Review of Hannibal Rising (2007) by Sebastien J — 25 Jul 2009

The 4th episode and prequel to all other 3 films is quite interesting and very European as it tells the story of a young Lithuanian becoming the most infamous cannibal killer in fictional history. Covering childhood and his life as a young adult between 1944 and the early 1960s, the plot is very simple as well as historically accurate but it helps building the mysterious character we all met in Silence of the Lambs. I was very impressed with Gaspard Ulliel's performance as Hannibal Lecter in his 20s and almost thrilled by his schizophrenic act towards violence and revenge with a touch of classical music, Japanese art and medical analysis. The climax is definitely reached at the end when his cannibalism explodes into the savage act that will brand him for the rest of his life!

Nice to watch for those Thoma Harris's fans around the world - I hope to see more about the life of Hannibal Lecter in the near future!