Obscenely Over-rated

Rating: Null/10 (24 June 2002)

Okay. I don't remember it very clearly, but 1991 must have been a TERRIBLY slow year for movies if this got Best Picture. I recently saw Silence of the Lambs for the first time, and was VERY disappointed by what had been built up in my mind as supposedly the greatest psychological thriller of all time. HOGWASH!
It's not that I didn't "get it", or that it's too violent for me. No, I tend to enjoy the dreary, bleak movies, I enjoyed Se7en very much (even if I saw its ending coming several miles off). But this was just painfully mediocre. The much-vaunted psychological "mind games" Hopkins plays with Foster are nowhere to be found. The two have all of three scenes together (admittedly, it could easily be four).
I can't really describe what's wrong with this film, it just has sort of an odd "movie of the week" feel to it, from the slasher-chic opening credits to the swelling music after the villain has been defeated.

Taken out of context, away from all the ludicrous praise, it's certainly an enjoyable, fairly well-made film. But, please, don't believe the hype, and think for yourself.