Everyone's a critic: 'Hannibal Rising'

Four stars (out of four)

This movie was great! It was first horror movie in awhile that had a good story line you could actually, in a weird kind of way, relate to. The setting is based on young Hannibal Lecter and his sister, Mischa. In the World War II era when the Jews were slaughtered, he watches as his parents are murdered only feet in front of him and he is left to care for his sister. Then the bad men come and they are found.

He was helpless when they cut up and boiled his sister. There wasn't anything he could do but get even, and that he did. The things he went through as a child would make any sane person crazy. Now we know the reason behind his insanity.

I have to give this movie four out of four stars for the great story line. It kept you on the edge of your seat the whole two hours.

-- Tiana Hughes

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Three stars (out of four)

When I went to see "Hannibal Rising," I was expecting to see a lot of gore centered around a cannibalistic serial killer. I was wrong.

The movie gives us the background for how Hannibal became the cannibal. The movie is more of a drama than a horror film, so if you are expecting the horror, you are not going to get it with this one. I do have to say, though, I did like the movie.

Director Peter Webber nailed the casting perfectly with Gaspard Ulliel as the young Hannibal. He is creepy and makes the movie worth seeing.

Basically, the movie is about revenge. Some of the storyline is a little boring, but there is a story. I am sure that most people will be expecting to see a lot more blood and guts, but every serial killer has to start somewhere. He has only just begun.

-- Brenda Euler

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One star (out of four)

For those of you who considered "Silence of the Lambs" a good film, you need to skip this one. It appears as if the writers of this film tried way too hard to tell, or more likely sell, the origins of Hannibal Lecter. The film begins in 1944 and explains the how the "monster" came to be. Unfortunately, the acting was overdone and the story was bad. Two actors appeared to shine among the rest. Dominic West and Gong Li were believable in their roles, but their talents belong elsewhere in my opinion. I hope this will be the last attempt to use Anthony Hopkins' "Hannibal" character to make a movie.

-- Josh LaMar