"Jack", the notorious, unidentified London ripper of 1888, is committing a series of horrific crimes. For Inspector Abberline and Sergeant Godley, in face of the bizarre atrocities, and the obstacles they have to overcome, the hunt for the killer becomes an increasingly personal experience, that leads them to circles of unexpected significance...
This two-part mini-series was produced for Thames Television and CBS, and broadcast on British television, exactly 100 years after the actual events. This gives us a certain indication of what to expect - some lines won't be crossed, the budget is reasonably big, and there should also be at least a good, if not top-notch, degree of historical accuracy, unless it turns out the movie (series) is some loose interpretation.
It turns out it's not - which is great. Where "Jack The Ripper" takes some liberties, is in the portrayal of the individuals, and it adds a bit of a surreal element to the story, but in every other regard it stays really close to historic fact. (Albeit offering a sort of solution to the case that is neither fully proven, nor generally accepted.) There are countless adaptations of the material, most of them being generous with injecting new ideas and dropping parts of the real story - this "Jack The Ripper" isn't one of them.
The original material certainly is exciting enough, and the movie basically just follows the history book, so it's inherently an interesting watch. The presentation of Jack leaving his ugly marks, the authorities chasing after him, and the public reaction to the events, is very authentic and convincing, it creates a dense, complete picture and atmosphere. The movie retains a moderate tone and pacing throughout, this "Jack The Ripper" doesn't zoom in to, and blow up individual detail, but is more like a protocol of the events.
In parallel with the crime story is a very personal portrayal of Inspector Abberline, who struggles between honest motivation, and throwing in the towel. Michael Cane gives the character some good dynamic, going through the ups and downs of success and failure, becoming the focal point of the story.
The entire movie is in fact very nicely balanced in all regards. It's authentic, with some flashy moments thrown in, and even a hint at the supernatural, which is a nice nod to the superstition of the time. The horror and violence is there, but it's kept at a tasteful minimum, being mildly explicit, but not more than absolutely necessary. We get a little bit of romance, but it's down to earth and unobtrusive.
All in all, "Jack The Ripper" is super solid, above average TV thriller material. Focusing on the police's work in 1888, it's probably a little too tame and traditional for the hardcore horror geek, but it's a great horror-esque thriller with lots of chills, a shock here and there, a great script based on history and shaped into a personal story, and a great performance by the pretty much always great Michael Caine.
Verdict: Great all-round TV thriller. 7/10
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095388/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper_(miniseries)
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