Bucky (From Hell)
From Hell
Directed by Albert & Allen Hughes (as The Hughes Brothers)
Screenplay by Terry Hayes & Rafael Yglesias
Based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell
Directed by Allen and Albert Hughes, From Hell is set in Victorian London—centered a “dragon chasing” English inspector. Enter some whores and Scottish gangsters, and we have ourselves a cast. And let’s not forget the inspector’s right hand man. He’s sensationally slap happy. Writers Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell set it all up with their graphic novel and Terry Hayes and Rafael Yglesias have decided to screenplay this “almost spectacular”.
The visuals were entertaining, for the most part, but I never really got the sense that I wasn’t watching a set. Everything feels slightly off—as if it’s not real… maybe a dream, even. They might have been going for something like that, but they just missed the mark. The dialogue was finely written—no issues except for the accents. Please, if you can’t fake an good accent then take a page out of Sean Connery’s book and don’t bother. Remember he’s “Egyptian you idiot.”
Johnny Depp’s clairvoyant character, Inspector Frederick Abberline, is perfectly off-center. This is what he does best and it shows. He and Robbie Coltrane (as Seargent Peter Godly) carry all the essentials, making this feature more then adequate—they make it intriguing. This is the best relationship in the film and it works flawlessly together.
Heather Graham, as Mary Kelly, is basically the head whore… well, at least the only hot whore. With Jack the Ripper running around she’s gonna need some loving, and she’d best get it before he frees her from this mortal coil. Over all Graham gives off a very caring atmosphere, but I never really get the sense that she spreads her legs for money.
Enter the educated man: Sir William Gull (Ian Holm). He is doctor to the queen and a retired surgeon. Filling his text book role quite well, we miss Ian Holm every time he is off-screen. Holm and Coltrane might be the only ones that truly carry the air of the era about them. Remember Fred is off center— he is supposed to be out of place.
This was definitely watchable, and at the end of it I wondered about decisions made in the editing room. The DVD is worth it if there are deleted scenes, and hey, if there is an Alan Moore comentary I am all about that!!!
This movie is such a good 3.5 I give it a 4!
Review by Bucky