I watched Hannibal when it opened in theatres on February 9, 2001. Last night I rented it on DVD and was perplexed at what I saw as a pretty poor plot flaw. What's more annoying is that the screenplay was co-written by David Mamet, one of the best writers in the business. I can't be assed with all this spoiler pedantic nonsense so if you haven't seen the film or read the script go and put the kettle on.
Hannibal has been traced to Uffizzi Galleria in Florence by a local corrupt cop Pazzi. Outside waiting to bundle him into a truck and into the fiendish hands of Gary Oldman are Pazzi's own two professional henchmen. Pazzi is killed in a historical yet ironic fashion, which prompts said henchmen to rush into the Galleria, whereupon Hannibal slices and dices Hairy Henchman #1 with his usual panache. Henchman #2 (bald) trips over the body and has a nano second of screen time as he grieves for Hairy Henchman #1, with whom he obviously has a closer relationship than baddy buddies. wink, wink
Flash forward and yet again we find Hannibal trapped and cornered by nemesis Oldman and assorted Italian Henchmen. But wait, who is this familiar henchman amongst them? Why, it's our old bald baddy buddy from the Galleria who has had no previous connection with the Oldman gang. Needless to say, Hannibal goes on the old bite and flight routine, yet manages to throw in a quip to bald henchman about him wearing same disgusting after shave as his dead brudder, before garrotting him with his usual culinary panache.
Now there's nothing to indicate that the bald buddy baddie has fallen in with the Oldman gang, yet he manages to make the flight from Florence to Washington, hook up with the Oldman gang, and nobody stops to ask, 'Who's the bald geezer?' Now, obviously I am pedantic in the way I watch films. It's been a long time since I was able to willingly suspend my disbelief, but this jarred out as a sore thumb to me. My best friend Jimmy, not the most dedicated of cineastes, also spotted the flaw, with the immortal phrase "When did HE join the man eating pig gang?" So it can't just be me and my pal, which begs the question what the chuffing fudge was going on with the studio, the writers, the script editor, the continuity girl/bloke and the director that no one thought, "Oops, that doesn't quite play right. Should we go back and fix it?"
Otherwise, it's a brilliant movie. It's in all-time favorite top three. I just wish they kept the part about Hannibal's sister. It explains a lot about him and the way he connected with Clarice. My advice: read the book, then watch the movie. I like the movie ending a lot better than the book. It agrees with the characters and makes more sense. For the uninitiated this review probably doesn't make much sense, so I suggest you go read the book, watch the movie and come back and reread it. Ya hear?
Hannibal has been traced to Uffizzi Galleria in Florence by a local corrupt cop Pazzi. Outside waiting to bundle him into a truck and into the fiendish hands of Gary Oldman are Pazzi's own two professional henchmen. Pazzi is killed in a historical yet ironic fashion, which prompts said henchmen to rush into the Galleria, whereupon Hannibal slices and dices Hairy Henchman #1 with his usual panache. Henchman #2 (bald) trips over the body and has a nano second of screen time as he grieves for Hairy Henchman #1, with whom he obviously has a closer relationship than baddy buddies. wink, wink
Flash forward and yet again we find Hannibal trapped and cornered by nemesis Oldman and assorted Italian Henchmen. But wait, who is this familiar henchman amongst them? Why, it's our old bald baddy buddy from the Galleria who has had no previous connection with the Oldman gang. Needless to say, Hannibal goes on the old bite and flight routine, yet manages to throw in a quip to bald henchman about him wearing same disgusting after shave as his dead brudder, before garrotting him with his usual culinary panache.
Now there's nothing to indicate that the bald buddy baddie has fallen in with the Oldman gang, yet he manages to make the flight from Florence to Washington, hook up with the Oldman gang, and nobody stops to ask, 'Who's the bald geezer?' Now, obviously I am pedantic in the way I watch films. It's been a long time since I was able to willingly suspend my disbelief, but this jarred out as a sore thumb to me. My best friend Jimmy, not the most dedicated of cineastes, also spotted the flaw, with the immortal phrase "When did HE join the man eating pig gang?" So it can't just be me and my pal, which begs the question what the chuffing fudge was going on with the studio, the writers, the script editor, the continuity girl/bloke and the director that no one thought, "Oops, that doesn't quite play right. Should we go back and fix it?"
Otherwise, it's a brilliant movie. It's in all-time favorite top three. I just wish they kept the part about Hannibal's sister. It explains a lot about him and the way he connected with Clarice. My advice: read the book, then watch the movie. I like the movie ending a lot better than the book. It agrees with the characters and makes more sense. For the uninitiated this review probably doesn't make much sense, so I suggest you go read the book, watch the movie and come back and reread it. Ya hear?
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