From Hell


3/4

Starring: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Robbie Coltrane, Ian Holm

Rated R for Strong Violence/Gore, Sexuality, Language and Drug Content

With a movie about Jack the Ripper, it’s easy to assume that the film would be grim and bloody, and you’d be right on both counts.  Compared to this, “Seven” is a lighthearted caper.  The Hughes’ Brothers stylishly directed adaptation of the Alan Moore/Eddie Campbell graphic novel is positively dripping with atmosphere and is the perfect place where the utmost evil can breed.

Inspector Frederick Abberline (Depp) is a detective who by using opium is able to see grisly murders.  This comes in handy when a serial killer is viciously killing and dissecting prostitutes in the Whitechapel district of London.  With the help of his good friend Peter Godley (Coltrane) and a lovely prostitute named Mary Kelly (Graham), Abberline learns that there is more to this case than initially meets the eye.

The Hughes Brothers have a superb sense of atmosphere, which helps the film immensely.  This is something David Fincher might have made in his early days.  It’s dark, grimy and wet; not the kind of place any sane person would want to go on a Sunday evening stroll.  I loved the representation of the medical presentations; they’re both creepy and Dickensian.  The suffocating atmosphere also helps camouflage the story’s deficiencies (of which there are quite a few).

The acting is strong.  Johnny Depp presents what may be his least weird personality to the screen, but he’s still a strong guide in this descent into madness.  Heather Graham is also good as Mary Kelly, the prostitute who may be on the killer’s hit list.  She’s spunky, but not stupid, and she has a nice chemistry with Depp.  Solid support is provided by the always reliable Robbie Coltrane and Ian Holm, as Abberline’s scientific advisor.

The problem with the film is that the story is at times very confused.  I had to watch the film a number of times before I figured out just where everyone fit into the story, and even now I’m not 100% sure.  The scene where all is revealed in particular doesn’t work.  The explanation is poorly written and full of holes.

The film does not shy away from gore.  There’s more blood and guts here than in most slasher movies (which, despite the subject matter, cannot count “From Hell” as one of their number), but the film mainly relies on the power of suggestion and imagination.  This, of course, will be running on hyperdrive.

Enjoy it, but those who don’t like their movies served with lots of blood and guts best stay away.

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