In Hannibal Rising, we find out the origins of Hannibal Lecter. The story begins in Eastern Europe at the end of World War II. A young Hannibal watches from only steps away as his parents' violently die, leaving his cherished young sister in his care. This horrific moment will soon pale in comparison to the atrocities he is forced to witness and perhaps survive as a result of.Alone and without any means of support, he is forced to live in a Soviet Orphanage that once served as his family's beloved home. He flees to Paris to find his uncle has died but his beautiful and mysterious Japanese widow, Lady Murasaki (Gong Li) welcomes him. Even her kindness and love cannot soothe the nightmares and sorrows that plague him. Showing a cunning aptitude for science he is accepted into medical school, which serves to hone his skills and provide the tools to exact justice on the war criminals that haunt him day and night. This quest will ignite an insatiable lust within a serial killer who was not born, but made.
I had read this book and didn't think that it was nearly as bad as the critics who relentlessly bashed it did. I had said to WW that how good the movie will be will depend on how good the younger Hannibal Lecter is. I was wrong. The younger Hannibal Lecter wasn't that bad, but the complete lack of tension stunk. What made the other Hannibal Lecter movies so good was that you were sitting on the edge of your seat. This movie basically plodded along for the most part and even the scenes where Hannibal is killing people for revenger were pretty blah. The movie wasn't horrible . . . . . but it really wasn't all that good either.
I wouldn't really recommend people rushing to see this. You might be better off just waiting for it to be available via rental.
