The Hughes brothers have stepped outside their boundaries.....

Rating: 9/10 (16 May 2002)

The Hughes brothers have stepped outside their boundaries.....and they made it work!!!!
After making some half-way decent movies...(i.e. Dead Presidents, Menace II Society)...the Hughes brothers have seemed to tack or change directions, just a lil' bit. Ok well a lot. Thinking that they would be another african-american set of directors bent on exploiting situations that are kind of unique to the african-american public, this movie has crossed over in all senses of the word. And this was a welcomed change. The movie was refreshing in a grotesque kind of way, the images and camera work was completely dark and delightful. The story line was impeccably unique, seeing how all the previous ripper movies tended to focus on either the victims or the rippers point of view, and to add to that a conspiracy, possibly from the queen using an elite organization to protect her kingdom, definitely put a twist on the already engrossing tale. Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, and Robbie Coltranes performances were shining, as was all the cast. The movie actually made you feel you were there. I actually think I caught a buzz watching Inspector Abberline chase the dragon. All and all I think the film was excellent, and it just goes to show that excellence is possible when someone completely steps over their boundaries. My complaints....well a couple....the "bodies" of the victims could have been made to look more real. And the showing of actual disemboweled bodies would have made the movie even more engrossing, it appeared that the camera man himself was too scared to look at them!! But despite that, the movie was excellent!!