Psychology, violence, suspense, excellence.

Rating: 9/10 (4 May 2003)

First of all: if you have read Thomas Harrises novel and not yet seen this film (what have you been doing?), you will find that they differ. This is not a bad thing at all, this is one of the best cinematic adaptations of a novel I have ever seen. So, there.
*******POSSIBLE SPOILER BELOW!!!*******
The plot starts out when young FBI agent trainee Clarice Starling (Foster) is assigned to interview the definitely terrifying Dr Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins). Dr Lecter is a serial killer, now imprisoned in a mental institution. He is believed to have information concerning a murderer on the loose. But he is unwilling to help, unless he receives something in return...
For anyone who has read Thomas Harrises novel, you will know that in his stories, everything is psychological. What is so wonderful about this cinematic adaptation is that it has really captured the spirit of Harrises writing. With the "Hannibal the Cannibal" reference, the filmmakers could easily have been driven to turn this into a gorefest. Instead, the interaction between the charachters is central. This is most prominent in the scenes where Foster and Hopkins are face-to-face. It is wonderful to see two such actors of quality really create something more, a connection that reaches from the screen right to the viewer. It only goes to show that you don't need excessive force or blood spurting in every scene to convey horror or fright to an audience. Sometimes, two people's eyes meeting is all it takes. Also, there are plenty of classical one-liners delivered by Hopkins along the way, guaranteed to send chills down your spine.

Finally: though this IS a psychological thriller more than a violent horror flick, it has its share of more violent scenes. Hence, if you dislike explicit violence, I sincerely recommend Hitchcock's "Psycho" instead. What this however is, is excellence in suspense- one of the greatest thrillers I have ever seen, and a magnificent display of acting skills. Ms Foster, Mr Hopkins- I salute you.