I’m really torn about how I feel about this movie. On hand I am very impressed. On the other, I’m horribly disappointed. Let me state though, that the majority of my disappointment comes from the fact that I had recently read the Graphic Novel that this film was based on before seeing the film.

Warning: I’m definitely going to spoil some of the movie here if you are going in not knowing who the killer is supposed to be this will ruin the potential surprise.

The book this film is based on, “From Hell” by Allan Moore, is practically a historical documentary in the way that it goes into extensive detail on all the facts behind the Jack the Ripper legend. It even goes into detail regarding speculations and other possibilities than the one that it presents. There is a several page, very detailed collection of footnotes at the end of each of the thirteen chapters. In the graphic novel, I felt like Allan Moore cleverly presented his case for the identity of Jack the Ripper by examining all the known details of the story we are sure of today, and then worked them all into a thesis for one of the more accepted theories about the identity of Jack the Ripper and his motives. It is reaching on a grand scale, but I’m convinced that it is possible.

“From Hell” the movie is the same story as the graphic novel, only made so ‘Hollywood’ that it feels like the only thing missing is a horse drawn carriage chase through the streets of London. No wait. Actually they did include that too!?

As another example of how ‘Hollywood’ this film is, I cannot believe that someone made a movie about Jack the Ripper and tried to give it a happy ending. Just how commercial were they thinking? I’m especially disappointed since the Hughes brother’s debut was the unflinching “Menace to Society”. Now that’s a movie without a happy ending! As a matter of fact, “Menace” showed us all how ‘upbeat’ “Boys in the Hood” really was, and that had come out only a year earlier and was considered a very depressing film.

In this version of the Jack the Ripper tale, the detective in charge of the case almost has a love affair with the hooker who was supposed to be Jack’s final victim. I say almost because these guys decided to try and leave us with a happy ending by having her escape what is easily the Ripper’s most disgusting murder.

Why did they have to give the lead detective an opium addiction? It may have been true, but I doubt that it could have been as severe as it looks in the film and still have him perform his duties. And, mind you, this is not just an addiction, but instead, when he is having his opium delusion, he is seeing the near future, where he can see the Ripper’s victims. Again, does this make it a stronger film in any way? I don’t think so. It actually makes it seem more fantasy, which is actually what the “From Hell” comic was trying not to do.

There are some large similarities between the book and the film, primarily with who the killer is and why. Yet, I’m confused as to why they felt the need to try and hide his identity throughout the film. It probably would have worked if I did not already know whom it was going in to the film, but I don’t know if that would have made it a stronger, or better, film. In the book, some of the early parts of Gull’s life were the most fascinating.

I do want to compliment the movie where it deserves it, however. The film is a wonder to look at. There is a lot of flawless computer imagery here that really makes the city look like London of one hundred years ago. The faces, the outfits, the storefronts, etc., all looked like the pictures they were supposed to represent. The movie never made me feel like I was looking at a set of old London, but actually the old city itself.

The Hughes brothers have also shown here more tricks with the camera than in their previous films. Opium fantasies have a manic montage effect where both time and color is altered. These actually work pretty well. We also see lots of clever time lapse effects, my favorite being when showing a crime scene fade from night to morning.

I also want to compliment their camera position. Almost every angle in the film is just right. In a number of scenes there is a lot that the camera doesn’t want us to see. It is what is just at the edge of the frame that often captures our attention.

They also made some of the most extensive use of sound effects that I’ve heard done in a film. There are all sorts of virtually subliminal sounds that certainly enhance what we are looking at. It will probably take listening to the inevitable DVD commentary for even the trained listener to identify them all.

Johnny Depp tends not to make bad films, and when he does, he is usually still interesting in them. Here the character is good, but unfortunately not very developed in comparison to some of his other roles. I think his character’s behavior is dictated by the script far more than by his own actions.

Ian Holm steals the show with the few scenes he has. As Dr. William Gull, we see a large range of the character with just his facial expressions. There is one moment of transformation that is absolutely amazing where the sane normal doctor begins to spout some unusual comments, but I can’t remember what exactly he said because his facial expression is completely captivating everyone in the audience. We know what sort of person he is simply from the change in expression over a less than ten-second period. It is amazing!

Most of the other actors don’t do anything too special, although a number of the minor roles are performed wonderfully by veteran actors who consistently play minor roles in excellent films. Karin Cartlidge from many of Mike Leigh’s films is here, as is Robbie Coltrane from “Harry Potter” and “The Time Machine”, and Jason Flemyng from “A Knight’s Tale” and “A Beautiful Mind”, just to name a few.

In all, this is a tough movie to rate. If I hadn’t read the book, I probably would’ve liked the movie more, but somehow I think I’d still sense that something about this was just too Hollywood, or else just not willing enough to give us the full story.

Note: On my own web page I only gave this film 3½ stars.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age