Sherlock Holmes

Maybe even below average stuff, overly directed and tastelessly grafted onto a historical costume. Downey Jr. and Law are fine and their chemistry is good, the action is average, but the plot is bad. The greatest positive is Mark Strong as a demonic character, that man is phenomenal. I don't like Ritchie and this film doesn't change that. (04/04/2010)

It's good that even though Hollywood tinsel tries to pummel Guy Ritchie with its most typical special effects (predictable plot pirouettes, character development), he’s still the distinctive, foxy filmmaker who squeezed the most out of even a banal detective plot within its limits (the boxing match, the flashbacks). Yet the main character (compared to the trailers) is not Robert Downey Jr., but Jude Law, who despite the thankless role of a dry sniffer throws up elegant bon mots and hard fists, and paradoxically I enjoyed him a bit more. Both Strong and McAdams are bland due to the minimal space they get and their total omission in the plot (yes, that’s quite a weakness with Strong as the main villain). Nevertheless, positive feelings prevail, mainly due to the pace, the whole peculiar aura, and Zimmer's very unconventional but excellent work. I’m looking forward to the second film. (14/01/2010)

A typical modern high-budget blockbuster with sophisticated visuals and a star-studded cast that will probably shock the traditional fans of the British detective, who honor the classic idea of a detective as it was served to them by Arthur Conan Doyle back in the day. Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie has sidelined, as expected, logical deductions in favor of dynamic action. His Sherlock Holmes is an action hero who successfully battles in the ring and uses his fists or various arsenal of weapons more often than deep thoughts. His companion Watson has emancipated and is an equal player who, moreover, thanks to his sober approach, often saves his colleague's neck. The film is shot with a touch of irony and filled with constant bantering between both detectives and their surroundings. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law live up to their reputations as actors and deliver outstanding performances, Rachel McAdams is charming, but her femme fatale doesn't have as much space to become a female counterpart to the central duo. The decent budget allowed for indulging in the magnificent period image of London, especially the view of the London shipyards (shot in Kent) offers an amazing glimpse into the industrial era, and the director somewhat megalomaniacally allows us to send an almost finished ship to the bottom after an exciting duel. Personally, I am not a big fan of snobbish British detectives, and this modern playful adaptation struck me as extremely entertaining. Overall impression: 80%. (16/02/2010)

Guy Ritchie at the service of Hollywood. His strongest directorial trademark, as well as Hans Zimmer's most bombastic music exhibition, comes in the impressive introduction. The rest of the film is “just” a nice conversation movie between Robert Downey and Jude Law, set in a world of dark Harry Potter-style magic. There is little to surprise the audience, as the routine script relies on proven elements – great actors and the atmosphere of dangerous, overcast Victorian London. Sherlock Holmes is decent entertainment. (02/01/2010)

I'm sure it was fun, I'm sure there was action, but it certainly doesn't deserve a better rating from me. Downey and Law made an interesting team, I'm not opposed to them playing together again, and given the way Sherlock ends, it's more than likely – that is, provided he does not succumb to some crisis. It's a film that brings nothing new, it doesn't surprise you, it may bore you, what may disappoint you are the same jokes that have been told a hundred times. I think 128 minutes is more than enough. It must be an interesting experience in the cinema, but I certainly don't mind missing out. I put this movie under the "once and enough" category. A weaker three stars in total. (10/02/2010)