Demme's cult serial killer masterpiece, marks his finest hour, if despoiled by it's over top-ish-ness

Rating: 8/10 (23 August 2014)

The thing with comparing this larger than life serial killer movie, to like Seven or Rampage, they of course come off way much more realistic. As for the serial killers, they're way over the top, as in terms of their characters and how they kill. SOTL is a different kind of serial killer movie experience, with three mains who deliver top floor performances, none than more than Hopkins of course as Dr Hannibal Lector, where he's at his most brilliantly chilling in this pic. When seeing the end of Red Dragon, it's hard to believe that was just prefore to the start of Hannibal's presence here, as Hopkins was much more effective and scary. There are nasty moments in this film, where a lot of people couldn't get over the fact of it's M 15+ rating which was very questioning. Some content will indeed disturb people, but that's one of the movie's intentions, where for some sickies, they're are addictive pleasures. The movie's a great re watch and will still manage to disturb and rivet you, if not seeing for years. Truly dedicated, 24/7 Agent Clarice Starling, is played with so much professionalism, no one can do the role better than Foster, yet too, I really liked the under appreciated Scott Glenn as Jack Crawford. Glenn is an actor who always delivers, no matter the role. Honestly I'd have to say, he's almost on par with Foster. Of course the other role of the other sickopath, Buffalo Bill is played by great character actor, Levine. Foster implores Hopkin's genius to help her track down this very bad boy, a transsexual sewer, who kidnaps and skins his victims, the latest one is from a high ranking family, and of course, Hoping making a deal, does the inevitable: he escapes, making way for a following of course. The movie is really over the top, but it's good, and an addictive watch with some truly terrifying, scary quality moments, in a fantastic script, Foster's first visit to Hopkins dungeon cell is one scene, I never got out of my head. The movie pulls some story tricks I liked too. The film is a well oiled machine, where also I must praise another great character, Heald, as the smarmy Lector hating, Dr Chilton, who has no idea what's in store for him. Great fittingly, unnerving music scores adds greatly to this unsettling film, a must see, for movie buffs.