Flop Sequel of the Most Chilling 90s Thriller Is a New HBO Chart Climber
Some follow-ups should have never been made.
The decade of the 1990s is notorious for its memorable thrillers that are still rewatched and discussed by fans. Disappointingly, their legacy was discredited by some sequels that tried to ride the same hype train that was ridden by the originals, but failed.
For example, you may have been blissfully unaware that such iconic movies as Basic Instinct (1992) and Speed (1994) had their own follow-ups that were panned by both fans and critics. These ones also include a sequel that has just entered HBO’s global top all of a sudden.
Its plot revolves around a serial killer who managed to escape from custody and settled down in Europe after that. However, his only surviving victim still remembers him and strives to avenge, and that’s why he uses the killer’s old acquaintance as bait.
The bait is none other than the now disgraced agent who sought the maniac’s advice earlier and suffered the wrath of her FBI rival as well as the media. That’s why it’s high time for her to meet her nightmare from the past and to finally apprehend him.
Cinema lovers have already guessed that we’re talking about the sequel of The Silence of the Lambs that was a shocking sensation back in 1991. Now we all know that this unnerving psychological thriller follows a FBI trainee’s study of a cannibalistic killer.
Nevertheless, nobody really wanted to see the continuation of the story, as it already seemed finished, even though there was a hook in the movie’s finale. But the truth is that 2001’s sequel not only exists, but also doesn’t do justice to the brilliant original.
Titled Hannibal, this disappointment has Anthony Hopkins reprising his role as Lecter, but making this character seem cartoonish, while Clarice Starling is here portrayed not by Jodie Foster, but by Julianne Moore, and their chemistry isn’t in the air at all.
This thriller is written so poorly that the stylish direction of Ridley Scott doesn’t save it from being a miss, and it’s proved by its shameful score of 39% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Hannibal? More like Horrible,” concludes Redditor @Comic_Book_Reader.
Indeed, if you want to dive into the theme of Hannibal Lecter, you’d better rewatch Jodie Foster’s original movie and 1986’s Manhunter or give Mads Mikkelsen ’s Hannibal show a try.
Nevertheless, if you’re a big fan of Hopkins’ portrayal of a crazy maniac, Hannibal is available for streaming on Max.