Ripper (2001)

Director:

John Eyres

Writers:

John A. Curtis (story) and
Evan Tylor (story) ...

Release Date:

27 December 2001 (Malaysia)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

He's back from the past to pick up the pieces.

Plot:

A massacre survivor (A.J. Cook) studies serial killers under a famous expert (Bruce Payne), but her classmates soon start dying at the hands of a Jack the Ripper copycat. |

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Jack The Ripper Copycat | Graffiti | Older Man Younger Woman Relationship | Police Detective

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

A.J. Cook	...	Molly Keller
Bruce Payne	...	Marshall Kane
Ryan Northcott	...	Jason Korda
Claire Keim	...	Chantal Etienne
Derek Hamilton	...	Eddie Sackman
Daniella Evangelista	...	Mary-Anne Nordstrom
Emmanuelle Vaugier	...	Andrea (Andy) Carter
Kelly Brook	...	Marisa Tavares
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Detective Kelso
Courtenay J. Stevens	...	Aaron Kroeker
Robin Collins	...	Kevin Lusk
Leanne Hindle	...	Cheryl Ellis (as Leanne Buchanan)
Michael Copley	...	Matt Novak
Sean Whale	...	Mark Tannenbaum
Crystal Dalman	...	Ellie Eckhart

Also Known As:

Ripper: Letter from Hell (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/gore, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

Argentina:112 min | Australia:114 min

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:18SG | Iceland:16 | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Germany:16 | Italy:VM14 | Singapore:R(A) | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Prophecy Entertainment

Trivia:

The name on the sailing boat Molly is seen on at the beginning of the film is 'Mary Kelly' referencing back to a Ripper victim.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the car chase, the model of the blue car changes back and forth. You can see this by looking at the grill, for most of the chase the badge is in the middle, but at one point near the beginning, and once the car is at the cliff edge the badge is in the top right hand corner of the grill.

Quotes:

Molly Keller: For a time there I wasn't thinking clearly. I was confused. In limbo. I mean, this is 1888, right? I knew I was Jack. Cunning Jack. Quiet Jack. Jack's my name. Jack whose sword never sleeps. Not the good shepherd. Not the prince of peace. I'm right Jack. Spring out Jack. Saucy Jack. Jack from Hell. Trade name: Jack the Ripper.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Ripper 2: Letter from Within (2004)

Soundtrack:

Degeneration

Cut Above The Rest...

When people ask me what are some of the best things in life, I being a horror guru reply, a good direct-to-video horror flick. Straight on the heels of above average (or well above average) direct-to-video horror movie such as, Cube, Ginger Snaps, Cut, and The Truth About Demons, comes the latest DTV installment, Ripper: Letter From Hell. While one may find the premise to be undeniably cliched (it is), the film comes off stylish and ultimately becomes engaging as the body count increases in a most elaborate fashion.

Now for that all-too-familiar premise: Molly Cook, young woman who survives the attack of a sadistic killer now finds herself in a college course studying serial killer theories. When the people around her begin to die, she believes a new serial killer is hunting them down, imitating the slayings of Jack the Ripper.

The killings in Ripper: Letter From Hell, are much more extensive than the average slasher film. Horror fans are used to seeing the killer show up, swing his weapon of choice, and then the scene is cut, going back to the more boring part of the movie. In Ripper, the killer spends more time with his victims, making them scream in agony, stabbing them to death, and then heaving them through a window, or ramming them off a cliff and leaving them to hang onto a rock before finishing them off.

The direction by John Eyers keeps the film moving along at a brisk pace. While the editing tends to be a little MTV-ish at times, it is not overdone. The fast action editing actually works well and adds to the brutality of the killings in the movie. The beginning comes off as a Brothers Grim-like fairy tale with the serial killer's pursuit of Molly through a dark, rainy, forest. The scene in the club where the camera follows the trail of blood from the ceiling and onto the dance floor, is one of the most stylish murder scenes I have seen in a while and dare I say it, reminded me of those elegant murder scenes from the Italian giallos of yesteryear.

There are some major set backs in the film such as a highly unlikeable cast of characters. A.J. Cook (Molly) holds her own and is a convincing lead character. She gets support from veteran actor Bruce Payne. The script has more than a dozen ridiculous lines as one user pointed out, "Shut up!"..."No! You shut up!" However, dialogue in the class lecture scenes about Jack the Ripper are impressive and well researched.

The ending is a grand showdown as the killings become even more graphic and intense. The handful of suspects begin to wind down, and although you may have it figured out who the killer is, you'll be flip-flopping back and forth until the final scene. It's a beautiful scene, without giving anything away, as we are given a glimpse of 1800 London. It's an ending you will either love or hate or just not grasp entirely.

Ripper: Letter From Hell is a stylish, well orchestrated effort and deserves a spot with the recent array of worthy direct-to-video horror movies.