Hannibal Lecter has been living in exile since his escape and tries to reconnect with FBI Agent Clarice Starling but someone else is also looking for him and it doesn't appear everything is going to work out in his favour this time.
Mason Verger is a big character in this film and one of Lecter's victims who survived. Or should that be is still alive as still very much suffering from the torture and injuries sustained. He has a reward placed for Lecter and that is something that will make things a little bit more complicated for Clarice as she tracks him down to Italy. But a corrupt Italian policeman knows about the reward and decides to try to capture the dangerous man himself.
Things are not the best for Clarice as so many people within the FBI are against her, especially after a job went wrong and she is being watched a lot more closely. Not the ideal time for Lecter to try to get back in touch with her. They seem to have some very strange hold over one another and it is a very messed up relationship.
Without getting too deep into the plot I must mention the brain scene which really did make me feel sick to my stomach. Not something that happens very often but I guess that pushes my limits for what I want to see in a film. Seriously hope everyone feels like that as it really is so sadistic and makes you feel very uncomfortable.
Anthony Hopkins is still outstanding as Hannibal Lecter and again manages to combine the evil nature with his very charming approach. Especially the way he says Clarice, it makes your skin crawl but you also feel he comes across as nice towards her. We have a cast change for Clarice Starling and that is Julianne Moore taking over from Jodie Foster and I feel she doesn't quite capture the magic Foster created in The Silence of the Lambs. I guess it is tough to come into a film like this and try to make the role your own. I just felt it didn't really work, especially as when I first started the film I was expecting her to be a totally different character, a new character.
I guess it was always going to be a huge challenge to follow-up The Silence of the Lambs which really is a very impressive film. This does have a couple of good moments, but doesn't quite live up to the expectations set from that first film. I guess watching it straight after wasn't the best idea either, but I suppose it was an ok follow up?
