Directed by Guy Ritchie.
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong.
In this incarnation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective novels, Lord Blackwood - murderer, occultist and general bad egg - has risen from the grave and is attempting to gain control of England; it’s up to famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his trusty companion, Dr. John Watson, to uncover the mystery and save the day. Can Holmes’ brilliant mind make order out of chaos in time?
Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes on paper should not work. First off, Holmes, a quintessentially British character, is played by an American; however, Robert Downey Jr. is not a stranger to playing treasured Brits, his turn as Charlie Chaplin achieved an Academy Award nomination in 1993. Watson is played by Jude Law, and even though many film lovers may have reservations about Law’s ability to carry off such a role, it is surprising to see that he manages this perfectly. Also, Guy Ritchie’s filmography does not lend itself to 18th Century murder mysteries at all. On paper, this film is a huge gamble.
Luckily, the gambles pay off in this case; the film is an enjoyable adventure with healthy spells of fisticuffs to punctuate the twists of the plot. At some points, the plot itself plays second fiddle to the ups and downs of Holmes and Watson’s bromance, but for the most part it doesn’t seem to matter. The most interesting aspect to the film is the friendship between the two protagonists, and seeing how they will deal with Watson’s departure from Baker Street to settle down with his fiancée. The film is surprisingly long for a family friendly adventure, but the writing is fast paced and witty enough to garner interests for the duration of the film.
Due to the success of this film, the sequel is being fast tracked into production with the promise that Holmes’ arch nemesis, Professor Moriarty, will be appearing in it. Hopefully the cast and crew can recreate some of the wit and banter which made this film so pleasing.
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