Twenty years ago, Ridley Scott directed Hannibal, the anticipated sequel to Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs. While many critics disliked the sequel in comparison to Demme's picture, Scott actually made a Hannibal film that was effective in terms of depicting the serial killer outside of prison, and showing how he lives under a secret identity. As Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Anthony Hopkins once again portrays the cannibal as a skilled professional who can be sneaky and decisive. While Jodie Foster's portrayal of Clarice Starling is superior, Julianne Moore does an adequate job in continuing Clarice's troubled journey with the FBI.
Scott's feature picks up nearly a decade after Hannibal escaped from prison, and Clarice Starling took down serial killer Buffalo Bill. In the present day, Clarice is shown running an FBI sting operation involving drug dealers, which leads to a bloody shootout, and Clarice shooting down a female dealer (with a baby strapped on her) in self-defense. The baby is not injured, but Clarice is left emotionally shaken after the incident. Meanwhile, Hannibal's whereabouts are unknown, until Mason Verger (Hannibal's last known surviving victim) has new evidence that proves the cannibal is very much alive and well.
Verger only discloses his evidence to Clarice because he knows that she is the closest person to get through to Hannibal. As Clarice leads her case in tracking down the cannibal, Verger has his own hidden agenda to exact revenge on Hannibal, since it was Lecter who made Verger disfigure himself by making him cut his own face with a piece of a glass mirror, and feeding Verger's flesh to dogs. Quick flashbacks are shown as Verger discusses his horrifying experience with Lecter to Clarice.
When it is revealed that Lecter is living in Florence, Italy under the name Dr. Fell (a curator for a Renaissance palace called the Capponi Library), a Chief Police Inspector named Rinaldo Pazzi questions Fell (without knowing he's Lecter when they initially meet). Pazzi is investigating the disappearance of the previous curator (who Lecter most likely killed), and finds Fell suspicious, even though he politely answers questions and acts courteous. When Pazzi realizes that Dr. Fell is Lecter when searching the FBI database, he intends to pursue the cannibal on his own in order to obtain Verger's $3 million personal reward money.
While assuming the identity of Fell, Lecter is shown living his life in freedom, going to fancy restaurants, having delicious meals and drinking wine, doing his job as a curator by presenting historical artifacts, and watching opera. Hannibal knows how to be inconspicuous, but when Pazzi and members of Verger's crew go after him, he acts like a predator waiting for the prey to come to him. The cannibal shows how he can still take down people in brutal ways.
Hannibal takes down Pazzi by hanging him outside a window and cutting his bowels. He also uses a knife to slash down a couple of Verger's men. When Hannibal is finally captured, Verger is nearly successful in having the cannibal fed to his wild boars, but thanks to Clarice, Hannibal is saved, and Verger ends up getting eaten by the boars. Another gory sequence comes toward the end when Hannibal cuts open Justice Department official Paul Krendler's brain, cooks a piece of it, and feeds it to Paul himself, right in front of a heavily drugged Clarice.
Scott's film may appear to be a gorefest with major set pieces and a minimal storyline, but by depicting Hannibal outside of prison, the cannibal is shown as both a distinguished gentleman who can live his own life, and a skilled professional when it comes to killing people, especially those who try to mess with him. Hopkins seamlessly hops back into the role of Lecter, and understands that, whether the cannibal is incarcerated or living free, the character is always intelligent, suave, and deadly. He also displays Hannibal's talents whenever he discusses significant historical events, including the unfortunate history behind the ancestors of Inspector Pazzi.
Clarice Starling may be Jodie Foster's signature role due to her Oscar-winning performance in The Silence of the Lambs, but Julianne Moore is also efficient in displaying Clarice's strengths as an FBI agent. She is tough, fast-talking, informative, and observant when it comes to analyzing evidence or recollecting important events, and she never gets intimidated when men in the FBI or Justice Department try to break her down. Clarice is also vulnerable because she can never take down Hannibal, no matter how hard she tries, but Hannibal also can never kill her due to his love and obsession with Clarice, and her courageous journey as a woman trying to survive in a man's world. The cannibal and the female FBI agent are both unique individuals who can never be completely free, and are outcasts in a society that doesn't accept variance.
As Mason Verger, an unrecognizable Gary Oldman delivers an effective performance as a disfigured individual who is desperate to seek vengeance against the cannibal. While Verger initially appears to be a sympathetic character, he shows his sinister side as the film progresses because, like Hannibal, he's determined to become a sadistic killer. As Inspector Pazzi, Giancarlo Giannini is also memorable because his character initially appears to be a good guy, but reveals himself as a greedy and corrupt cop who wants more, and hesitantly pursues Hannibal for his own personal benefit. Ray Liotta's Paul Krendler is also crooked, and makes Clarice's life difficult because he knows what she's capable of, and tries to throw her off Hannibal's case.
Ridley Scott's Hannibal is a grotesque but successful psychological thriller that continues Hannibal's and Clarice's respective journeys, and how they still share an uncommon bond despite being enemies. They are also surrounded by evil and shady characters who unsuccessfully try to bring them down. With wit, and the will to survive, Hannibal proves yet again why he is the greatest villain, while Clarice Starling is one of the toughest heroines.