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You don�t need to have spent years immersed in English literature to know a thing or two about Sherlock Holmes�the brilliant sleuth who (with the help of his Dr. Watson) solved crimes from his rooms on Baker Street in London. You�ve probably read of his exploits at some time or another. You�ve probably seen him pop up in movies�or TV shows�too. You�ve seen him copied and parodied and quoted repeatedly. But I think it�s safe to say that, no matter how many times you�ve encountered Sherlock Holmes in the past, you�ve never seen him quite as he appears in director Guy Ritchie�s Sherlock Holmes.
Three months after aiding in the arrest of serial killer Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), famed detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.) is in a bit of a funk. He hasn�t taken on another case, and his once loyal partner, Dr. Watson (Jude Law), is leaving to get married. It�s a dark time for already moody Holmes�and the only thing that can help is a good mystery. But not just any mystery will do.
Fortunately, though, Lord Blackwood isn�t done with Holmes yet. Before his execution, Blackwood�an allegedly powerful sorcerer�calls Holmes to the prison for a meeting. There, he offers a cryptic warning, predicting three more deaths. And the case only gets stranger when, after the execution, a man reports having seen Blackwood rise out of his grave.
After a different body is found in Blackwood�s grave, Holmes starts putting the pieces together. But he�ll have to do so on his own�unless he can talk Watson into joining the fun.
If you�ve read Arthur Conan Doyle�s Holmes mysteries in the past, you already know that his exploits are often quite elaborately convoluted�and the same can certainly be said about Ritchie�s Sherlock Holmes. It�s a fast-paced action film, with quick cuts and even quicker dialogue. The rapid exchanges are often difficult to catch as they go zinging past. It gives the film a frantic feel�because you�ll constantly feel as if you�re one step behind, desperately trying to keep up. The story, too, is incredibly complex�much more than necessary�and that, together with the brisk pace of the dialogue, makes it a film that you won�t completely catch on the first viewing. But, then again, that�s how Ritchie�s films generally go: there�s so much going on that you need to watch them twice before they really start to come together.
Fortunately, though, there�s still plenty to love about this complicated crime thriller�especially its talented cast. Downey�s Holmes isn�t the slightly stuffy old sleuth that you most likely imagined during those long nights of lit class homework. He�s witty and impulsive�and prone to tantrums and fistfights. And without his strong and stable Watson�artfully played by Law�there�s no telling what he�d do. The two have wonderful chemistry�and their constant bickering is immensely entertaining.
Sure, Downey�s Holmes may seem like a stretch�a mix between classic Holmes and one of Ritchie�s usual street-smart tough-guys�but, when you look back, you�ll realize that it actually makes perfect sense. He�s moody and flighty and slightly unhinged�just like Arthur Conan Doyle�s Holmes.
Sherlock Holmes definitely has its flaws: like its excessive complexities, its occasionally underwhelming CGI, and Rachel McAdams�s completely unnecessary role as Irene Adler. But it�s also a wildly entertaining reimagining of a classic character. Like Ritchie�s earlier films, Sherlock Holmes is dark and gritty and complex�and there�s nothing elementary about it�but it�s a whole lot of hard-hitting, fast-paced fun nonetheless.
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