The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

All Critics (54) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (2) | DVD (46)

Main attraction: the intellectual tug-of-wills between Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.

October 7, 2008 Full Review | Comment

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

The juiciest part is Hopkins,' and he makes the most of it. Helped by some highly dramatic lighting, actor makes the role the personification of brilliant, hypnotic evil, and the screen jolts with electricity whenever he is on.

September 24, 2007 Full Review | Comment (1)

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Top Critic

An accomplished, effective, grisly, and exceptionally sick slasher film that I can't with any conscience recommend, because the purposes to which it places its considerable ingenuity are ultimately rather foul.

February 5, 2007 Full Review | Comments (71)

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

It's a bona fide classic of its kind.

March 7, 2005 Full Review | Comment

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Top Critic

The Silence of the Lambs is pop film making of a high order. It could well be the first big hit of the year.

May 20, 2003 Full Review | Comment

Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

For all the unbridled savagery on display, what is shrewd, significant and finally hopeful about Silence of the Lambs is the way it proves that a movie can be mercilessly scary and mercifully humane at the same time.

May 12, 2001 Comment

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Top Critic

[VIDEO] "Hannibal the Cannibal" is the ultimate anti-hero.

April 16, 2012 Full Review | Comment

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Thriller that made the serial killer a superstar.

December 15, 2010 Full Review | Comment

Charles Cassady

Common Sense Media

The extras include a bunch of featurettes, including one made in 1991 and another five covering topics such as the screenplay, score and other topics.

April 27, 2009 Full Review | Comment

Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

Screenwriters and directors can turn to this classic film for a primer on how to create incredible tension and horror far in excess of what we actually see onscreen.

April 27, 2009 Full Review | Comment

Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

[Blu-Ray DVD review] If you've never owned The Silence of the Lambs on home video, then this is without question the version of the film for you.

April 15, 2009 Full Review | Comment

Steve "Uncle Creepy" Barton

Dread Central

All of its most enduring aesthetic qualities and themes%u2014essentially what sets it apart from so many imitators and established it almost immediately as a canonical film%u2014are contained in its riveting first 20 minutes, which draw you in like a stee

March 18, 2009 Full Review | Comment

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

It has maintained its reputation as a chilling drama after all these years...

February 23, 2009 Full Review | Comment

Rory L. Aronsky

Screen It!

Demme has the control of a born master of suspense.

October 31, 2007 Full Review | Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

Classy storytelling and unforgettable characterisation.

September 24, 2007 Full Review | Comment

Film4

A riveting, non-stop thriller of nerve-racking intensity.

June 4, 2007 Comment

Chuck O'Leary

FulvueDrive-in.com

The over-the-top story reeks of phoniness, grisly violence and exploitation.

March 6, 2007 Full Review | Comments (3)

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A revelatory comment in the new DVD is from writer Tally about the killer's portrait that upset gay viewers; there were protests at Oscar time: We wished we crafted that character in a differnet light, at least not give him a white poodle called Precious

February 20, 2007 Full Review | Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Not since The Exorcist had a horror flick been this applauded! It was almost as if ... "horror" were its own legitimate genre!

February 9, 2007 Full Review | Comment

Scott Weinberg

FEARnet

• 1. Dr. Hannibal Lecter: No no no you were doing fine, you had been courteous and receptive to courtesy, you had established trust with the embarrassing truth about miggs, and now this ham-handed segue into your questionnaire tut-tut-tut it won't do.
  – Submitted by Tom M (3 months ago)
• 1. Dr. Hannibal Lecter: I'm having an old friend for dinner.
  – Submitted by lohit v (6 months ago)
• 1. Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb: Has the FBI learned something yet? The police around here don't seem to have the first clue. [Clarice notices a moth] I mean have you got like a description, fingerprints, anything like that?
  2. Clarice Starling: No. No I don't. [Clarice unbuttons her gun holster]
  3. Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb: Oh, here's that number!
  4. Clarice Starling: Very good, Mr. Gordon. May I use your phone please?
  5. Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb: [Gumb starts laughing] Sure you can use my phone.
  6. Clarice Starling: [draws her gun] Freeze! Put your hands over your head and turn around! Spread your legs! Spread your legs! Put your hands in the back... thumbs up. FREEZE! [Gumb runs off]
  – Submitted by Gavin S (8 months ago)
• 1. Miggs: Look at the blood!
  – Submitted by Michael C (8 months ago)
• 1. Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb: It rubs the lotion on its skin. It does this whenever it's told.
  2. Catherine Martin: Please mister, let me go! My family will give you anything you want!
  3. Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb: It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again.
  4. Catherine Martin: Okay, okay.
  5. Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb: Now, it places the lotion in the basket.
  6. Catherine Martin: Please! I want to see my mom! Please...
  7. Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb: [yelling] Put the fucking lotion in the basket!
  – Submitted by Gavin S (9 months ago)