As World War II comes to a close, the life of the young Hannibal Lecter (Gaspard Ulliel) is forever changed in the snow-wrapped mountains of Eastern Europe. With the death of his family, he finds his path forever changed by five Russian marauders, who set him on a course that will inevitably lead to infamy. Lost and alone, he finds comfort in his last surviving relative, the oriental wife of his uncle, Lady Murasaki Shikibu (Gong Li). Yet, even she cannot quench his thirst for revenge against the marauders who stole his innocence, lead by the steel cold Grutas (Rhys Ifans). The question that remains is this: How far will he go, and how much will he sacrifice to achieve his own brand of justice?

Before we begin, a disclaimer: This movie is a prequel, and from book to movie, each stage was intended for one thing – to make money. This production had no intention of outdoing the critical and cinematic success of “The Silence of the Lambs,” it was purely a moneymaker at its core. Never forget that.

So are we being cheated? Not really. I’d side with a lesser prequel than no prequel at all, and I hope you all would too. While a few story elements don’t really tie together with the original, generally, you don’t feel disrespect was paid to its predecessor. I’ll take this moment to point out that I am aware “Red Dragon” (“Manhunter”) was the “original” book, but had it not been for the film success of “The Silence of the Lambs,” this prequel would never have been written, let alone made into a film. When I refer to its predecessor, I do mean “The Silence of the Lambs,” not “Red Dragon.”

How did Lecter become Hannibal the Cannibal? This is a very difficult idea to make logical and believable, yet this is one of the strengths of the movie. You buy it. It consists of little steps, each one closer to the inevitable moment of cannibalization. Much of the conviction comes from the inspiring acting of Gaspard Ulliel as Hannibal Lecter. The young French actor, formerly of “A Very Long Engagement,” blends elements of Anthony Hopkins’ Oscar-winning role, while still adding his own flare and perspective on Lecter. A brave choice, in my opinion. I especially enjoy his ability to capture Lecter’s almost morbid humor, dabbled with a grain of charm.

Sadly, the supporting cast is hit-or-miss. Gong Li is gorgeous as Lecter’s aunt, who desperately wants him to cling to his last strands of humanity. But Rhys Ifans and his cohorts are disappointing. He is the “villain” of the film, an odd idea, considering it’s a Hannibal movie.

While the gore is applied hot and heavy, the real horror of the movie comes with you, the audience. You find yourself sympathizing with Lecter, even – dare I say it – urging him to succeed. It’s a very disconcerting feeling, to ally yourself with a cannibalistic serial killer, but there you are, on his side. I was constantly waiting for the moment where he would go too far, and I could finally turn against him – but that moment never came.

I think that is the problem of the film. We have to leave the theater against him. Not just to restore the order of things, but more importantly, because he’s evil, or at least meant to be. Too often in the later Hannibal movies, our antihero only kills those who “have it coming.” That is not Lecter – he’s a killer, and kills the innocent and the deserving alike. A monster is more than a vigilante.

Also, toward the end, as Lecter systematically hunts down all those responsible, it becomes slightly repetitive. Find-kill. Find-kill. Your reasons for caring diminish too much; not even the performance of Ulliel can recover from it. It’s a pity, as the movie could have been great, especially with this younger Lecter. Instead, it’s only just enjoyable.

Overall: It’s a curious look at the history of one of cinema’s most recognized villains, focusing too much on gore and darkness, rather than on the story. The entire film is carried by the performance of Gaspard Ulliel, as Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter.