description

Gaspard Ulliel, Gong Li, Rhys IfansDirector: Peter Webber

Amazon.co.uk Review

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

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Reviews

- Proof prequels work!

I truly enjoyed this movie, which tells the back story of Hannibal Lecter from his early childhood before he was locked up, and way before Silence of the Lambs.[...]
Either way this is a fantastic movie and Gaspard Ulliel does and excellent job playing Hannibal. I do think however Thomas Harris really could have done without writing the script for this film, although we all know the book was written for the purpose of making it into a movie, writing the script of your own book does seem to louden the cash register ringing in the background!:) But that said this is an intense drama with a fnatastic cast, great direction and yes Thomas, great writing!

- The Origins of the world's most famous serial killer

Saw this twice at the cinema and really excited about the DVD! I was a fan of the earlier films, with Silence of the Lambs obviously being the standout one. Read a lot of the reviews and thought this wasn't going to be that good, but I absolutely loved it and had to go and see it again!

The film follows covers Hannibal's life at 3 main points... starting as a very young boy in Lithuania at the end of WW2. He loses his mother, father and sister to a horrible gang led by Grutus (brilliantly acted by Rhys Ifans), laying the seeds of his later brutality. Then it jumps forward to his teenage years in a Soviet orphanage - showing the burning rage he's developed, culminating in his escape to France and his 'auntie' Gong Li. We then see Hannibal exact his revenge on the group responsible for his families deaths.

It's diffuclt to compare directly with the other films as it's simply very different. It's very stylishly shot, well acted and has some standout scenes, but, for me, this one excels in the way it shows how Hannibal came to be the man we knew from the earlier films.

The only downside for me was that I wanted to see what happened after he completes his revenge... another film maybe?

If you missed it in the cinema, definitely one to watch on DVD.

- Superb!!!

I have always loved Hannibal Lecter films. I have been waiting a long time for this film and I wouldn't be disappointed with this film or any of the films other that have been made. The screenplay was written by Thomas Harris and it couldn't be written by anyone else but the creator of Hannibal Lecter. This film shows how and why Hannibal became a cannibal and what turns a small loving boy into a monster he became.

If love horror films and you are thinking of buying this film? DO because you won't be disappointed.

- I can empathise with Hannibal now

This is a very sad story of Hannibal in his youth. I thought it was an excellent film and it really explains how Hannibal came to be a killer. The film was done really well as I started to really feel for Hannibal; a confused young man.

- This is a good Film Damn it !!!!!!

Right, first things first i am a huge Lector fan, read the books, seen the films and hey if there was a t-shirt i'd own it.

this is a good film, the plot is spot on to start the Lector ball rolling and explain the origins of a great character, and of course the lector in his film won't be the same as hopkins lector, cause a) he's a different actor and b) this is lector at a different time in his life, and C jones ur an idiot, he kills the soliders who ate his sister to get revenge for that reason, and cannibalism to him would be the ultimate revenge, heard of a thing called KARMA maybe ? wot goes around comes around, perhaps ?

anyway, cinematography (the way the film is shot) is good, great cast, good script and most of all i personally think it is a brilliant take on the makings of a monster

in hannibal rising revenge is the name of the game