From Hell (2001)

Movie Review: "From Hell" Copyright (c) 2001 Aleksandar Zambelli Originally published in The Crimson, a Florida Tech student publication.

Directed by the Hughes Brothers
Starring: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Ian Holm
Genre: thriller

London, 1888. Young prostitute Mary Kelly (Heather Graham - "Austin Powers II," "Boogie Nights") and her friends work the streets of Whitechapel, London's most notorious slum. One day her friend Ann and her wealthy lover are kidnapped in broad daylight. Shortly after, another prostitute from her group is found dead, brutally murdered. Police inspector Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp - "Sleepy Hollow," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas") is called to investigate the crime, mostly because of his occasional psychic abilities. More brutal murders follow, and Abberline realizes he is dealing with a serial killer who is systematically killing off all of Mary Kelly's group.

Slums, prostitutes, pimps, johns, dirt, poverty, industrialization, opium bars, Scotland Yard, free masons - ah, yes, this indeed is the London of the late 19th century. The Hughes Brothers' ("Dead Presidents," "Menace II Society") depiction of 19th century London is accurate, gruesome and vivid - just the way it's supposed to be. Albert and Allen Hughes, two twin brothers who built their careers making semi-documentary movies, score high with their latest movie "From Hell." Although fictional, the story of "From Hell" is not that far from truth. It is largely based on reports of a 19th century London serial killer known by the name of Jack the Ripper, who ritually slaughtered prostitutes and got away scot-free. Although numerous suspects existed, his real identity was never revealed and so Jack the Ripper became a notorious legend. Several conspiracy theories were formed, as it is always the case, some of which suggested interesting connections between Jack and the British royal family. Ultimately, it was Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell's comic book series "From Hell" that served as the main inspiration for this screenplay.

The movie's greatest plus is its stunning cinematography, the work of Peter Deming ("Lost Highway", "Evil Dead II"). Throughout the movie we are treated with beautiful shots of London streets (incidentally, the movie was actually shot in Prague) and red skies above London. Many will notice that the movie looks and feels a lot like a Tim Burton film, but I'd say this is due to the stunning cinematography and dim lighting which we have grown accustomed to seeing in Burton's movies. The murder scenes are shot in a good old Hitchcock style of "less is more" - more violence is hinted at than is actually shown. Obviously, the Hughes Brothers aren't amateurs.

The movie's main downfalls are its pacing and certain casting choices. The movie is very slow in the beginning and the story goes off in many different directions. This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, if it weren't for the rather hasty climax and the obviously rushed love story. The scriptwriters do, however, partially redeem themselves by avoiding a potentially cheesy happy ending. The other thorn in my eye, as I watched the movie, was Heather Graham, who sticks out among dirty prostitutes of London's slums like a sore thumb. Her acting is mediocre, and her accent is… uhm, I don't think she even had an English accent. An older and more experienced actress would've handled the role much better.

"From Hell" is movie so well executed that it's a pleasure to watch, regardless of its few flaws. It might not be exactly Sir Arthur Conan Doyle material, but it's visually captivating and entertaining to watch. Speaking of Doyle, when are we going to see a good movie version of Sherlock Holmes? It's about time…

Score:  8/10

Pros: stunning cinematography, Hitchcockian direction Cons: poorly paced story, Heather Graham

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X-RT-RatingText: 8/10