Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes is more brawn than brains
Now that Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) is back on top of the world, the offers are pouring in. He’s always been a great actor, he’s just bankable these days. Consider him the new Johnny Depp; quirky, good-looking, and popular with the ladies and the fellas.
It’s never enough for a big star to own just one franchise, so Downey is augmenting his armored comic book character with a superhero from the 19th century.
Sherlock Holmes starts off with a bang and viewers join right in as Holmes and his trusty sidekick Dr. Watson (Jude Law) are putting the finishing touches on a case. It seems Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), a member of the House of Lords, has been killing young ladies on the side; but he isn’t your garden variety serial killer. Instead, the slayings are ritualistic, meant to infuse Blackwood with satanic powers.
Despite his capture, Blackwood has cast a shadow over London, and even though Holmes and Watson are present for his hanging, Blackwood vows to return from the dead.
Days later, his prophecy comes true and the two sleuths are back on the case to stop the demon from destroying the city. Holmes and Watson must rely on their wits and a surprising amount of brawn to stay alive and deal with a questionable flame from Holmes’ past (Rachel McAdams).
This isn’t the Sherlock Holmes you’re probably expecting. The tweed hat and cape are gone and have been replaced by a healthy amount of two-fisted action. The detective work is still there, but Holmes and Watson get down and dirty and certainly know how to handle themselves. Downey also portrays Holmes as a flawed genius. He’s socially awkward, condescending, and somewhat obsessive.
This Holmes is a hero, but not one you’d necessarily want to hang out with.
There are a lot of firsts in this film. No one was really sure Iron Man would be so massive, so this is the first time a production is banking on Downey to support a long-running franchise. It’s also the first big budget extravaganza for cult filmmaker Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch). He’s best known for making some visually inventive and complex British crime films. Sherlock Holmes is a bit of a departure from what we’re used to seeing from Ritchie, but he does a good job and stages some very nice sequences.
So, the film looks good and has a solid cast, but something just didn’t sit right with me. This is one of those movies that really infuriates me because I just can’t put my finger on what’s specifically wrong with it. Downey has some good moments but he mumbles a lot and really seems to struggle with the accent.
I know he’s massive right now, but the whole movie I kept thinking I really wanted to see Jude Law as Holmes. Law is great and I think he steals this movie. Nevertheless, the two have excellent chemistry together and it’ll be interesting to see what happens in a potential sequel.
Rachel McAdams is somewhat weak here. Her character is shady, but is meant to be a love interest at the same time. It doesn’t really work and while her main purpose is to introduce Holmes’ arch-enemy, her relationship with the sleuth feels tacked on.
Sherlock Holmes also feels a little long. There is a lot of action, but it drags at times. When the action is going, it’s slam-bang and really delivers. You also get a healthy amount of comedy and like I said, this is due to the enormous amount of charisma and chemistry shared by Downey and Law.
In no way is this a perfect movie. I liked it, but it also didn’t quite sit right with me and I wasn’t as satisfied as I had hoped. The writing could have been tightened up a bit but this is a franchise with potential. Sherlock Holmes is entertaining enough, but don’t expect it to rock your world.
3.5 out of 5
Rated PG-13
Tony Robinson is a past host of KATU's Movie Guys film review segment and currently reviews movies exclusively for KATU.com. He lives in Portland with his wife, son and action figure collection. He can be reached at tonerobe@hotmail.com.