From Hell (2001) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA 2001
Director: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Cast: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, Katrin Cartlidge, Susan Lynch
Rating: R
Release Date: 19 October 2001
Running Time: 2 hours 2 minutes

The Movie Review

From Hell film still 1


FROM HELL
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

I open this review by pointing that no matter how many films, literatures, comic books, cartoons have been produced to depict the terror of Jack the Ripper, From Hell is worthy of your time and money because it can make the audience grow sympathy to all of his victims. Who were his victims? Prostitutes/Whores/B*tches/Hookers. And even though you won't grow any sympathy to any of the victims but at least there is a sense of despise seeing how cruel a human being can be to others.

Btw, the movie will blow you away even more if you don't have any idea who Jack the Ripper is in the first place...

The year is 1888, set in London in Whitechapel district, the dirtiest/filthiest/sleaziest spot in London where all the low-life, prostitutes, drinkers, wankers are jam-packed in such sad-hedonistic kinds of ways. But even though the people residing and working there are accustomed to immoral activities, nothing prepares them for a gruesome era where it began with a death of a prostitute in such gruesome, gory and disgusting kind of way (this is true to fact, so toughen up). Police Inspector Frederick Abberline (Johnny Depp) is in charge of all the investigation and it's a good thing that he is some kind of a clairvoyant. But even so, ghastly murder is keep on happening, until Inspector Abberline sorta team up with one of the targeted prostitutes named Mary Kelly (Heather Graham of Killing Me Softly (2002)). Inspector Abberline eventually begins to recognize the motive but will he be able to entirely solve the case and to stop more heartless killings?

From Hell is based on a comic series written by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell. Even though Jack the Ripper himself was very real but the movie deals more with conspiracy theory and the writer delves more with possibilities/theories surrounding the mystery of this infamous serial killer. Some say he was this and some say he was that, some say his motivation is political but some also say it's pure madness. Whatever you choose to believe, at least in this umpteenth depiction of Jack the Ripper, audience will feel satisfied of having been given the closure and conclusion which are backed by solid storyline.

Although it's important to note that for seasoned horror film fans who are accustomed to gore and bloody violent scenes, From Hell is essentially can be felt as a showcase of gore and unfortunately the cast is not that good either, Johnny Depp particularly gives one of his weakest performances. About 2 years before From Hell was released, in 1999 there was a horror movie which set in England Georgian Era (Era before Victorian) titled Sleepy Hollow (1999) in which Johnny Depp delivers splendid performance in a similar role as detective and the studio was choked full and everyone was either satisfied or terrified. What it's particularly "different" in From Hell, is how the filmmakers try to tell us every important detail pertaining Jack the Ripper's act including the infamous "writing on the wall", and these details don't clutter the storyline. But some of the details are really unpleasant.

Of course, you can't really blame the filmmakers for giving plenty amount of gore, disgusting aftermath view of the victim's physical condition (the killing process is not graphic) and some graphic nudity (excluding Heather Graham). Because if you have known about Jack the Ripper's sadistic acts, you will realize sometimes Truth feels more fictional than fiction.