(I do mention some plot points from the movie, so if you don't want too much revealed, don't read on)
Good Points: The cinematography was pretty good at times, good usage of shadows, shooting from behind a person rather than in front, and using the whole screen with 1/2 of it in darkness. I also liked the music, contrary to many people's comments, because it just somehow fit the overall lameness of the movie. I was pleasantly surprised that all the violence was imagined and not shown on the screen. The viewer's imagination can take that and run with it - thus making it as scary as one wants it to be without ever seeing the perp actually kill anyone (except the one guy in the yard but not even really then).
But, here's what's wrong with the movie, in no particular order:
* The "stunning ending" I heard about for the director's cut - where was it? Did I miss it? It was a lame shootout, and the guy took 5 hits in the chest before lamely dying and then there was no more to it. * Why did Graham visit the family at the end? To 'feel' what it's like to be a serial killer? Lame. If he had converted himself and killed them - that would have been interesting. But don't show the family, and then the Grahams all happy-end on the beach. * Hannibal was in no way freaky, and while the code thing was smart it could have been played slicker. * All the ludicrous "I love you" scenes with the wife - whatever. Leave that stuff out. The one scene where she thought she was in danger - fine. But other than that, she could have been cut from the whole movie. Clarice Sterling didn't need a mate to make her movies work, why does Graham need props? * Jack Crawford was totally underdeveloped and seemed like he was half hindrance instead of leading an FBI investigation. * It was clear from the beginning that the videos of the families were important and that the killer either shot them (like a hired photo-guy for a b-day party) or processed them afterwards. Ooooh. Suspenseful. * The killer had no decent motive. While they tried to explore his obsession with needing to be accepted, it was done in a lame way. Jame Gum in SOTL was a transvestite freak wanting a body suit. Good serial killer stuff. Hannibal likes to eat people. Excellent. But Frances just waited for a full moon and made dead people stare at him. Pathetic.
Good Points: The cinematography was pretty good at times, good usage of shadows, shooting from behind a person rather than in front, and using the whole screen with 1/2 of it in darkness. I also liked the music, contrary to many people's comments, because it just somehow fit the overall lameness of the movie. I was pleasantly surprised that all the violence was imagined and not shown on the screen. The viewer's imagination can take that and run with it - thus making it as scary as one wants it to be without ever seeing the perp actually kill anyone (except the one guy in the yard but not even really then).
But, here's what's wrong with the movie, in no particular order:
* The "stunning ending" I heard about for the director's cut - where was it? Did I miss it? It was a lame shootout, and the guy took 5 hits in the chest before lamely dying and then there was no more to it. * Why did Graham visit the family at the end? To 'feel' what it's like to be a serial killer? Lame. If he had converted himself and killed them - that would have been interesting. But don't show the family, and then the Grahams all happy-end on the beach. * Hannibal was in no way freaky, and while the code thing was smart it could have been played slicker. * All the ludicrous "I love you" scenes with the wife - whatever. Leave that stuff out. The one scene where she thought she was in danger - fine. But other than that, she could have been cut from the whole movie. Clarice Sterling didn't need a mate to make her movies work, why does Graham need props? * Jack Crawford was totally underdeveloped and seemed like he was half hindrance instead of leading an FBI investigation. * It was clear from the beginning that the videos of the families were important and that the killer either shot them (like a hired photo-guy for a b-day party) or processed them afterwards. Ooooh. Suspenseful. * The killer had no decent motive. While they tried to explore his obsession with needing to be accepted, it was done in a lame way. Jame Gum in SOTL was a transvestite freak wanting a body suit. Good serial killer stuff. Hannibal likes to eat people. Excellent. But Frances just waited for a full moon and made dead people stare at him. Pathetic.