Directed by:
Guy RitchieCinematography:
Philippe RousselotComposer:
Hans ZimmerCast:
Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly, James Fox, Hans Matheson, Geraldine James, Robert Maillet, William Hope (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law put memorable imprints on the roles of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in a bold reimagining that makes the famed sleuth a daring man of action as well as a peerless man of intellect. Director Guy Ritchie helms the excitement, reintroducing the great detective to the world. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (13)
Haha! At last a Holmes to be proud of. He may still be a bit mainstream, but he’s darn nice. It’s funny to see that this rather madcap version, overflowing with snappy-lines is the most faithful to Doyle that I have ever seen. Downey rocks again, but he’s not alone. I’m not very keen on Jude Law, but his Watson is an equal to Holmes, and likewise Mark Strong is a respectable adversary (although underexploited). The story steeped in mystery is interesting enough to keep the viewer’s attention, but it’s clear that this is mostly about fights and snappy lines which are both first-class. And it gets even better when Zimmer’s catchy melodies play during the action sequences. If Holmes hadn’t run out of breath sometime in the middle, I would have given it five, but as it is it scores just a grubby 4. In the merry month of May, From my home I started, Left the girls of Tuam, Nearly broken hearted, Saluted father dear, Kissed my darlin' mother, Drank a pint of beer, My grief and tears to smother, Then off to reap the corn, And leave where I was born, I cut a stout blackthorn, To banish ghost and goblin, In a brand new pair of brogues, I rattled o'er the bogs, And frightened all the dogs, On the rocky road to Dublin. One, two, three, four five, Hunt the hare and turn her Down the rocky road And all the ways to Dublin, Whack-fol-lol-de-ra. In Mullingar that night, I rested limbs so weary, Started by daylight, Next mornin' light and airy, Took a drop of the pure, To keep my heart from sinkin', That's an Irishman's cure, Whenever he's on for drinking. To see the lasses smile, Laughing all the while, At my curious style, 'Twould set your heart a-bubblin'. They ax'd if I was hired, The wages I required, Till I was almost tired, Of the rocky road to Dublin. One, two, three, four five, Hunt the hare and turn her Down the rocky road And all the ways to Dublin, Whack-fol-lol-de-ra. In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity, To be so soon deprived, A view of that fine city. Then I took a stroll, All among the quality, My bundle it was stole, In a neat locality; Something crossed my mind, Then I looked behind; No bundle could I find, Upon my stick a wobblin'. Enquirin' for the rogue, They said my Connacht brogue, Wasn't much in vogue, On the rocky road to Dublin. One, two, three, four five, Hunt the hare and turn her Down the rocky road And all the ways to Dublin, Whack-fol-lol-de-ra. From there I got away, My spirits never failin' Landed on the quay As the ship was sailin'; Captain at me roared, Said that no room had he, When I jumped aboard, A cabin found for Paddy, Down among the pigs I played some funny rigs, Danced some hearty jigs, The water round me bubblin', When off Holyhead, I wished myself was dead, Or better far instead, On the rocky road to Dublin. One, two, three, four five, Hunt the hare and turn her Down the rocky road And all the ways to Dublin, Whack-fol-lol-de-ra. The boys of Liverpool, When we safely landed, Called myself a fool; I could no longer stand it; Blood began to boil, Temper I was losin', Poor ould Erin's isle They began abusin', "Hurrah my soul," sez I, My shillelagh I let fly; Some Galway boys were by, Saw I was a hobble in, Then with a loud hurray, They joined in the affray. We quickly cleared the way, For the rocky road to Dublin. One, two, three, four five, Hunt the hare and turn her Down the rocky road And all the ways to Dublin, Whack-fol-lol-de-ra.
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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.
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Victorian charm is working like never before. The master of deduction comes in full force and his creators have flown into the performance in the most pleasant way possible. Action-packed, grandiose, and clever. Holmes can certainly throw punches, but more importantly, he can perfectly engage the mind. In a complicated plot, everything falls into place, the viewer can barely keep up with the lightning-fast explanations, and Sherlock (along with Guy Ritchie) can leave triumphantly, surpassing his own reputation. This is simply the right Adventure with a capital A. And I will want to be the first for its continuation.
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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%.
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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.
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