'Sherlock Holmes'

January 01, 2010|by Marcus at the Movies

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — This is not your father's Sherlock Holmes, a comic version of Wild Wild West. It's a fun movie for my last of the year, for that matter the decade. It's nowhere close to your traditional tweed-wearing, pipe smoking, Sherlock Holmes, but it is definitely not boring.

Our villain, Lord Blackford is ritualistically killing women. Working along with Scotland Yard, Holmes and Watson attempt to capture him and bring him to justice.

Rachael McAdams is caste as a semi-arch-rival and off and on again love interest of Holmes.

Although the chemistry between McAdams and Downey is good, it's really good with he and Jude Law. I agree with another review that said given their personalities, they should have switched characters.

The adventure really begins after the two super sleuths capture Blackford, go to his trial, and witness his execution, only to have this bit of strange news delivered to them.

"It's Lord Blackford sir. He, well, it appears he's come back from the grave sir."

Well of course he has. Not so elementary huh my dear Watson?

"I pronounced the man dead myself," physician Watson says.

While the newly engaged doc Watson thinks this is a hoax, Holmes takes the matter seriously and thinks his partner should as well.

"It's a matter of professional integrity. No girl wants to marry a doctor who can't tell if a man's dead or not."

While Law's character is that of a professional gentleman, Junior's is a slovenly rogue on the eccentric side but extremely humorous without even trying to be. There's serious action, smothered with funny one-liners and situations right and left.

I loved this movie and if you don't get too critical or take it seriously, you will too.

And in case you're wondering, not once does Sherlock Holmes say "elementary my dear Watson." Nor does Watson say "what's up Holmes."

movie review, Sherlock Holmes, Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachael McAdams, Marcus at the Movies

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