Review of From Hell (2001) by Caleb P — 08 Nov 2010

The Hughes' Bros. re-telling of the Ripper murders falls between Hammer camp and slasher gore and fails at both, mostly due to its abysmal accents and style-free production: streets that should have been dripping in Hogarthian atmosphere are here as clean as a theme park, populated by rosy-cheeked strumpets and urchins with perfect teeth while Depp's opium dreams looked like an Ultravox video directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Graham's hooker with the heart of gold joins Holm's unconvincing Ripper on the implausibility bench while the rest of a mostly Brit cast stand around looking like actors in period costume. Despite its historical accuracy and Masonic back story, there's little here to thrill or excite and gore fans should stay well clear.

For people who like comics and/or Mary Poppins.