Classic Movie Review: 'From Hell' Starring Johnny Depp

For over 100 years the mystery of Jack the Ripper has fascinated millions. How could a man brutally murder 5 women and get away with it? Was it a lone psychopath, or a conspiracy among many men? The Hughes Brothers’ 2002 film, From Hell, offers its own controversial theory. And a very entertaining theory it is, even if it's not entirely historically factual.

From Hell is based on the graphic novel of the same title from creator Alan Moore. Johnny Depp stars here as drug-addicted, clairvoyant detective Abberline. Abberline is assigned to what are first known as the White-chapel murders. But soon, they come to be known in the press as the work of Jack The Ripper. Using his clairvoyant abilities, greatly aided by absinthe, Abberline sees the murders before they happen. However, his visions do not show him who Jack The Ripper is, leaving him powerless to prevent them.

The Ripper's victims are unique in that they are a group of friends, sex workers in Whitechapel. The relationship between the victims is the basis for the film’s conspiracy theory. The theory of Jack the Ripper's identity in From Hell is so racy and intriguing I was willing to forgive the factual inadequacies, and even Abberline’s clairvoyance. From Hell is just so entertainingly salacious it's irresistible.

The Hughes Brothers recreate the setting of the Ripper murders to a stunning degree, right down to the positions of the victim’s bodies and descriptions of the mortal wounds. The sets are spectacular, the outdoor settings were built entirely by the production design team in a field in Prague. This incredible production team rebuilt Victorian England so well you won't believe it's just a set. The interior locations are equally well appointed, employing the architecture of Prague to recreate Victorian English settings that no longer exist.

The supporting cast ,headed up by Ian Holm, as Sir William Gull, and Robbie Coltrane as Abberline's partner, Sgt. Peter Godley, is phenomenal. The veteran Holm is one of the most efficient character actors in the business. The precise mannerisms of Holm create a vivid portrait of who From Hell posits Sir William Gull was. In real life, and the movie, Sir William Gull was the royal physician. Gull is the subject of the most controversial aspects of From Hell, the film’s theory for Jack the Ripper’s motivation.

The biggest issue, for me, with From Hell is the performance of Heather Graham, who plays would-be victim Mary Kelly. Graham struggles with a shaky English accent while portraying Kelly as a mother figure among her group of fellow endangered sex workers. She’s also assigned as Abberline’s sort of love interest. Abberline is a tragic figure incapable of admitting his feelings for Kelly and so the romantic aspect is more implied than an actual feature of the plot.

In reality, Kelly was Jack the Ripper’s final victim. Her murder was odd for the way in which the M.O of Jack the Ripper changed ever so slightly. Kelly was murdered inside a small flat she’d rented for the night as a way of getting off the streets and away from Jack the Ripper. She was found brutally massacred indoors in a fashion that took longer than the previous Ripper murders which had taken place outdoors and were done with quickness and efficiency.

From Hell creates some ambiguity in the fate of Mary Kelly in yet another departure from the real Ripper story. I imagine the change was made to keep From Hell from becoming oppressively bleak. It’s a commercial choice to leave the audience a shred of hope in the midst of the terror and gore of the rest of the story of From Hell. Often such obvious commercial compromises feel forced and trite but I didn’t mind it here. From Hell needed a little light in its remarkably dark story.

The Hughes Brothers are masterful directors. They create suspense and intrigue in a mostly true story where the outcomes are obvious. Johnny Depp’s movie star charisma and quirky approach to characterization are on strong display in From Hell. Depp is excellent in the movie, crafting in the character of Abberline, a fascinating oddball and tragic romantic figure. It’s a wonderful star performance.

From Hell is an all time favorite of mine. It’s a dark and twisted thrill ride with stunning production design, strong pacing and masterful direction. If you are fascinated with true crime or just the Jack the Ripper case, you will find From Hell a terrific thought experiment, a wild haired theoretical thriller. From Hell is lively, dark, disturbing and endlessly entertaining.