"They don't have a name for what he is".

Rating: 9/10 (24 June 2011)

It's hard to believe this film is twenty years old, having seen it when it first came out and not again till now. The movie lived up to it's opening hype as a masterful thriller bordering on horror. Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of serial killer Hannibal Lecter defines the story, but when all is said and done, his character doesn't appear in the picture very much at all. However when he does, one's attention is riveted to the screen, attempting to outguess director Jonathan Demme's next move in a deadly cat and mouse game between Lecter and his adversary, be it FBI Agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), or hapless security guards caught unaware by a scheming mad man.
The larger plot involves the chase after a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill, named after a penchant for skinning his female victims after he murders them. To say that the picture has it's grisly moments would be an understatement. There are more than one scene that require caution for the faint hearted, visualizing grim aspects of brutality that don't leave much to the imagination. Buffalo Bill himself (Ted Levine) is an inspired piece of work, a monster that could have stood alone as a title character if not part of this larger story.
Without giving it away entirely, I have to say that the hunt for Buffalo Bill gives rise to a clever gimmick that will catch you off guard for a moment, only to redirect itself very quickly to it's suspenseful conclusion. This one's recommended for fans of psychological thrillers who'll try to guess the ending only to be set up for one more neat twist at the finale. Anyone for a glass of Chianti?