You can practically smell Whitechapel

Rating: 8/10 (29 October 2009)

I have not read the Alan Moore graphic novel, though since I am a fan of his work, I may very well do so. However, I understand that it is dramatically different from this. In case you are not aware, no, this is not a completely factual account of the infamous case of Jack the Ripper. The FAQ has all the details. What this does do is go into one or two of the more interesting theories, the juiciest of them, and end up with an entertaining, exciting and pretty engaging mystery-thriller that will at the very least be a fun two hours, even if some people will be able to figure out what's going on before it is revealed. The editing and cinematography are utterly gorgeous, and I'd definitely give another film directed by the Hughes brothers a chance. Visually, this never lets the audience down. And it does well as far as substance goes, as well. This builds atmosphere quite effectively, and in spite of the varying degrees of stylization that this indulges in at points, the sombre mood is constant from the first frame to the very last. Acting is solid, and the parts are well-cast. There are a couple of gold nuggets here and there in the dialog. The music is fitting and great. This holds a lot of authenticity, and the production values leave nothing to be desired. There is moderately frequent strong language, brief full frontal nudity, plenty of sensuality and sexuality in this, as well as disturbing content, bloody violence and gore. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys the genres this falls into, and/or is fascinated with the subject matter. Just make sure you've got the stomach for it. 8/10