Sherlock Holmes Doesnt Dissapoint (Revised)

Based on the existing collection of video adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes” one might not expect to see many explosions or extreme violence in a Sherlock Holmes movie. Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels) provides plenty of both, though, in his new adaptation of the old detective novels. Not surprisingly, Ritchie brings a lot of bang into a character not usually connected with the pop of a Hollywood blockbuster.
The plot of this film, though, does a good job of outshining all of that glitz and glam of Hollywood with an excellent storyline. Meanwhile, Robert Downing Jr. (Sherlock Holmes) and Jude Law (Dr. John Watson) have great on-screen chemistry. As they stumble through a spectacularly gloomy set of the grimy London streets, their witty banter keeps you laughing while a super natural plot line keeps you on the edge of your seat.
The gloomy set contrasts nicely with the bright, posh wardrobes of the two leading ladies in the film, who work to tear Homes and Watson from their case as well as their friendship. Rachel McAdams does a better job than expected at her character, Irene Adler’s, devious nature while she seduces the audience in her attempts to capture Sherlock Holmesis heart.
Kelly Reilly’s performance as Watson’s fiancé-to-be, on the other hand, is flat and her scenes generally fall short of the film’s otherwise witty flow. Certainly her character calls for a certain lack of depth but her dull tone detracted from scenes in which Downing Jr. dazzled. At best her role and performance can be described as mildly annoying and lends itself to the assumption of a general miscasting.
Writers Anthony Peckham, Michael Robert Johnson and Simon Kinberg work well with the team of Ritchie and Downing Jr. in adapting Holmesis character while remaining true to the gloriously sublte details of Doyle’s makeup of Holmes. With a violin and a pipe as his vices, Downing Jr. stumbles through the chaos of his bedroom with his own unique sense of order. With a number of striking close-ups in Holmesis bedroom the production team does a great job of keeping Doyle’s key character traits intact while taking advantage of the intimacy film can provide an audience with a character. The audience’s eyes burn along with Holmes as Watson pulls back the blinds to reveal a perfect attention to detail in Holmesis Lair. Such effects allow the audience to truly connect with the character, deepening their connection to the movie.
Huge explosions and well-done, slow-motion fight scenes add to a successful set of special effects and help to realize a long awaited devotion of a real budget to this long-time idled character. The film’s 90 million dollar budget goes a long way as this beloved story is finally realized in a true blockbuster. The intricacies of the set draw the audience to the movie for a whopping 128 minutes. At first glance this two-hour-plus run time seems daunting but it flies by as the twists of the plot take you through the twists of the Thames and to the top of record-breaking bridge heights.
And just when one might start to worry that they left out the most important part, Moriarti makes a guest appearance just long enough to give you a glint of what is sure to be a disappointing sequel. Robert Downing Jr. and Jude Law may prove otherwise, though, as their great success in this movie had me brimming from ear to ear when I left the theatre.