Inspector Abberline aDeppt at solving Ripper’s murders
by David Whiteman, reporter

    In the fall of 1888, one of the most mysterious, brutal and highly publicized serial killers of all time stalked the cobbled streets of London, England.

    There he preyed upon the poor and destitute inhabitants of one of the city’s worst ghettos, but to this day the case has never been solved and Jack the Ripper was never brought to justice.

    In this new mystery-suspense-thriller, From Hell, Johnny Depp plays Inspector Fred Abberline who experiences spells of clairvoyance because of drug-induced states.

    He and Sgt. Godley, played by Robbie Coltrane, investigate a series of brutal murders in London’s Whitechapel district, where an apparent madman has been meticulously butchering prostitutes with almost surgical precision.

    As Abberline is drawn further into the infamous case, he discovers elements of conspiracy connected to a clandestine order of Freemasons and reveals evidence that can be traced to the Royal Family itself.

    Now as he comes closer to solving the murders, he must protect the life of Mary Kelly (Heather Graham), whom he believes to be the next victim.

    Will he discover the murderer or risk his own life and his sanity?

    With a marvelous performance by Ian Holm as physician Sir William Gull, From Hell is a dark, atmospheric thriller set in the polluted and filth-ridden streets of 1888 London, plagued with crime and debauchery.

    The film is full of intensely violent and disturbing scenes that push the boundaries of its rating classification (R) and is not for the weak of nerve or stomach.

    Directed by the Hughes brothers, who are best known for their urban dramas such as Menace II Society (1993) and Dead Presidents (1995), these grisly events from the people who lived among the crimes present an interesting view of the story.

    The film is mainly about the lives of a circle of friends, prostitutes who have been systematically mutilated.

    The film also focuses on the torment of Abberline, who delves deeper into his addictions as the crime overwhelms him.

    Depp’s character does not possess the qualities of a true hero, but he becomes one as the film progresses.

    His character is an odd combination of his parts in Sleepy Hollow (1999) and Blow (2001).

    From Hell is based on the actual documented events but with fictional elements, for many records from that era have been lost.

    Most of the film is also based on a graphic novel of the same name, written by Alan Moore with art by Eddie Campbell.

    The title pertains to the return address from the Ripper’s actual letters.

    The Jack the Ripper case is a milestone in forensic and investigative sciences.

    The true story remains a very popular subject in the area of true crime.

    Although somewhat exaggerated, From Hell is a very impressive, however unsettling, film with especially detailed attention to the period.

    It is definitely a frightening experience equal to such recent suspense-thrillers as The Silence of the Lambs (1991) or Seven (1995).