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From Hell

From Hell

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: STYLISH HORROR OK BUT NOT GREAT
Review: The bloody terror of Jack the Ripper soaks almost every frame of "FROM HELL." Although twin directors Allen and Albert Hughes deliver a detailed and atmospheric recreation of London's East End Whitechapel district circa 1888, they do not quite capture the full impact of the massive graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell on which the film is based. Johnny Depp is a Scotland Yard detective who uses all manner of drugs to enhance his intuitive "visions" as he investigates the surgical-like slayings of five prostitutes. Robbie Coltrane is his assistant. Heather Graham's a Cockney whore who may become a victim of the Riper and Ian Holm is a still proud, but washed-up surgeon. The real star of this grimly gripping saga is the recreation of London's Ripper haunts in Prague. The two disc set is heavy with extras and bonus material including commentary by directors, writer, cinematographer, many deleted scenes, an alternate ending, multiple featurettes include making-of, behind the scenes, and a tour of the actual Ripper murder sites with the Hughes brothers. "From Hell" makes a strong case for the identity of the Ripper as an heir to the British throne but it is at odds with the recent and equally compelling conclusions by crimewriter Patricia Cornwell. Whoever the Ripper was, he was never brought to justice while he was alive.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Stylish, good acting, not much else
Review: This entertaining, but ultimately forgettable film from the Hughes Brothers, is a showcase for the talents of all involved. Johnny Depp, who is watchable in anything, puts in a less showy, but still finely nuanced performance, while Robbie Coltrane steals every scene he is in by his sheer presence. Unfortunately, there is a spoke loose on this wheel in the form of Heather Graham who tries on several accents before finally deciding on an unidentifiable one.

The support is excellent, especially from the prostitutes, who blend pathos with humor to a fine degree. Ian Holm also gives a subtle showing as the queen's doctor, only lapsing into melodrama at the end.

Style is definitely more important here than substance. The sets are immaculate (and reportedly identical to the true locations) and the tone is set from the beginning. The Hugheses really know how to work a camera and how to get fine performances from their actors, although I think it says something that I was more interested in the DVD extras than I was in the film.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Beautifully produced waste of money!
Review: This movie was such a let down! It wasn't scary, well acted or even mildly interesting. It's just gory. The only thing this movie accomplished was giving horror movies a bad name. The only thing that was scary about this film is the documentaries and interviews that are on the DVD. It is truly scary to know that the Ripper has more dedicated fans than Trekkies who know every conceivable little detail about all the murders and they go into great detail about their theory on the identity of the actual Ripper. They even show you the actual crime and autopsy photos of the Rippers murder victims cut and slashed in the most gruesome ways. Honestly, it was so awful we couldn't watch the whole thing. If your a horror lover, the Documentary is worth the price of the disc! For good horror films instead of this see:"The 6th Sense", " What Lies Beneath?", "Ghost Story", "Dust Devils", "The Prince of Darkness", "Evil Dead 2", "Dead Dudes in the House", Hellraiser (part 1 or 2), "Ticks", "Ravenous", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Sleepy Hollow" or "From Beyond" if you really want to turn out the lights and have a real fright!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good story but to many liberties
Review: I have to admit the movie was good and pretty accurate, but the film makers took to many liberties in suggesting what really happend in the Jack the Ripper case. For instance, in the movie you saw who the killer was and in reality we have a vage idea of who it was. Also, when they suggested why he killed those girls and that the police were wrong about Mary Kelly's death. Even with all of that I still like the movie. One thing I did like was that the film makers followed the story very well and that most of the things in the movie did look real. Most of the actors did pull off a good preformance but there are still some things in the movie I wished the film makers haden't done, like what happens to Johnny Depp's character. Another thing I didn't like or understood why it was included in the film was the scene when they had the Elephant Man (Joseph Merick) in the room when Depp was just there to find the doctor. But deep within me I have to say the movie was not that bad. I rather liked it and would see it again if the chance came up.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good intense thriller
Review: Based on a graphic novel From Hell recreates the crimes that Jack The Ripper commited on the Victorian London killing 5 prostitutes which were also brutally mutilated in some cases.

The movie presents the would be suspects that Scotland Yard found and add a new reason why the killer made all this.

Meticolusity made with historical info and recreating all the aspects of that time,the Hughes bros have made it.

However the graphical detail of the violence is low compared with the showed in the novel as also the sex details.

The second Dvd is really good with good featurettes and extras that show me how a special director series would be.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Period Piece
Review: I thought From Hell was very good. I think Johnny Depp is one of the best actors of our time. The costumes and atmosphere were done really well. It really made me feel that this is what this dark and dirty place was really like. The difference between the haves and the have nots was very interesting. Of course the end leaves much speculation since Saucey Jack was never caught. But Depp was great. Great story and directing and kudos to Heather Grahams beauty.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Methodical...
Review: From Hell is a stylistic trip into the different levels of lifestyle's in the grime of Englands past. Based on entirely true events envolving the notorious Jack the Ripper, From Hell submerges the audience into the muck and grissly sights surrounding the murders of five "unfortunates".

Johnny Depp plays an inspector that is given charge to capture Jack the Ripper. He has a special gift, the ability to forsee the murders. Unfortunately, this is while he dances with the "Dragon", a drug of Absinth, Poison and Sugar cubes. Heather Graham, in the performance of her life up to this point, is an "unfortunate" on the Ripper's list. Does she survive?

I couldn't believe this disc. Its practically perfect. It stands near "Se7en" as far as quality goes. The Reds are stark and the darks merge with the black bars most will see on the top and bottom of your screen. Sometimes, its so dark, that these bars disappear. The yellows are what I agree (with a friend of mine) to be sickeningly yellow. Really well done and the extra's are everything informative you'd want to know about Jack the Ripper. Considering that not much is known in the first place, I would say there couldn't be a better set included.

One nice touch that I liked, for you people with strong stomachs, was the flies buzzing around my speakers. I was actually swatting by my ear before I realized what was going on. You can guess when the flies show up. The sound is fantastic, whether or not you have the DTS setup. If you do, brace yourself for some cool treats. If not, enjoy the movie without a can of bugspray.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: You've read the book, now see the movie...
Review: This stylish retelling of the infamous Jack the Ripper murder killings that took place in London's Whitechapel district during the Fall of 1888 is visceral roller coaster ride that succeeds on all levels; casting, script, direction, cinematography, costuming, and SPFX.

Brought to the screen by the brothers Albert and Allen Hughes, these filmmaking twins re-created in vivid detail the great disparity between the lives of the haves and the have-nots of Victorian London, and the evil that exists at all levels of society.

While this is an imaginative interpretation of the Alan Moore graphic novel of the same name, this atmospheric film does take necessary liberties in transferring this grisly tale from the printed page to the screen, but it never strays far from the menacing spirit of the original source material.

I would not recommend this film for children (due to necessary violence & sexuality), but if you appreciate a well told mystery, gritty realism, and a good scare, this is a film you should check out.

Note: The DVD set offers only a so-so commentary, but good additional material and an enthusiastic tour of the film set by the Hughes brothers that's worth checking out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: a gruesome rendition for a horrifying tale
Review: excellent is one of the words i will use for this movie, it was extremely well done. i give this movie five stars because just like the jack the ripper cases it kept you guessing. a very good rendition of an old favorite. jack the ripper being quite famous for never being caught, or at least that the common populace had known about.
this movie keeps you on your toes and keeps you glued to see what happens next.
highly reccomended for those not of a weak stomache, very gory at times.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Hellish
Review: From Hell is not really even worth the time or space provided writing this review. Everything that I have heard good about this movie is totally and completely wrong.

First off, I do not know the background on the Jack the Ripper story, so I can't comment on the factual side of the movie. But everything else I can.

First, the acting. Johnny Depp lately seems to be playing the same roles over and over again. He looks, acts, and talks exactly the same in every movie, such as Sleepy Hollow, The Ninth Gate, and finally this one. He really isn't that great of an actor, and I don't think he can really carry a movie by himself. Dating back to the train wreck The Astronauts Wife, he hasn't been in a good movie. Heather Graham I am no fan. She may look good, but I don't really care for her.

I might have likened the characters more if the directing was done well enough. But, it wasn't. There were times when the film jumped around so much that I had no idea what was going on. Maybe I'm just that dumb, but I needed some explanations. I did not see anything worth talking about with the cinematography either. It all looked pretty bland to me.

Why did I give this movie 2 stars? Well, when I can sit through 2 hours of hell and still want to know whodunit, then something must have worked. What that something was, I have no idea. 2 Stars


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