Film Review: From Hell (2001)
Graphic novels, by providing amalgam of visual arts and literature, became popular source for Hollywood films. Few graphic novels’ authors were as successful in having their work brought to the big screen as British writer Alan Moore. However, Moore is also known for being quite unhappy with the way his oeuvre was handled by Hollywood. That included his From Hell, his 1999 book dealing with Jack the Ripper, which was in 2001 adapted into feature film directed by Albert and Allen Hughes.
The plot is set in 1888 London, in a time when the city is capital of the most powerful country in the world and centre of empire when sun never sets. Not all of the Londoners are fortunate to enjoy something of that wealth, most notably women in impoverished neighbourhood of Whitechappel, with many, like Irish immigrant Mary Kelly (played by Heather Graham) and her friends, are forced to sell their bodies in order to survive. They earn very little money, and most of its is being stolen by pimps and local thugs. Things, however, become worse when Mary’s friends become victims of a vicious killer whose methods are too depraved even for Whitechapel standards. Search for killer, nicknamed “Jack the Ripper”, becomes task of Fred Abberline (played by Johnny Depp), Scotland Yard police inspector stands out from his colleagues not only because fondness for opium and absinth, but also because he has psychic abilities. Based on the way victims were mutilated, Abbeline concludes that the killer possesses good knowledge of anatomy and asks Sir William Gull (played by Ian Holm), respected royal physician, for an advice. He gradually realises that behind everything might be conspiracy of Freemasons determined to prevent the major scandal that could destroy British monarchy. While his investigation goes on, more and more prostitutes’ lives are targetted by killer and even Abberline’s life is in danger.
Whether someone can enjoy From Hell ultimately depends on whether someone has previously read Moore’s book or not. If the answer is “no” (and that includes most of the audience and critics’ establishment), the film might be mistaken for something like “interesting take on Jack the Ripper story”. Those who read Moore’s graphic novel and were impressed by it are not very likely to find many positive things in its screen adaptation. Even the names behind and in front of camera would have been a huge red flag. While Hughes Brothers, African American film makers who became famous for powerful crime dramas about modern black ghettos, might have indeed brought something like a fresh perspective to the story that has been exploited on cinema for more than a century, it is entire different thing with the rest of the cast. Casting Johnny Depp in the role of police inspector was indeed the red flag, because it was motivated with purely commercial considerations; he plays Abberline as some sort of romantic anti-establishment hero more fitting to Depp’s screen personality than historical record or the character from Moore’s novel. American actress Heather Graham provides even redder flag – she not only has trouble handling Cockney or Irish accent, but also simply looks too good for someone who could pass as impoverished and desperate Victorian era streetwalker. Some of colleagues of Mary Kelly are, on the other hand, played by early 21st Century British fashion models which makes the whole film terribly unconvincing. From Hell is further Hollywoodised with romantic subplot featuring Abberline and Mary Kelly, and happy ending that didn’t exist both in real history and Moore’s source. Use of terrible song by Marilyn Manson makes general impression even worse.
On the other hand, Hughes Brothers should be commended for successful reconstruction of late 19th Century London, for which they skilfully used famous Barrandov studios in Prague. Cinematography by Peter Deming and musical soundtrack by Trevor Jones manage to create an atmosphere that is at times more disturbing that the actual murders, depicted with a lot of realism and plenty of blood and gore. The cast, apart from Depp and Graham, is good, and that includes dependable British character actors, especially Robbie Coltrane as protagonist’s sidekick and protector. But this is of little use in film which wastes all of its resources on a story based on the premise which is anything but original. Everything depicted in this film, including the vast royal conspiracy as solution of Whitechapel murders mystery, has been seen in many other, often better films, most notably Murder by Decree. And those who appreciate Moore’s work would have unpleasant feeling that Hollywood did to From Hell something similar to what Jack the Ripper did to London women in 1888.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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