Shelock Holmes

Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is an iconic character known for its detective poweress, arrogance, middle-aged Brit with a drug and alcohol addiction and is of course thought to stink (due to the lack of showers!), but, hey, he has his loyal fans. So when it was annouced that Guy Ritchie will be directing a re-invention of a possible franchise there were mixed reactions - but, with a cast like Robert Downey Jr as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as the lovable Dr. Watson, and Doyle's characters being so iconic, it can't do badly right? and it doesn't.

The film showed the camraderie between Holmes and Watson, through the whole "save the world from destruction by using logic!", and hey it was brilliant (the chemistry between the two characters I mean - and the way it should be!) - they really had good chemistry, playing at each other.

The character work overall is great - Holmes comes off as a high functioning autistic genius, whose lonely and border-lining that genius-psychotic persona. Watson, on the other had is practical, a necessary part of the successful duo, one who is not afraid to criticise Holmes. Thus, the pair can't function without one another - a typical buddy action-comedy. Then there is Irene Adler (played by Rachel McAdams) as the International Criminal Mastermind (with a LONG WANTED-for list), who is the love interest of Holmes, and has an agenda of her own. The supervillian, Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), who wants to rule the world, through his magic and witchcraft.

The plot itself is very typically action-packed, religious cults, funny one-liners, humour, good dialogue, sound effects were amazing (you know what I mean when you see it - like when there is action everything slows down and there is absolute silence!) thrown in with amazing visuals of industrious London of 1891.

The movie, when you really think about it, the story is typical and the true assence of the characters were missed, but then you are making a blockbluster film so the action sequences with big explosions are great and I love it for that and for it's one-liners and visual-effects, but I still think that it’s a Sherlock Holmes movie without much of a central mystery and a superficial villain. At times the plot requires characters t(hat are supposed to be the smartest guys in the room) to act and think like complete dimwits. It’s sacrificed a potentially compelling and clever story for long action set-pieces and chases throughout London, so for that I am disappointed it.

Otherwise I love the movie. I love Robert Downey Jr. and I'm surprised by Jude Law's ability to pull off Watson brilliantly. I enjoyed it, a summer blockbuster and one which you should see!

Showing now at all Australian Cinemas!