From Hell (2001)

Heavy on atmosphere and light on everything else, From Hell is visually impressive while lacking the depth of the acclaimed graphic novel it's based upon. Making their third feature since 1993's Menace II Society, twins Allen and Albert Hughes approach the Jack the Ripper case with physical precision, re-creating the gritty Whitechapel district of 1888 London in meticulous detail. What they've forgotten is the sheer terror that gripped Whitechapel in the wake of the Ripper's slaying of five prostitutes, investigated here by a Scotland Yard sleuth (Johnny Depp) who uses opium, laudanum, and absinthe to fuel his semiprescient visions of the slayings. Heather Graham attempts a slippery Cockney accent as a would-be victim, while Ian Holm steals the show as a has-been surgeon with devilish delusions of grandeur. Violence is obliquely suggested or briefly graphic, but no matter how you cut it, From Hell is only marginally thrilling as it treads familiar territory. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

From Hell

Johnny Depp comes through again as a detective for the London police. His character is multi-faceted and fascinating. The investigations into the murders of Jack the Ripper, lead us to believe we know the actual murderer for a change. That isn't to say it is clear cut at first, no pun intended, but his following the case gives us an in depth look at police work for the times and conditions in hospitals are very graphic. This is not for young children. This is an adult movie in the respect of the horrible way women are murdered. Although I enjoyed this movie immensely, I personally would not buy it because of the dark and graphic nature of it. It shows us what truly must be Hell. Excellent quality DVD with fair replayability. If you enjoyed this, catch "Sleepy Hollow" and "Time After Time". June 16, 2008

A Nice Twist

Overall a nice twist on the tale of Jack the Ripper. The film went in depth with what could have been the motive behind the 1888 slayings in Whitechapel. We will never know the true story, but From Hell delivers an explanation the plays well as both an enjoyable film and a stab at one of history's most notorious figures. Brutal, sad, and thought provoking. A definite recommendation! June 12, 2008

GREAT JACK THE RIPPER STORY!!!

A new twist on the Jack the Ripper story. Johnny Depp gives one of his greatest performances ever! May 19, 2008

All in their own hell

The performances of Ian Holm and Johnny Depp really make this a movie worth watching, as does all the attention to detail in recreating 1888 London.

The story moved along quickly and was very suspenseful, exploring all the little hells of the main characters. This tied together the story nicely, as did the motive behind it all.

A very interesting take on an infamous bit of history. May 15, 2008

the scariest modern day horror film

It's difficult to scare people these days, 'cause 1) many of the tricks have already been pulled and coming up with new ones takes genuine talent, which 1.2) is becoming more and more rare in the film industry all together and 2) there's a growing number of people who just think mediocrity must reign and anything too intense is just "going too far"...a film like PSYCHO (1960) would just create too many riots, supposing it ever saw the light of day...of course, PSYCHO is tame in today's standards, as its been copied and reconstrued a million times, not to mention the fact that, like comedy, people's definition of scary has evolved over time.
I saw this film and was like "woah..."; it was very creepy, very disturbing, and very scary. It wasn't one of those films that just startles teenage girls who long to be startled so they can look cute, it's a REAL horror story, one that doesn't rely on comedy to make the terror easier to swallow. It also doesn't rely all too heavily on gore, although there are a few gory scenes.
And I'm not easily scared. I've seen most, if not all, of the "classic" horror films, from the "golden era" of Hollywood, to the drive in films of the '70's, to the stupid chick-fright films of the '90's...most of 'em don't phase me. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE had a few terrifying moments, but it wa a little boring, CANDYMAN was a great film, but wasn't exactly scary, IMO...but this film was just outstanding.
The conspiracy theory in this film didn't quite make a whole lotta sense to me when I was watching the film. Maybe that's why I was so compelled by this film, 'cause everything just kinda floats along your senses, instead of relaying the information in a text-book like formula. The director(s) know how to use the camera as a way to evoke emotion, rather than simply filming a series of moments and the writing is very dreary and if you have any sense, you'll know when to ask questions and when to just sit back and let your imagination do the talking...I personally prefered not knowing what the heck was going on and just letting the images and tone creep under my skin. The fear of the unknown may be old, but this technique of playing on that is NOT...an original and compelling film. 5 stars easy. May 3, 2008

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