Hannibal Rising

The story of the early, murderous roots of the cannibalistic killer, Hannibal Lecter – from his hard-scrabble Lithuanian childhood, where he witnesses the repulsive lengths to which hungry soldiers will go to satiate themselves, through his sojourn in France, where as a medical student he hones his appetite for the kill and learnt sword skills from his Japanese girlfriend, who happened to have similar fate

Critics largely dismissed this Lecter origin story as a misguided exercise that strips the character of his mystique through crude psychological explanation. Gaspard Ulliel's performance drew the most debate — some found his mannerisms a credible younger echo of the iconic role, while others felt his tightly controlled affect suffocated any genuine menace or life.