Non-scary nonsense

Rating: Null/10 (14 June 2002)

First of all, I wasn't expecting a "great" film. It got average to poor reviews and certainly wasn't on my must-see list. Still, I hoped it might be a little atmospheric, spooky diversion. Sadly, no. I'd imagine you have to work pretty hard to make the Ripper story NOT scary, but the Hughes brothers manage it. First of all, as another viewer noted, this particular take on the story has been done (and better) in Murder by Decree. I suppose you have to credit the boldness (?) of any film that suggests that Queen Victoria was involved in a murder conspiracy, but it really just comes off as a cheap bit of class vindictiveness. She represents everything that is oppressive and wrong in that society, right? So it only follows that she wouldn't stop at a bit of homicide. Ye gad. Another minor (yet distracting) detail is the color of Heather Graham's hair. I couldn't decide if they were trying to make her appear more "Irish," or if that stunningly unnatural color was meant to look like just that (colored to attract customers?). My fear was that someone in makeup thought this looked appropriate, or heaven help us, "real." Implicating the Masons in murderous rituals is a nice touch, too; maybe they can replace Nazis as the one group filmmakers can villify without repercussion. Sigh. All woefully inept at every level.