Movie Review: “Sherlock Holmes”

Seen on: December 21, 2009

The players: Director: Guy Ritchie, Writers: Michael Robert Johnson, Simon Kinberg, Anthony Peckham, Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan

Facts of interest: Ritchie's first PG-13 film.

The plot: Sherlock Holmes heads out to hunt down and arrest Blackwood, who plans to murder all of London's politicians.

Our thoughts: Although far from a cinematic masterpiece, Guy Ritchie’s reimagining of “Sherlock Holmes” boasts a lot of big-screen fun. It’s a relatively fast-paced crime adventure stuffed with decent humor, and while the amusing story certainly helps boost the film’s entertainment value, the real reason this thing works so well is Robert Downey Jr.

This doesn’t really come as a surprise though, because Downey Jr. has already proven he’s fully capable of pulling off any role. Hence, he’s also the perfect fit for Ritchie’s new version of Holmes, a mess of a man who doesn’t blow any smoke when he’s on a mission but completely breaks down when he’s got absolutely nothing to investigate.

Providing all sorts of support is Watson (Jude Law), a skilled doctor, war veteran and Holmes’ loyal partner, whose often hilarious love-hate relationship with the legendary detective almost works as a third character in the movie. The focus on how these two eccentric characters really get along provides many of the film’s funniest moments.

Even though Ritchie’s direction here is way less compelling than in some of his other films, he does a fairly decent job moving the story along at a fast pace. As the film opens, Holmes and Watson are wrapping up an intense pursuit that eventually ends with the arrest of the ruthless Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), London’s most notorious criminal.

Blackwood is soon hanged to death, but before he gets a chance to breathe, Holmes is informed of the dead villain’s mysterious return from the dead. Indeed, Blackwood is back among the living planning something big, and Holmes is pretty much the only one clever enough to figure out and prevent the dark lord’s murderous new scheme.

The script by Michael Robert Johnson, Simon Kinberg and Anthony Peckham is by far not as original and thrilling as I expected, but a handful of superb acting performances and astonishingly solid production values help turn Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” into an overall vibrant viewing experience.

The film’s first act is a tad too slow for my taste, but once Holmes and Watson embark on the mission to find out how Blackwood returned from the dead and what he’s really up to, the movie gets more and more interesting. The humor kicks it up a notch as well, and so do the spectacular action sequences, most of which are quite simplistic but still quite entertaining.

Watching Holmes piece together the puzzle and drive Watson nuts every time they run into each other prove to be the film’s best moments, a combination that eventually works very well for those cinemagoers willing to ignore the movie’s obvious flaws. Like I said before, “Holmes” is far from perfect, even though it’s generally fun to watch.

That’s the key to enjoying this film: take it for what it is, let Downey Jr. and co. entertain you, and don’t expect anything else. It’s the best formula to get your money’s worth and not leave the movie disappointed. For me personally, the refreshing performances really made me forget about the aspects that could’ve ruined it for me.

Freaky quote: "Holmes, does your depravity know no bounds?" - Jude Law

The final word: “Holmes” is not as crazy and entertaining as Ritchie’s previous action flick “RocknRolla,” but the film proves the director is indeed capable of helming something for the masses. And like I said already, Robert Downey Jr. is the heart and soul of this reimagining. This guy just rocks whatever he touches, and it’s a pleasure to watch him do his thing.

Article by Franck Tabouring