The new movie Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde stays very true to the original tale, but starts somewhere in the middle and continues further than the original. The movie opens with Mr. Hyde (Dougray Scott) chasing and killing a prostitute. Honestly, I'm really not sure I liked the movie beginning there. Yes, it does mean that you don't have to wait 30 minutes to get into the action of the movie, but it gave us the feeling that we jumped into the middle without knowing what was really going on. Anyway, after a few killings, Dr. Jekyll asks his good friend Gabe (Tom Skerritt) to recommend a lawyer for him, but won't tell him why. Gabe sends him to see Claire Wheaton (Krista Bridges).
Dr. Jekyll confesses to her that he is the serial killer that has been holding the city hostage for the last two months. He tells her all about why he started, which is nowhere near as altruistic as the original tale, and how he lost control of the project. The rest of the movie from there is comprised of flashbacks to the things that he has done, and eventually the trial of Dr. Henry Jekyll.
The DVD also includes one bonus featurette, which is an interview with Dougray Scott. It is not extraordinarily long, but it is pretty informative. He basically tells all about how had played both characters. I personally thought he did a terrific job acting. He was quite evil as Hyde, and so sweet and caring as Jekyll. All the actors did a good job in their roles.
Overall, I wouldn't say it was the greatest tale of Jekyll & Hyde that I've ever seen, but it was a pretty good remake. Adding the trial definitely distinguished it from other versions and provided some uniqueness so that it didn't seem like just another remake. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde wasn't quite good enough that I would say go out and buy it today, but if you like the story of Jekyll & Hyde, you should at least rent it.
