Quite acceptable thriller

Rating: 7/10 (8 August 2002)

As far as thrillers go, there haven't been many worth watching in recent times. I'm pleased to say that "From Hell", although not perfect, is a neatly crafted and entertaining horror/drama/period piece.

I was a little surprised when this film was first released to find out that it was directed by the Hughes brothers of "Dead Presidents" fame. Although competent film-makers and better-than-average storytellers, I wasn't particularly convinced that they could recreate 19th century England and the time of Jack the Ripper without at least some American overtones.
Fortunately, they have reproduced this era in a very credible manner, with thanks to a number of their cast and crew. Cinematographer Peter Deming has created a claustrophobic and grimy London enveloped in sleaze and darkness and a sky that rarely seems to be anything but dull, even in the daytime shots. Veteran actors in the cast, particularly Ian Holm and Robbie Coltrane, add class to the production and Johnny Depp is probably the best choice out of Hollywood's younger male stars to play someone other than an American.
The only slightly negative thread is the casting of Heather Graham as a young English prostitute. She just doesn't feel that convincing in the part (especially beside her more experienced costars) but thankfully her role doesn't overshadow proceedings.
"From Hell" tells the tale of Jack the Ripper, who in London 1888, became one of the world's first serial killers, murdering a number of prostitutes on the east side of town. Inspector Johnny Depp, who has clairvoyant powers courtesy of his drug addiction, is hauled onto the case by baffled sergeant Robbie Coltrane. In his investigation, he is aided by prostitute Heather Graham, whose coworkers on the street seem to be turning up gruesomely murdered at an alarming rate. What follows is a dissection through the ranks of both lower and upper class London to eventually trace out the killer and his motives.
Saying much more about the plotline would reveal too much, but similar to David Fincher's "Seven", it is nice to see a serial killer actually given a personality and a reason (even if quite skewed) for their actions. On the downside, I was able to pick who Jack the Ripper was very early on and the ending does come across as somewhat contrived.
However, in a season of disappointing thrillers, "From Hell" is a welcome addition to the box-office. Although not a pure shock-fest (it is quite graphic and couldn't have been too far off an Australian R18+ certificate) it is a reasonably intelligent serial killer film for adults and certainly a change from all of the teenage slasher-flick clones which seem to be flooding the market.
7/10