This review for Sherlock Holmes is long overdue since I saw this film over Christmas break. Luckily, I enjoyed the film enough that a lot of it remains fresh in my head.
As you probably recall, I had at the beginning of last year put this high on my must-see list for '09. I've always been a fan of mysteries, and while I've never read any of Arthur Conan Doyle's books, I felt knowledgeable enough about the Holmes series to know this would be right up my alley. The fact that they chose Robert Downey Jr., hot off of Iron Man and Tropic Thunder, to play the super sleuth was just the cherry on top.
Downey, of course, is brilliant once again here. He immediately immerses himself into the character and really looks like he's having fun playing the intelligent, yet stand-offish Holmes. However, this portrayal would not have worked as well unless he had a proper Watson to play off of. Thankfully, Jude Law was up to the task and has great chemistry with Downey. Their love/hate relationship provides some of the film's best moments.
As many people probably picked up on, their relationship is very similar to the one you see between TV's House and Wilson. These two characters know each other so well, which allows each of them to perform better at their job, even if it means they torment each other in the process. The comparison to House shouldn't surprise anyone as the creators of House molded their character the show off of the original Sherlock Holmes character. Certainly, if you're a fan of the medical mystery show, you will appreciate the banter that's exhibited between the two leads in this movie.
While the film packs plenty of comedy, it also has its fair share of action as well. Certainly one of the biggest concerns people had before the film opened was seeing clips of Holmes involved in some bare knuckle boxing fight scenes. While it seemed a bit out of character, I felt within the film's central story it worked really well. What is nice about these fighting scenes is how we see Holmes dissect the fight to know exactly where to attack his opponent in order to win every time. Watching these scenes was akin to watching a technical wrestler in WWE pick apart his opponent. I always love when people display intelligence in a fight rather than just put on a display of senseless brutality.
As for the film's central mystery, it can be certainly be confusing at times as it centers around black magic, resurrections, and secret societies. While some may get annoyed at feeling lost while trying to follow along, I certainly appreciated the vagueries. The one thing I hate is when I can figure out how a movie will play out within the first twenty minutes. And for those who are patient with the story, they are rewarded as Holmes is of course able to figure everything out and then explain it to us so that it all makes sense.
The one fault I had with the film was the underutilization of Rachel McAdams' character. She plays Irene Adler, a thief/former love interest of Holmes, who's the only person who can seemingly match wits with him. In the time she is on the screen she is riveting, but her scenes are too far and few in between. Given the way the film played out, I'm hoping that she might return of future films. And speaking of which, I also tip my hat to this film for laying the groundwork for a sequel. Without giving too much away, the film does a nice job establishing a central story for the next film if they choose to make it. Based on the financial performance of this one, I'd say that is almost a certainty now.
Now as I said at the top, I'm an admitted mystery fan, so maybe this film worked for me more than it will for others, but from my point of view, this was completely satisfying. Even my initial concerns over the fact that the film was directed by Guy Ritchie were unfounded. He delivers a fast-paced, action-filled film that also has plenty of funny moments. If you've already seen Avatar twelve times and are ready for an alternative, still seek this out at the theaters. Otherwise, make sure you check it out once it comes out on DVD. There's no mystery about this one, it's a winner. Grade: A-
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