Hannibal: Critic Reviews

Hannibal Lecter is the ostensible cannibal of this franchise, but the real cannibals are his creators. I wouldn't be surprised if the next time, they have him endorsing his favorite Chianti.

Hannibal definitely grabs at the emotions, but not the one it's after. You come in hoping to have the wits scared out of you and leave with your temper barely in check.

Thoroughly distasteful. Not for kids.

Doesn't work as its own individual, self-contained cinematic entity.

A dark and complexly entertaining ride, highly generous to multiple viewings.

The near-impossible taks and insurmountable problems have been handled by Scott in a proficient if unexciting way. Aware that he can't possibly meet viewers' expectations, Scott has made a different film, more florid, baroque, and tongue-in-cheek.

Scott's elegant, shadowy atmosphere and deliberate pacing make the film a delightfully spooky experience.

The weight-watchers script sensibly dispenses with several characters to serve a brew that's enjoyably spicy but low on substance.

There are moments of a good movie buried amongst this over the top thriller. But these moments are all too rare.

Pork chops get even!

Hannibal doesn't grip the audience with the macabre wit and pervasive sense of impending evil of its predecessor

Where the book kept you wondering and marvelling at the intricacies of the human mind and heart, the film has a sour, smart-alecky conclusion which highlights (what else?) the gore.

There are several interludes here that rival anything found in Silence for pure adrenaline...

Perhaps Scott should have rented out Se7en before he yelled 'action' - the best horror is often what you don't see.

Director Scott has used his considerable talent to dress up this film into an artful, visually impressive affair.

Minus all the mystique of Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal has a few interesting scenes, but fails in equal portion.

Hannibal is not quite what I'd call a 'good' movie, but it could so easily have been worse in countless ways that I'm more than satisfied by the way it turned out.

Hannibal is a beautiful mess. Take your joys when you can because the well is often dry.

More character study than thriller, it can stand on its own merits. It's probably not exactly what you wanted, but it just might be enough.

Fails to live up to the original: gorier, flashier, funnier, even -- but nowhere near as exciting.

No wonder lesser minds hate this movie: it's radically different from Silence -- a bloody, suspense-driven, darkly comedic love story between good and evil, a florid, grandiose thriller manifesto on why polar extremes need each other to survive.

Memo to Hollywood: If a little is good, more is not necessarily better.

For all its blockbuster build-up, beneath the glitter Hannibal is just a big old barfbag full of stupid, steaming Hollywood spew.

Oh, what a letdown! It's hard to believe how disappointing this film is.

Ridley Scott has taken the claustrophobic feeling of SOTL and made a big boring un-scary horror movie.