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From Hell

From Hell

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Completely Amazing.
Review: This movie is absolutely amazing. It's one of the few movies that I can watch over and over again and never get tired of. Johnny Depp was amazing in this movie, as he is in all of his movies.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Five for Heaven, five for Hell...
Review: A classy movie, with a very talented cast, headed by the always-superb Depp. So why only four stars? Well, like some other viewers, I felt that it lacked that final something to make it an irresistible movie.

Perhaps the one thing that made me skeptical from early on is the way the film followed the Masonic Conspiracy Theory set out by Stephen Knight in Jack The Ripper: The Final Solution. Without giving anything away, the Ripper that Depp uncovers - a real-life person of the time - was believed to have been geographically excluded from the possible suspect list, in that for one or more of the murders, he was nowhere near London, let alone Whitechapel.

Curiously, the movie doesn't make much of the 'From Hell' letter that gave the film its name. This letter, written in blood-like red ink, was believed to have been one of only two letters that may have been sent by the Ripper - all the rest being hoaxes.

The actresses who played the prostitutes were simply magnificent, which created a human aspect to the drama that was essential to involving the viewer. What happened to those women was unforgivable and the movie succeeds in making the point that they were innocent victims of circumstance, who only followed their 'profession' out of poverty and desperation.

The psychic element whereby Depp's Abberline can 'see' some of the murder details is a very interesting feature and lifts From Hell onto another level.

As far as the Catholic prostitute carrying a Royal baby theory goes, there have been so many illegitimate children to royalty over the centuries that such an event need not have been enough to trigger such a systematic campaign of brutality. Even given that the Prince allegedly 'married' the Catholic prostitute in an apparently legal ceremony with 5 ... witnesses, needn't have been much of a cause for concern.

Remember, in those days, the Government was all-powerful and any official denial backed by the mere threat of extermination would have been enough to take care of any attempt to exploit the situation via the Press.

Who was the Ripper? Either a totally unknown local man, who had worked as a porter in the morgue of a teaching hospital, or somebody acting as part of a Conspiracy group. But not driven by something so mundane as a royal baby. Yet perhaps involving a bloodline infinitely more precious and therefore dangerous. A sacred bloodline, a holy bloodline. And MARY Kelly did get away. Now that would make a more original plot twist.

A trifle unimaginative, but this is still a great movie and well worth the typically excellent Amazon.com price.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: this movie is like watching something that came FROM HELL
Review: um.......i like johnny depp. I like heather graham. theyre both great actors especially johnny depp. But what in tha hell where they thinking when they stared in this catastrophy of a movie. It doesnt even have the right to be called a movie. The whole movie is some what irrelevant to the infamous Jack the ripper. This is one of the worst movie plots Ive ever seen. Especially when im a fan of Johnny Depp( I like the italian mafia movies he does.)
I actually had expectations for this movie...........I was dead wrong

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Stylish, intriguing, but a little flat
Review: From Hell is an enjoyable, stylish retelling of the Jack the Ripper story. The focus of the movie is not so much on Jack, though, as on the opium-addicted, absinthe-using Inspector Abberline, who pursues him. The inspector is played by Johnny Depp, who continues to turn out one brilliant performance after another, even in not so great movies.

Not so great? Well, yes: unfortunately, under all the (admittedly well done) suspense and atmospherics, From Hell is sadly lacking in emotional depth. The Ripper's mounting body count doesn't seem to elicit the kind of real terror and paranoia that might be expected given the circumstances. The relationship between Abberline and the prostitute Mary Kelly, played by Heather Graham, is unconvincing and lacks resonance. This is partly due to "Roller Girl"'s limitations as an actress, but most of the blame belongs squarely to the script, which just doesn't do enough to develop the story to its fullest.

Having said that, there is a lot to like here. Some of the supporting performances are excellent, notably Robbie Coltrane as a police sergeant and Ian Holm as a high-placed surgeon who helps Abberline grapple with the forensics of the murders. There are also some nice touches relating to the rigid class divisions of Victorian England. From Hell is basically an above average suspense thriller, a flawed effort, but more intelligent than most entries in the genre.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Grade A Style... B- Story...
Review: Normally, I place a greater emphasis on story (the plot and character development) over style (the atmosphere and camera angles).

Of course, the Jack The Ripper mystery has captivated the world for more than a century, so the story automatically has you hooked before the movie even starts. If you weren't interested, you wouldn't be watching.

I fault the "From Hell" storyline on the basis of its resolution -- not that it was implausible (many serious historians share the same theory.) It just wasn't original. A television mini-series with Michael Caine and the 1978 Christopher Plummer-as-Sherlock Holmes feature, "Murder by Decree," drew nearly the exact same conclusions.

But "From Hell" is a treat for the eyes, dazzling sets, intriguing lighting, mesmerizing flashes of color, moody and, yes, bloody. The gore is not overwhelming or distracting, though.

"From Hell" stands apart from other Ripper flicks in that it is wonderfully stylish, and Johnny Depp adds another convincing portrayal of yet another tormented character to his resume. Thus, I'll give the movie three stars.

Give "From Hell" credit for its look, but shame on the moviemakers for essentially retelling the "Murder by Decree" story 20-some years later and presenting it as if they had a fresh solution to the Ripper mystery.

How 'bout a movie with "From Hell's" style and the completely shocking ending of "The Night of the Ripper," the 1984 book by Robert Bloch in which the killer is aided by a seemingly sweet woman? That movie would be a five-star classic.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: beautiful failure
Review: Johnny Depp should never do a movie that is not directed by Tim Rice. He's a terrific actor but he just doesn't cut it as a opium smoking Inspector Frederick Abberline. He's too young and frankly, if Abberline was this weird he wouldn't have lasted on the force. Heather Graham is completely out of her depth. She looks wrong for the part, (How many street walkers look this healthy and pretty?) can't do the accent and can't act. Compare this to the Michael Caine version and you'll see how weak the Hughes Brothers' effor was.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Moody and Gothic
Review: From Hell utilized superb lighting and atmosphere. The story posed a rather interesting solution about the identity of Jack the Ripper.

There was a bit of blood in the film, but overall, much of the intensity was via camera angles, musical suspense and sound effects.

It isn't scary per se, but it had its moments where we were unnerved. The acting was very convincing and something worthy of your film library if you enjoy historical horror drama's.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A good ole gory time.
Review: This gives an intriguing twist on the "Jack the Ripper" mystery.
Heather Graham is far from being a great actress, but in this movie, she is far from being horrible. Johnny does his best weird guy routine (is it a routine?) and the movie is nice and bloody. Enjoy!!!!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: From Hell
Review: An opening scene of a prostitute making her rounds as the violence and addictions abound.

The plot moves slow as the mind of the junkie detective investigating the case. In the opium den of iniquities, there is plenty of illusion of a temporary respite, but the detective's visions don't stop. People are released from their bed, untied from their church pews where they are permitted to stay the night, and wash in the public troughs. It's just another day in the life.

There are two sides to the coin. One is the law and the other is the criminal. The criminal mind is on the same junkie wave length as the law. Before he goes out for his next victim, Jack-the-Ripper drinks the same wine. This detail is quick cut in the scene instead of close up focus. The two are tied.

The butchery is drawn out. The flies hover on the bodies during investigations. The character of the English depicted in such times, in overpopulation and poverty can be appreciated.

It is a good film from a different approach: how the characters might have been thinking. "From Hell", would be a worthwhile addition to anyone's movie collection. Its intensity and impact I would recommend with "Saving Private Ryan" or "We Were Soldiers". The film demands special occasion viewing.

The lighter side of the film? Why was the prostitute played by Heather Graham, who was saved from the Ripper played by...but I can't tell, the prettiest, the cleanest and one of the youngest? Simply, so the cowboy played by Johnny Depp, would have someone to ride into the sunset with as he chased his last dragon . How would it have set if it was with one of the older, more authentically depicted, black toothed hags? My guess is not at all. Not everyone is Mae West.

What do you think...

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: From Hell Is Coppolistic...
Review: The Hughes Brothers turn at recreating the look of Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula and Burton's Sleepy Hollow isn't bad. The cinematography is wonderful and lush. The leads fare well but could have been recast with unknowns or more believable actors. It has a nice easy pacing and creative/modern editing, but it lacks in story. Although, we follow Jack the Ripper anonymously until the end (good choice), I feel that they should have left his character at more of a mystery since no one really knows who he was anyway. Ian Holm is wonderful and his acting is well worthy of the film's dark and and haunting look. The Extra DVD is loaded with cool stuff, including a fascinating look at Absinthe.... ****stars


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