omehow in my more than a dozen years of watching movies with ratings higher than G, From Hell is the first film I've ever seen about Jack the Ripper. I'm not exactly sure how this has happened, considering that the infamous late-19th-century London serial killer has appeared on the silver screen many times before and is about as recognizable as the Son of Sam and Ted Bundy.
Unfortunately, I'm not entirely satisfied with my introduction to the Jack the Ripper legend.
From Hell, the Hughes brothers' new version of the classic story, is a good movie, but it is also flawed. For everything that it does right--its tight script, stunning setting and strong acting--it comes up short elsewhere.
The story of Jack the Ripper (previously unclear to me) is that in the late 19th century in the East End of London, a man viciously murders five prostitutes in a habitual and highly skilled series of attacks over a couple of weeks. The acts shock London, and investigations by the police (and in the past century "Ripperologists") point toward involvement with the royal family.
In From Hell, we follow Johnny Depp's fictional police inspector Abberline, who uses both his astute detective skills and opium-induced visions in his investigations. The latter aspect is the film's first hiccup.
Apparently, Abberline sees the Ripper's victims a day before their murders actually take place. To begin with, the concept that using opium can help you see the future is hard to buy (the stuff can't be that good). In addition, it seems like the inspector's visions are random, involuntary and essentially a mere side effect, whereas the story should make us think that he is purposefully smoking up so that he can advance his investigation.
I do wonder whether the Motion Picture Association of America played a role in this pitfall. I am certainly not a proponent of smoking opium, but you've got to believe that the Hughes brothers had to leave a lot of the scenes involving drugs on the cutting room floor.
Along the same lines, I wonder how heavily the MPAA restricted the level of gore in From Hell. Although it was wise not to show in too grisly detail the aftereffect of the Ripper's deeds, the violence itself is stuck in limbo between over-the-top and simply not enough. To some extent, we want more. If Jack is such a badass, let's see him be such a badass. Then again, in such tense times, the lack of extreme violence is a bit comforting.
While the gore ratio is a bit unsettling, the presence of Heather Graham in From Hell is even more so. Graham, the all-American beauty from Boogie Nights and Austin Powers 2, plays one of the prostitutes the Ripper is targeting. Graham is simply too pure for this role. Her bright red hair and blue dress make her stick out like a sore thumb in the dark and foggy East End of London. She is about 10 times better looking than her friends and can't maintain an English accent. Even worse, the chemistry between Graham and Depp is incredibly strained.
However, From Hell does have its strong points. Depp is brilliant as always, as is his colleague, played by Robbie Coltrane. The investigation is intense, scary and strikes all the right nerves. And even though the setting is mostly seen in the dark reaches of the night, the re-creation of old-time London is incredible.
I'm not sure how the ending will play with Ripper purists, though I've heard the Hughes brothers say that they picked the most common theory as to who the Ripper is (the film is based on a comic book series by Allan Moore and Eddie Campbell). The unveiling of Jack worked for me, though for others it might come too far out of left field.
And ultimately, the tone works well. Some may question why the Hughes brothers would do a period piece set in London. But considering their previous works, like Menace II Society and Dead Presidents--two films about the reality of street violence in inner cities--the legend of Jack the Ripper's terror in the East End seems all too appropriate.
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