Sherlock Holmes, released Christmas Day 2009, is an action-packed portrayal of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous private detective. Robert Downey Jr. plays the daring detective with sidekick Dr. Watson played by Jude Law. Rachel McAdams also makes her appearance as Holmes bad-girl love interest. Fans of the original works of Holmes may find themselves slightly disappointed in the liberties that the film makers took in creating this new Holmes, but overall have created a masterful film leaving the audience enthralled waiting for the sequel.
One of the most surprising aspects of seeing this film was that going into it I didn’t have a clear idea of what the plot would contain. I find in most films too much is given away in the trailer and to any avid movie-goer the twists and main plot points are spelled out a little too obvious, leaving very little to the imagination. Instead, Sherlock Holmes leaves most shrouded in mystery so that you’re always at the edge of your seat waiting to see what kind of turn the movie will make. Witty comments and humorous lines are drizzled throughout the movie and never seemed overdone or out of place. Downey Jr. and Law work flawlessly together and bring new life to old characters.
Holmes and Watson have an almost, Gregory House and James Wilson feel to them. Given that Holmes and Watson have been around far longer, one can only suspect that House and Wilson from Fox’s House M.D. were based or at least some qualities were taken from Holmes. In the new Sherlock Holmes, Holmes is a highly intelligent and brilliant detective that notices small details that lead him to his conclusions. With this intelligence he often finds himself as a bit of a recluse with only Dr. Watson as a good friend, whom he often takes advantage. As a fan of House the correlations seemed obvious, but were by no means a negative to the movie-going experience.
Fight scenes were well done with new elements brought in that are best seen and not explained in any detail. Still, many scenes were plagued with the “shaky camera” that often leaves the viewer unsure of what he or she is even seeing. Even so, I was impressed with the action and the fast-paced story. At two hours and fifteen minutes Sherlock Holmes is a bit on the long end of the spectrum, but doesn’t drag like so many others. It is a film rife with wit, humor, action, and fantastic acting… a definite must-see for this holiday season.
Released: 25 December 2009
Running time: 2hr 14min
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan
Directed By: Guy Ritchie