Hannibal Rising
February 6th 2007 01:15
“The evolution of his evil will be revealed …”, but the visceral horror will be muted and the narrative overlong and somewhat tedious.
Last year I posted a preview for this anticipated prequel to the successful Hannibal Lector series which began with Manhunter (1986), then The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Hannibal (2001), and Red Dragon (2003, a remake of Manhunter).
From the trailer and the articles I had read about Hannibal Rising, the word in the pantry was good. Certainly Gaspard Ulliel looked the part of a young Hannibal with a diabolical lust for flesh gleaming in his eye. I was excited about learning of his fall into the carne hands of the Devil.
Not that the Devil has anything to do with it. It’s more to do with cruel, starving Russian partisans at the end of WWII, and young Hannibal’s poor little sister Mischa.
Novelist Thomas Harris, who has written all the Hannibal books, was commissioned to pen the screenplay to Hannibal Rising after producer Dino De Laurentiis remembered a two-page reference to the sister Mischa in the 1981 novel Red Dragon, and felt many fans questions of why did Hannibal become the monster he is could be answered. Thomas not only wrote the screenplay but threw a novel into the equation as well.
Director Peter Webber, who made the period romance Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003), has fashioned a handsome looking film with a strong, if perhaps a little unremarkable, use of European locations (chiefly Luthuania and France). In fact all the production values are of a high calibre, and the cast is good too, especially Ulliel and Rhys Ifans as sadistic Grutas. However the casting of Chinese native Gong Li as Japanese is a curious choice, but her elegant and melancholic beauty does suit the character.
While the previous Hannibal movies exude an obvious sense of horror, with thriller overtones, Hannibal Rising comes across more as a period melodrama with a few gore trimmings. I was most disappointed.
I never once felt the necessary unhinging of Hannibal’s fragile psyche following the chilling encounter with the Russian rogues. Instead the narrative jumps eight years and we immediately discover a striking-looking, adolescent Hannibal who is mute and dead-set on revenge, yet infused with an unsettling calm. It’s a little too contrived.
Hannibal’s unusual relationship (sensual, not sexual) with the widow of his dead uncle, Lady Murasaki Shibuku (Gong Li), is never properly explained or satisfyingly delved into, instead it lays on the surface like thin slices of rare pork floating on a delicate noodle soup.
There is also the subplot of the detective (Dominic West) pursuing the murders Hannibal is steadily committing, which is also left under-cooked. Both these narrative ploys are left dangling like the torn fleshy skin from a ravaged beast. There's plenty of blood, but not enough bone.
Hannibal Rising is quite simply a revenge story. I was expecting the film to move further into Hannibal’s American odyssey, but it only hints at it (he travels to Canada to complete his act of revenge). I’m assuming the producers will now commission Harris to write the screenplay of how Hannibal ends up being incarcerated in America. Perhaps it will be called Hannibal Doodle Dandy.
For those wanting a dark and furious tale of unbridled horror Hannibal Rising is not the hearty meal you’re hungering for. There are a couple of scenes not for the squeamish, but for the most part director Webber plays the story too conventionally, with not enough of the European grotesque expressionism which had me licking my lips in anticipation.
Here is the US trailer which makes the film look more promising than what it actually delivers (and therein lies the garlic Rub, trailers are designed as lures ...):
From the trailer and the articles I had read about Hannibal Rising, the word in the pantry was good. Certainly Gaspard Ulliel looked the part of a young Hannibal with a diabolical lust for flesh gleaming in his eye. I was excited about learning of his fall into the carne hands of the Devil.
Not that the Devil has anything to do with it. It’s more to do with cruel, starving Russian partisans at the end of WWII, and young Hannibal’s poor little sister Mischa.
Novelist Thomas Harris, who has written all the Hannibal books, was commissioned to pen the screenplay to Hannibal Rising after producer Dino De Laurentiis remembered a two-page reference to the sister Mischa in the 1981 novel Red Dragon, and felt many fans questions of why did Hannibal become the monster he is could be answered. Thomas not only wrote the screenplay but threw a novel into the equation as well.
While the previous Hannibal movies exude an obvious sense of horror, with thriller overtones, Hannibal Rising comes across more as a period melodrama with a few gore trimmings. I was most disappointed.
I never once felt the necessary unhinging of Hannibal’s fragile psyche following the chilling encounter with the Russian rogues. Instead the narrative jumps eight years and we immediately discover a striking-looking, adolescent Hannibal who is mute and dead-set on revenge, yet infused with an unsettling calm. It’s a little too contrived.
Hannibal’s unusual relationship (sensual, not sexual) with the widow of his dead uncle, Lady Murasaki Shibuku (Gong Li), is never properly explained or satisfyingly delved into, instead it lays on the surface like thin slices of rare pork floating on a delicate noodle soup.
Hannibal Rising is quite simply a revenge story. I was expecting the film to move further into Hannibal’s American odyssey, but it only hints at it (he travels to Canada to complete his act of revenge). I’m assuming the producers will now commission Harris to write the screenplay of how Hannibal ends up being incarcerated in America. Perhaps it will be called Hannibal Doodle Dandy.
For those wanting a dark and furious tale of unbridled horror Hannibal Rising is not the hearty meal you’re hungering for. There are a couple of scenes not for the squeamish, but for the most part director Webber plays the story too conventionally, with not enough of the European grotesque expressionism which had me licking my lips in anticipation.
Here is the US trailer which makes the film look more promising than what it actually delivers (and therein lies the garlic Rub, trailers are designed as lures ...):
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Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Raises the question in my mind: what exactly would it take to show the necessary unhinging? How does one make the incomprehensible understandable?
Comment by Damo
Dangerous, dangerous man to let loss on anything.
His classics include Fask Gordon, Dune, King Kong remake.
Please God not him.
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
That's disappointing. Though I didn't have high hopes for the movie after being very disappointed in Hannibal. I don't think I'll bother going to see this one at the movies.
Kylie
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Damo,
Dino hasn't produced a turkey, but it ain't no prize pheasant either.
Kylie,
interesting, as I find Hannibal to be the best of all five (incl. Manhunter). For me it is the purest, most expressionist horror film of the lot.
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Your review doesn't make it sound that tantalizing... btw, what's with Gong Li playing Japanese characters? It's awful...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I saw a media preview at Hoyts on Monday night. It opens tomorrow I think ...
Yeah, I was disappointed for sure. It's not badly made, but I had several major reservations, as you obviously have now read about ...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD