| Overall Grade: |
C |
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| Story: |
B- |
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| Acting: |
B |
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| Direction: |
B |
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| Visuals: |
B |
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Only the legend will survive.
by Leo - The Lion (movies profile)
Sep 19, 2007
12
of
20 people found this review helpful
One day men will look back and say that I gave birth to the twentieth century. From Hell (2001) is quite a bizarre murder mystery. Then again, the real Jack the Ripper is still to this day a mystery, with his identity forever unknown. This film offers a theory as to the identity, and it looks like it could have worked. The film goes like this:
Inspector Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp) is a detective in London who has a special gift for discovering murders. He also does opium in his spare time and is a wreck ever since his wife died while trying to give birth to their baby. Along with his co-worker/friend Godley (Robbie Coltrane), Abberline is charged with solving the murder case that has terrorized London's streets: the Jack the Ripper case. The Ripper is killing prostitutes and dismembering them. Abberline attends one prostitutes funeral in hopes of finding any clue. It's there that he meets Mary Kelly (Heather Graham), a prostitute who doesn't sleep with anyone. He also meets her friends and begins to search for clues. He contacts Sir William Gull (Ian Holm), a surgeon for the Queen, and gains medical knowledge of the victims. Specifically, Abberline and Gull both realize that the killer has an extensive knowledge of surgery. Meanwhile the Ripper is stalking the streets with driver Netley (Jason Flemyng), who's deeply troubled with the murders. As the dead bodies begin to pile up, Abberline discovers that all of Mary's friends are the victims. And as Abberline starts to fall in love with Mary, he realizes that she will be the next victim. He desperately looks for the identity of the killer, but the answer may prove to be more dangerous than expected.
Johnny Depp is perfect as the troubled Abberline, though the real Abberline didn't do opium. The real Abberline also had a different fate from the one in the movie. Heather Graham was a bit unbelievable as Mary, partly because she's supposed to be a prostitute yet she refuses to have sex with anyone. Also, it's kind of funny how she manages to stay clean all the time while living on the street. And her accent is kind of crappy. Robbie Coltrane is always a pleasure to view in any film. Ian Holm also does a good job as Gull.
The film explores more than just the Ripper case, but more of what was happening around that time in history. So expect subplots a plenty. Also, the proposed identity of Jack the Ripper is believable but at the same time doesn't feel right. The world may never know who this killer is.
Albert and Allen Hughes did a great job of bringing the graphic novel to life. There was a sense of dread and death around each street corner. The violence in the film is mostly after-viewings of the murder victims, while some of the gory images are of the Ripper in the act. Many people die in this film, and not just the Ripper victims. Also, the ending was admittedly cheesy, especially since it doesn't follow what happens in real life. But that's Hollywood for you.
If you like this movie I recommend: The Exorcist, The Omen, Sleepy Hollow, Scream and Candyman. |
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