The Limehouse Golem is a hugely atmospheric, gothic murder mystery. It is visually stunning, blood thirsty and enthralling. I enjoyed from start to finish, even if I couldn't always follow the plot at times. This is a film I think I will enjoy much more on subsequent viewings as I'll be able to take more in, and discover the small details I missed first time round. Stunning sets, glorious costumes, it really is a visual treat, they managed to capture the spirit of the Ripper's London. It felt like a film version of Ripper Street meets Sherlock. Fabulous performances, Billy Nighy, Olivia Cooke and Sam Reid all excellent, but the star of the show had to be Douglas Booth, who was simply tremendous.

Deserving of a higher rating here, and a higher status, this is a quality film. 7/10

Saw 'The Limehouse Golem' as a murder mystery fan (Victorian-era ones rank high up there along with Agatha Christie),someone who admires Bill Nighy who very nearly always does no wrong and who considers Peter Ackroyd's fictional but very witty and suspenseful book a fine read.

While it was not perfect and not quite among my favourites of the year, 'The Limehouse Golem' was still a satisfying winner. It succeeded at providing an intriguing mystery, it succeeded at providing its fair share of grim shocks and it also succeeded at being fun. A word of warning, 'The Limehouse Golem' is not for the easily squeamish, it is gory and shockingly brutal. This didn't feel cheap to me though, although maybe a touch over-the-top in how frequently it happens, being one who expected it on the understanding that the film intended to be based around a mystery pre-Jack the Ripper, though in the same mould, but even more horrifying and violent. A not easy feat considering that Jack the Ripper's murders were some of the most shocking in history (at the time nobody had seen anything like it).

'The Limehouse Golem' is impeccably made visually, the costumes and sets are both evocative and handsome with a wonderfully dark and austere but also attractive Gothic vibe. It's beautifully photographed too. The music brings a creepiness while convincingly conveying the atmosphere of the music hall.

Juan Carlos Medina's direction is taut and stylish, while Jane Goldman adapts the book with flourish, providing a clever and intelligent script that is rich in suspense and with a healthy dose of eloquent, dry humour.

Furthermore, the story is a gripping one, devilishly clever and the macabre element is quite unflinching, atmospherically this film does not hold back. The suspense levels are high, as is the shock value, the music hall atmosphere is both fun and seedy and the gender slant is interesting. Loved the knowing cameos of real-life historical figures, the most surprising and entertaining one was Karl Marx (it's not everyday where you see Karl Marx as a murder suspect) despite the ridiculous beard and overblown accent.

Not that the story is perfectly executed. While most very well done and doing a good job in developing her, parts of Lizzie's back-story like the abusive mother, is a touch vague. 'The Limehouse Golem' has plenty of twists and turns. Most of them are incredibly unexpected and how everything is not what it seems is almost scary at times. There are however others that are not quite as well developed, as shocking, as fun or as important. With the exception of the absolutely killer final twist (not since the halfway twist in 'Gone Girl' has any kind of twist left me this floored),the final quarter or so was not as cohesive as it could have been.

Characters hold intrigue, especially Kildare and Lizzie. Bill Nighy is on top form, from being made up to look like a historical figure who just leaped out of a painting, the elegant walk, the eloquent dry humour, his inquisitive and shrewd clue scrutinising, the world-weariness (appropriate to the role personally thought),how he treats the suspects and how questions and reminders of his station are side-lined by him.

Olivia Cooke is charming, radiant and very engaging, one does care for her and roots for her innocence. Eddie Marsan does a good job in a deceptive role, and Douglas Booth in drag was a surprising standout (if anybody saw him as a miscast adult Pip in 'Great Expectations' and compare it to his role here, one would not think he wouldn't have this in him),portraying Leno's loucheness with brio that one wouldn't expect from him.

In conclusion, fearsome, gruesome, handsome, shocking, suspenseful and entertaining, apart from a couple of misgivings and that it is not for the easily squeamish it was thoroughly enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM is a Victorian murder mystery based on the novel of the same title by respected British historian Peter Ackroyd. The screenplay was by Jane Goldman, who has recently made quite a career for herself with such diverse pictures as KICK-ASS and KINGSMAN, although it does feel like she's bitten off more than she can chew this time around. The film is advertised as a gruesome detective story in which Bill Nighy (in a role intended for the late Alan Rickman) locks horns with the creature of Jewish myth, but instead it turns out to be some convoluted character story involving street theatres and a woman on trial for poisoning her employer. I was hoping for something like FROM HELL, but this non-supernatural story turns out to be a real bore; it cheats the viewer constantly with fake flashbacks building to an impossible twist ending, and most of the dialogue is lumpy exposition. Nighy has little to do here, and established performers like Eddie Marsan and Nicholas Woodeson even less. I wasn't particularly convinced by Olivia Cooke in her role, and there's too much tawdry social stuff instead of the rollicking, gruesome fun you want to see. It doesn't help that the inexperienced director manages to create a film as bland-looking as they come. Even TV's RIPPER STREET is better than this.