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Fans of the "Hannibal" films won't be disappointed by the latest offering which gives us the background story of our most beloved serial killer. In fact, the film, written by Thomas Harris-who also wrote the novel(s)-delivers an account so compelling that we come, very nearly, to identify with Hannibal, a character tortured by the violence, horror, and misfortune of living in the path of War.

Gaspard Ulliel, a young actor well recognized in France, is an effective Hannibal as a young man, although Director Peter Webber might have done better by cutting down Ulliel's lines, which were the only flaw in the film, and that a small one. It is Ulliel's camera presence that wins us over; his image on screen is compelling enough to convince the most jaded viewer of an authentic hunger for blood, and flesh.

I found it quite interesting to note that the story itself gives reason to Lecter's motives; that he wasn't just a mad man with an indiscriminant taste for hideous murder, torture and cannibalism, but rather a man left with no choice but to strike back using the only methods experience had delivered to him in his unfortunate youth.

Hannibal's coming of age under the iron fist of Soviet rule is, perhaps, one of the more surprising bits of background. That his family had been Lithuanian aristocracy makes perfect sense, and the devastation of his world made complete by War's end opens us to this desolated character: a very intelligent young man filled with a blood lust and a need for vengeance that is very nearly beyond comprehension. These revelations push us, the audience, into the corner with Hannibal, we are left with no choice but to will him on in his search for a shocking justice, even under the dark circumstances and horrifying, yet inexplicably correct methods with which he is left to deal out retribution.

Paced well, the story advances in good order. Of course, it certainly helps the enjoyment of the film by having already seen "Silence of the Lambs", "Hannibal", and "Red Dragon" (or Manhunter as it was originally filmed and was also titled as a novel). In fact, I felt that this script, as good as it was, almost assumes that its audience has seen the others.

Despite taking a few hits by other critics upon release, I found the film a satisfying experience. Definitely worth the price of a rental and worth owning if you already have the others in your collection.

Running time: 117 minutes on the theatrical, rated "R" version, 130 minutes on the unrated version which was viewed for the purposes of this review; expect scenes of torture, extreme violence and war time violence, as well as scenes of cannibalism.

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