Ryan ChartrandUsually when Thomas Harris puts his name on something (“Black Sunday,” “Silence of The Lambs”) it results in something delicious, like a nice chianti. Harris’ latest Lecter installment, “Hannibal Rising,” ends up more like liver and fava beans; it could be a good meal but it’s probably unnecessary. Harris wrote both the novel and the screenplay for the prequel, and both are hard to digest.
At best, the movie provides a springboard. “Rising” is the genesis of one of the most intriguing villains in American literary and cinematic history. Gaspard Ulliel and Li Gong (“Memoirs of a Geisha”) work well together and are the bright spots of the movie. Ulliel, the 22-year-old French upstart, is particularly convincing as young Hannibal. However, there are times when his intensity seems out of place in the calculated charmer Lecter becomes.
Director Peter Webber (“Six Feet Under”) does an admirable job of painting the picture of postwar Paris; the colors are dark and subdued. They appear very stylish and almost noir on screen.
At its worst, the dialogue seems contrived and downright silly at times. There is plenty of gore, as is the case with any Lecter movie, although this installment seems to enjoy the employment of it more than previous works.
The movie begins with the Lecter family driven from their castle in Lithuania, a result of the massive battle between Russian and Nazi forces in 1944.
An individual like Hannibal could only have his origins in the most ruthless and horrifying backdrop in human history: World War II.
Lecter’s parents perish in the crossfire of Russian and Nazi troops, leaving young Hannibal to fend for his beloved sister Mischa (Helena Lia Tachovska).
Soon after, the siblings become the prey of a merciless band of thieves playing both sides at the end of the war; the troupe will do anything necessary for survival.
Eight years later, Hannibal (Ulliel) is without Mischa and trapped in a Soviet orphanage that used to be his home. Hannibal no longer speaks but now has a sadistic mean streak due to the loss of his sister and family.
He escapes the orphanage and flees to his uncle’s house in France, where he finds his widowed Japanese aunt, Lady Murasaki (Gong).
While nursing him back to relative normality, she gives him access to her ancestor’s samurai gear. Hannibal proceeds to set about filleting his sister’s killers one by one.
Young Hannibal is haunted by dreams and flashbacks from his sister’s demise. They appear random and some are poorly placed.
There are some classic homicidal one-liners that only Hannibal can deliver. The acting is adequate and at times enjoyable, especially in the case of Grutas (played by Rhys Ifans), the remarkably detestable leader of the villains. Audience members fell like they need a shower if he is on screen for too long.
The sad thing is that the movie has potential. We have a known commodity in Lecter, equal parts charmer and cannibal, which is always an interesting combination. Perhaps Harris should have spent more time in the kitchen on this one, or not cooked it up at all.