From Hell (Blu-ray) (2001)

"Brilliant. Two Thumbs Up!  Ebert & Roeper At The Movies
"Gripping and stylish thriller.  Lou Lumenick, New York Post
"Sensational and accomplished.  Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Editor's Note FROM HELL is a gory detective film cloaked in Victorian-era mystique. The movie shows how the serial killer Jack the Ripper stalked the dark streets of 1888 London, slaying prostitutes and crudely dissecting their bodies. Based on the graphic novel written by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, this moody chiller is directed by twin brothers Albert and Allen Hughes (MENACE II SOCIETY, AMERICAN PIMP). Johnny Depp stars as Inspector Frederick Abberline, who smokes heavy doses of opium and drowns himself in absinthe to evoke hallucinatory visions that are his clues to catching the Ripper. Heather Graham costars as the prettiest of the floozies, who wins the muted affections of the Inspector. With plenty of atmosphere and spooky effects, FROM HELL borrows scenery, filming tricks, and sequence construction from a host of popular movies, resulting in a visually interesting--if inconsistent--style. Haunting nighttime shots of the London skyline (actually Prague) bleed into shadowy Tim Burton-like prowls through the damp cobblestone streets; aerial camerawork contrasts with crowded ground-level focuses; and the camera peeks around corners and into foggy windows with stealthy curiosity. What may stand out most in viewers minds after the carnage is through, is the exaggerated use of surround sound, which brings a dreadful sense of reality to the film's gore, making FROM HELL all the juicier.

	Heather Graham
	Ian Holm
	Johnny Depp
	Robbie Coltrane
	Alan Moore - Based On Novel By
	Albert Hughes - Director
	Allen Hughes - Director
	Dan Lebental - Editor
	Don Murphy - Producer
	Eddie Campbell - Based On Novel By
	George Bowers - Editor
	Jane Hamsher - Producer
	Peter Deming - Cinematographer
	Rafael Yglesias - Screenplay
	Terry Hayes - Screenplay
	Trevor Jones - Original Music By

New York Times
"...The Hughes Brothers' goal here is to make an epic of savagery, and they are brilliant at ambience and details....A conspiracy-theory thriller with brains and a heart..." 10/19/2001 p.E16

Entertainment Weekly
"...Sensational and accomplished....A horror film of genuine artistry and excitement. The Hughes brothers work with commanding restraint..." 10/26/2001 p.87-8

Sight and Sound
"...Impressively realized, confirming the Brothers as formidable visual stylists....The shadow-drenched Prague studio sets help sustain a sense of claustrophobia well suited to a tale of endemic corruption..." 03/01/2002 p.45

Total Film
"...It's a true auteur movie, perfectly in sync with the brothers' previous output and delivered with a dry, subliminal message..." 03/01/2002 p.102

Chicago Sun-Times
"...A rich, atmospheric film....The movie feels dark, clammy and exhilarating -- it's like belonging to a secret club where you can have a lot of fun but might get into trouble..." 10/19/2001 p.35

ReelViews 8 of 10
As the nights grow longer and colder and the leaves fall from trees in a flurry of multicolored splendor, 'tis the season for dark movies, and, in 2001, none resides deeper in the shadows than the Hughes Brothers' From Hell, a visually impressive motion picture that stuns the senses with its surreal depiction of late-19th century London and its orgy of uncensored violence. The problem with this film, as is often the case with cinematic excursions that concentrate so heavily on atmosphere, is that it has neither a heart nor a soul. The movie engages solely on the basis of its storyline and tantalizing visuals, not because we feel anything for any of the characters. But what a storyline and visuals they are - enough to draw us into the experience and leave us shaken once two hours have passed. - James Berardinelli

eFilmCritic.com 7 of 10
Based on the classic graphic novel (by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell), From Hell should prove a solid treat to horror movie fans who've grown weary of slasher machinations and subterranean slime monsters. Deftly plotted, well-acted, graphically memorable and ultimately satsifying, From Hell deserves praise for taking a creaky old tale and offering it in a surprisingly original light. - Scott Weinberg