Anthony Hopkins is Delicious and Hannibal the Movie Isn't Bad Either

For many movie fans, including myself it's been a long 10 years since our last Hannibal Lecter fix. I can honestly say after many rumors and heresay, the wait for the Dr.'s return was worth it. Anthony Hopkins comes back to haunt our nightmare's in the sequel (well not really) to The Silence Of The Lambs in Hannibal. 

What a Valentine's date movie this turned out to be. Admitedly I am a big Hopkins fan. He could make the reading of the phone book scary. In Hannibal he outdoes himself. The humor of Dr. Lecter (yes, he does have a sense of humor) comes through in Hopkins delievery of some delicious one liners. It is a bit camp, but that makes it more fun. Now, to the serious movie review: 

I loved Hannibal. Not everyone will. Yes, there is violence and gore to the extreme but not any more than you would get in a dose of one of the many less prestigious 'slasher' films. The performances are excellent all the way around. Julianne Moore is on board this time as Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster bailed out - the original Clarice from "Lambs"), Ridley Scott is the director (Jonathan Demme said 'no thank you' - the director from "Lambs") but not to worry. Julianne does a wonderful performance and takes Clarice to places she probably never dreamed of. It would have been nice to have Jodie back but after seeing Julianne, the detractors have fallen silent. 

Ridley Scott's direction seems to come from a higher power. One could imagine he's had the entire movie playing in his head since the got the nod yes to direct. Other fabulous performances belong to Gary Oldman (uncredited) as the sadistic pedophile Mason Verger, Lecter's fourth victim. I won't tell you more than that, it would spoil the surprise. I did have a problem with Mason's character. He was more demented in Thomas Harris' novel.