A Dance of Minds and Darkness
Hannibal is a well-thought, visually stunning and psychologically driven show telling the story of the unusual partnership between the highly intelligent criminal psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter and a deeply troubled FBI agent Will Graham. Charged with cracking complex murders, Graham has a powerful knack for understanding murderers profoundly which has a bitter scene. His psychiatrist, Lecter, is not only a sage mentor but also a psychopathic murderer who derives sick satisfaction from keeping the baldfaced distinction of reason from Graham and setting him up for a roller-coaster ride of his life.
It is a lurid and gritty exploration of the human mind and its darker side which has extreme emphasis on violence and perversion. Sexuality, especially homosexual attraction, mental illness, and cannibalism are the major subjects that are characteristic of the now postmodern art and therefore provide the audience with powerful ideas and challenge the generally accepted moral code. Watched constantly from a position of dread and suspense, the mind remains actively engaged for each episode.
Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal Lecter was simply phenomenal, we are effectively glued to the screen with the conning charm of sophisticated menace that emanated from him. Hugh Dancy also does a great job of portraying Will Graham with subtlety while also showing the viewer all the chaos inside the main character’s head. Lecter and Graham’s relationship is a focus of the series and is further enhanced by the marvellous acting of Giami and Hopkins. Laurence Fishburne as Jack Crawford is perhaps the second best addition to this movie adding some tension into the otherwise volatile cast.
The three directors Michael Rymer, Guillermo Navarro and Vincenzo Natali have done an excellent job visually as the movie is as disturbing as the story underneath it. How they managed to combine suspense with concept based storytelling is a series that is as intellectual as it is engaging. Cinematography of a setting and atmosphere embraces the audience into the world, both fascinating and repulsive, in every single detail.
The score augments the darkness of the series located frequent use of eerie, atmospheric tracks implying scenes’ tension and general discomfort. These eerie sonic accompaniments meaningfully augment the narrative’s psychological layering, encouraging the audience to immerse themselves further into its dark folds.
The concept and execution of cinematography of Hannibal are a work of art; clear, precise visuals adding to the established and beautifully gruesome aesthetic of the story. Clever application of color and application of the shades and the features of gloom and brilliance correspond to the idea of duality in the series, lifedeath, beautyuogliness, sanitymadness. No matter if it is Lecter’s luxurious library or the detectives’ car, each location is carefully designed to contribute to the general atmosphere to the show that besides its interesting plot looks quite realistic.
The special effects are also not overly used and are more of a tool to support the narrative, rather than to become a subject of attention. When used, they enhance the realism of the depicted gore and violence making a profound impression on a viewer.
The latter works with editing which is as tight as the series’ pace and plot: everything unfolds deliberately and is as intricate as it should be. Smooth and convincing connections between the characters’ thoughts and their rather dark worlds are made successfully, while keeping the story both interesting and environment-specific.
The pacing of the series is deliberately slow, which, with the focus on the main characters, recreates the progression of the reveal of their mental states. It requires time to be spent on, it draws the audience into the complexities of the story rather than rising up to the clichéd adrenaline pump, which goes hand in hand with the conspiracy that the series offers on the psychological level.
The dialogue in Hannibal is deep and complex, suggestive, often philosophical and always threatening. Dialogues between the characters – particularly Lecter and Graham – are filled with hidden meanings and speculations about the series’ themes.
[It] may not suit the expectations of the audience who are expecting standard crime procedural TV drama thanks to its heavy plot and highly artistic approach. As a show built on psychological suspense and rather ambiguous narrative plot, it needs the audience’s engagement that in some cases may turn into a weakness. It creates a great impression and immerses an audience into the world of beauty and horror, wrapped in one. A phenomenal crime series that is quite unforgettable.
