Gratuitous violence offends

Rating: Null/10 (20 October 2001)

I am not a weak stomached movie-goer. I had no problem enduring, and dare I say enjoying such gore-fests as "Interview with a Vampire" and "Hannibal." However, "Hell" makes those 2 flicks look like "The Lion King." We all know what this movie is about, and we all know that Jack the Ripper was called that for a reason. But there's a difference between hearing about horrific crimes against women and seeing it happen. I hate to play the gender card here, but, as a woman, this movie was incredibly hard to sit through. I doubt that there will be a film this year or in the future that graphically portrays a female serial killer who saws off several men's genetalia. Every man in the audience would be crossing his legs and would probably tell every person he sees that this is a horrible film that is degrading to men. Maybe I'm wrong, and forgive what seems to be feminist propaganda, but if there is a woman out there who saw this movie and was not repulsed, I'd like to meet her to find out what makes her tick.
Violence aside, Heather Graham is completely out of place in this film. She is a china doll-faced beauty with shiny hair and not a trace of dirt on her among the worst London filth you can imagine. To make matters worse, the girl can read and write (cursive, no less). I guess I missed the scene that explained that the prettiest whores also got to be educated at a private school in the London burbs.
Johnny Depp is a wonderful actor, as always, and the views of London are spectacular, but there's not enough style to make up for what turns out to be nothing more than a slasher flick.