Rating: 
Summary: A Rehash of Earlier Ripper Films
Review: On the plus side, the set designer did a splendid job of recreating Whitechapel of the 1880s, as well as the murder sites, based on period photographs and drawings. The sets and details of the individual crimes have probably never been done better on film. (I've lived in the East End of London and have seen photos too of the places that no longer exist, and I found the physical recreation truly superb.) Again on the plus site is Ian Holm's chilling performance, although his changing eye color (from blue to black as he gets nuttier and then back to a pale cataract blue) may be off-putting for some. On the negative side, the movie was based on a graphic novel that was in turn based on a discredited 1976 "solution" to the crimes. More importantly, the same material concerning the royal link and the Freemasons was done far better the first time around in the 1979 "Murder by Decree," based on the same original source. Material was also based, at least as far as the "identity" of the Ripper, on the 1988 television miniseries, "Jack the Ripper," starring Michael Caine as the detective. Thus, the "solution" was not original and covered no new territory regarding "Jack the Ripper." I also had a problem with some of the quick cuts and choppy scene continuity. Also, the use of the lobotomy to quiet excitable mental patients was not, to my knowledge, being practiced in 1888, although it seems to be the method of choice in this movie. (If I'm mistaken in this, someone correct me.) As far as the DVD special features, I appreciated seeing Donald Rumbelow, a genuine expert on Jack the Ripper, being interviewed regarding some notable Ripper suspects, but then he is juxtaposed with another author, a quack theorist, who has no authority to recommend him. Although this is only an extra feature, it does sum up some problems with the film itself, an inability to discriminate between the brilliant elements and the banal.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting idea, mediocre presentation
Review: "From Hell" is an adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name which follows the famous Jack the Ripper murders. Johnny Depp plays the detective who is trying to catch the murderer, and befriends pristine prostitute Heather Graham along the way. I believe that there must be more movies about serial killers than actual real life serial killers, but "From Hell" manages to put something of a fresh twist on the genre by rooting the Jack the Ripper story in a conspiracy that reaches, as they say, the highest levels of power.The movie does try to recreate the look and feel of London in 1888, and there are a couple of breathtaking panoramic shots over the city, but much of the movie takes place in the pub and nearby street corners where the doomed prostitutes gather. Somehow, despite the presence of some menacing pimps and the grisly murders that are the subject of the movie, the Victorian slums were not sufficiently violent and filthy. My uninformed impression is that lower-class London during the Industrial Revolution was even much more dismal than portrayed in "From Hell". Speaking of the murders -- I suppose after a long history of serial killer movies which show increasingly graphic scenes of mayhem and gore, a movie like "From Hell" has no choice but to follow suit. The flashing knives and buckets of blood have no power to shock or entertain any more though (for me, at least). I've come to think that it would be more terrifying to merely imply the violence and leave the details up to the viewer's imagination, but perhaps that was not an option for "From Hell", given that part of the Jack the Ripper legend stems from the violent dismemberment of the victims. Johnny Depp's character does have some narcotic-fueled visions about the murders which are good and scary, and there are a few memorable moments as the conspiracy theory is revealed, but the movie still seemed rather too flat and predictable. (I guess it doesn't help that I knew ahead of time how many prostitutes Jack the Ripper killed.) I'll be generous and give it three stars, despite my serial-killer-movie-fatigue and my belief that London isn't shown to be nearly squalid enough.
Rating: 
Summary: From Heaven
Review: The acting is top notch with Depp protraying the protagonist. Heather Graham fits her role perfectly, and Jack The Ripper, I won't tell you who it is, is the ultimate bad guy. The film flows well from sequence to sequence. I think everybody will enjoy this movie.
Rating:
Summary: My nickname is Jack The Ripper. I have been..........
Review: studying and researching Jack The Ripper since I received the nickname by my 6th grade teacher. She named me that because I used to knock people out. Not like Jack did, but I did it with my fists. I used to be a bully.But since then I have found Jack to be quite astonishing. Heather Graham is one hot cookie.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite films!
Review: From Hell is by far one of my favorite films this year! Johnny Depp is amazing as the inspector. Even though I'm not much of a Heather Graham fan, her performance is fine and all of the other actors are great. This is a wonderfully chilling film and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller.
Rating:
Summary: Jack's truely FROM HELL
Review: Just saw the movie, which I had been waiting for a while to arrive in theaters, it was truely worth the wait. It is very graphic, chilling and keeps you guessing. The movie was definitely worth viewing.
Rating:
Summary: I HIGHLY recommend this movie! ! ! ! !
Review: I saw this movie in the theatres when it first came out and I only have one word to say...WOW! This movie was great overall. The acting was great, the murder scenes were awesome, bloody neverthless, and ending was shocking, a very important part of any movie. So I would recommend this movie to anyone who would want to see a movie about Jack the Ripper.
Rating:
Summary: Mystery+Suspense+Blood+Superb Acting = A Masterpiece
Review: I fy ou have any interest in Jack The Ripper than you will like this movie. It is based on the book From Hell. Although not all of it is fact it is pretty close to what actually happened. You actually get to see if you like the subject of Jack The Ripper.
Rating: 
Summary: Great film, great effects, great characters
Review: This dark and chilling tale of Jack the Ripper is one of the better ones I've seen. The cast is perfect, the tale is cold and chilling, and the special effects were a pleasant surprise. The added features make the special edition dvd worth the extra money, and this is one film you don't want to miss.
Rating:
Summary: A movie for the smart audience
Review: I just read a review where somebody didn't like that this movie wasn't fast paced. Well that is exactly what I liked about the movie. It was smart. sophisticated and creepy. It reminded me allot of "The Others" with Nicole Kidman. This isn't your typical Hollywood movie and that is everything that I love about it. Both brilliant, underrated film from the past year.
|
