Review of From Hell (2001) by Andres M — 28 Sep 2011

"Jack the Ripper" was an unidentified serial killer that terrorized London around 1888. He was responsible for the murder of several female prostitutes and as other murders were also associated with him, his legend grew. "From Hell" (2001) is a film adaptation, loosely based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, that takes a stab at deciphering the murders, victims, and ultimately the killer.

Johnny Depp stars as Police Inspector Frederick Abberline, who is charged with solving and ending the murder spree. Once again, almost as consistent as sun rise and sun set, Depp provides a gripping and spot on performance. He plays a troubled man, struggling with an even worse addiction, chasing the dragon if you will, which is both a blessing and a curse, as it aids him in his work, but slowly ends him as well. Due to a very well laid out script, Depp is allowed to shine, as he progresses through his investigation into the murders, each building the tension of the film leading to the climax.

Heather Graham stars as Mary Kelly, an "unfortunate"...a poor young woman...whose only avenue of self preservation is prostitution. Visually, along with her small group of "bangtails", Graham portrays her role very well. Each streetwalker has a striking personality trait, and her's draws you to feel nothing but compassion for her in her most dreadful of situations. Her role does tend to blend into the group of prostitutes, and she doesn't necessarily stand out, however still delivers a good solid performance.

A real stand out in this movie, is Ian Holm, who portrays Sir William Gull, a recently retired surgeon who, along with being a important member of the Free Masons, is also a physician to the Royal Family. He steps up to help Inspector Abberline with his investigation, when other surgeons turn him away, and provides him with very useful info that helps Abberline deduce the identity of the killer...HIM!!!!. Holm as Bilbo Baggins reaching for the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring solidified his creepiness in my mind, and that has stuck with me ever since. He is able to ever so easily, switch from compassionate and warming, to conniving and murderous, and by the time you notice the change, its too late. Holm is one of the main reasons that this movie works so well. By keeping your deductive skills at bay till the end of the movie, you walk the path the movie wants you to take, and then feeds you the ending with a spoon.

"From Hell" is a gory and stylistic film, even by today's standards, that due to the additionally creepy period setting, makes for a worth while look into the legend of Jack the Ripper. The movie takes certain liberties such as conclusively identifying "the Ripper", but what else do you expect from an adaptation of a graphic novel. All in all, a great film, which is something you can almost always expect from Johnny Depp, which takes you on a great thrill ride and leaves you satisfied in the end.