SHERLOCK HOLMES 3.0*** (almost 3.5***)
The movie opens with Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey,Jr.) and Dr. John Watson ( Jude Law) apprehending serial killing Satanist Lord Blackwood. Blackwood is subsequently executed by hanging, but then when he seemingly he rises from the dead, the deductive duo must determine whether it's a supernatural occurrence or if there's a logical explanation. It's exactly the type of mystery Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have devised, with plenty of twists and opportunities for Holmes to show off his genius as he races to stop a plot to take over England and (gasp!) America. Everything from the experiments Holmes performs in his Baker Street flat to his climatic revelation and explanation of the mystery.
Robert Downey Jr. is right at home in the role of the infamous detective. Swapping out futuristic armor for a pipe and fiddle, he plays a character with the same wit and confidence as his Tony Stark character in the excellent movie, “Iron Man.” This makes sense because, to some degree, what is 'Sherlock Holmes' if not merely the Tony Stark character set back about a hundred years? Regardless, Downey Jr. is excellent, providing a wit and charm to his latest role. Jude Law plays his right hand man, Dr. John Watson, in a role much smarter than past incarnations of the Watson character. The two are more equals than hero and sidekick, and their chemistry is marvelous..it really makes the movie..
Even though Sherlock Holmes seems a bit more like James Bond, he doesn't seem any less like Sherlock Holmes. Director Guy Ritchie finds a way to even depict Sherlock's fighting more as a mental exercise than as a physical feat. The film has fun exploring this part of Holmes left untouched by other films….the physical side. Yet Holmes was a boxer, stick/sword fighter, and a martial artist. It was in the books, and it is brought forward in this film as well . Holmes's eccentricities and drug-use are also shown. But, Holmes was never meant to be a symbol of a stiff-upper lip Britain, yet that's what he had become. Now they’re changing that image and maybe that isn’t so bad… but it does take some getting used to, and I have to admit I struggled with this during the movie. But, I have come to understand it better upon reflection.
“Sherlock Holmes” is smart and entertaining, a combination which always works better than either adjective by itself. This is an invigorating re-boot that reminds us why this detective is such an icon. It is an entertaining film for the head and heart. But be prepared for a different type of character…one who combines his brilliant mind with physical prowess to overcome the villains and along the way, at time, appears “spaced out” …brilliance and drugs will do that.
Clark
Thursday, December 31, 2009
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