The way a thriller ought to be

Silence of the Lambs will be remembered as one of the best modern day classic horror film. It won many academy awards and critical praise. Ten years later a sequel was released but didn’t do too well and got mixed reviews. Two other films have been associated with Silence of the Lambs but so far none have ever relived the success of the original despite the series attempt to save the franchise with the prequel.

Shortly after becoming an FBI agent Clarice Sterling gets a special assignment. She must talk to Dr. Hannibal Lector to get information about the murder Buffalo Bill. Hannibal Lector is no ordinary doctor, he is jailed in maximum security and was a psychiatrist. He is also as cannibal and has the nickname of Hannibal the Cannibal. Despite warning about not revealing personal information Clarice tells about her life in order to get more answers leading to Buffalo Bill.

This is what a thriller should be like. It never gets overly suspenseful but certainly leaves you wanting more. It is a dark film that takes it time setting up the mood and as a result the execution of the film is near perfect. Although it may take a little long to really get going, once it does you won’t want to stop watching. It is a believable film and has an excellent screenplay that keeps the film rolling along. The movie is actually rather simple using the interactions between Clarice and Hannibal to take it to the next step. It doesn’t have many supporting characters but uses its main characters to carry out the film. It has a gritty feel that is lacking in many new thrillers nowadays.

The acting is one of the most crucial aspects of the film. Since the film only revolves around a few characters a big cast of mixed stars in not necessary. Instead, the quality over quantity formula works exceptionally well. Anthony Hopkins got best actor award despite being confined to only seventeen minutes of screen time. He does his best in every scene and practically pours his heart as he makes such a realistic and haunting performance. However Hannibal would obviously be a complete waste without Jodie Foster giving an equally impressive performance. She has a nice southern accent with a good amount of innocence to her. She is desperate to find Bill but has a weird relationship with Hannibal along the way. Ted Levine is the last major character in this film and probably the whole reason why everything happens. He doesn’t have much screen time but still manages to put on a creepy and believable performance. He is somewhat humorous but still manages to remain sinister.

The Silence of the lambs works for a lot of factors. The cast is a big part and so is the mood, setting, and cinematography. The movie is very dark most of the time and the cinematography complements this perfectly. The detail to the scenes works well as the setting is creepy and suspenseful. Hannibal’s jail cells are nicely designed and contain a lot of aspects that show his character nicely. The movie keeps an excellent balance of suspense and drama. It is suspenseful throughout but has a nice dramatic element that is lacking in many films today. The climax is pulse pounding and the film has excellent closure that has it come full circle.

Overall this is an excellent film. The acting is about as good as it gets and only has a few big stars. Anthony Hopkins won a well deserved academy award and Jodie Foster works very well. The script doesn’t pull any punches and doesn’t exactly jump out at you. This is a film that does not try to go for an overblown or cliché twist ending instead it has a realistic ending that wraps things up nicely. The mood is eerily haunting and showcases some very horrific situations. Silence of the Lambs has an excellent setup from the opening scenes of the prison and keeps expanding until the climax. The film is clever but doesn’t try to do too much. The anagrams are especially clever but the film doesn’t feel contrived or predictable. It is realistic with many essential aspects that are missing so often in many thrillers today.

Cast

Jodie Foster .... Clarice Starling

Anthony Hopkins .... Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Scott Glenn .... Jack Crawford

Ted Levine .... Jame 'Buffalo Bill' Gumb