BREAK THE SILENCE.

Ten years after The Silence of the Lambs comes an opportunity to catch up with FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore) and the runaway serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), as she is going through a crisis and he is spotted by a daring cop in Florence.

This time, the usually dependable screenwriters (and Thomas Harris) seemed to care more about spattering the scenery with blood than recreate the intelligent sensibilities that boosted the first movie.

The story is a tad sluggish and the character of Hannibal has become another Freddy Krueger, but there are pleasing moments in all this bloody insanity.

2001-U.S. 132 min. Color. Directed by Ridley Scott. Screenplay: Steven Zaillian, David Mamet. Novel: Thomas Harris. Music: Hans Zimmer. Cast: Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lecter), Julianne Moore (Clarice Starling), Ray Liotta (Paul Krendler), Giancarlo Giannini, Gary Oldman, Frankie Faison, Zeljko Ivanek.

Trivia: Co-produced by Scott. Jonathan Demme and Jodie Foster turned down offers; Cate Blanchett, Gillian Anderson and Angelina Jolie were considered as Clarice. Christopher Reeve was offered Oldman’s part. Followed by Red Dragon (2002).