Sherlock Holmes (2009) - Guy Ritchie

Guy Ritchie? Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr? Yes, please.

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I was STOKED for it. Everything about it just looked great. The sets, lighting, casting, explosions, etc. I love Guy Ritchie. I think the characters he brings to life give me a wrong impression of what London is REALLY like, but I think it's a sweeter version. Hot girls and hard ass dudes blowing each other away for money or diamonds, or in the case of Sherlock Holmes, world domination.

I have to say, Sherlock Holmes, as a character, was captured very well by Ritchie and Downey. The smugness and all-knowingness he exudes was prevalent throughout the film. As well as the monologuing by Holmes and the villain. I went into this film wanting a modern interpretation of the action in the books, but the characters I wanted untouched, and I think I got that except for Rachel McAdams character, who was completely useless. Yeah, she was hot. Yeah, she looks good with various weapons in her hands. However, the character wasn't needed. Ok, maybe she might have been needed, but not for the whole film.

The film starts off with Holmes and Watson entering this tomb with the help of detectives from Scotland Yard. Holmes and Watson get there first, of course, and kick the shit out of some dudes in robes and stop this girl from killing herself in sacrifice for some magic believing cult made up of English nobility. Decent start, but it all ties into the rest of the story, of course. The bad guy makes some cryptic conversation, then get taken off to jail. Then, we see 3 months later, Watson is moving out of Baker Street to go marry some chick who isn't important. Holmes doesn't want him to go, and this plays along for the rest of the film and is cause for some good jokes. Then the bad guy is about to be hanged and calls in Holmes as his last request and says more cryptic stuff. He gets hanged (OR DID HE OMGOMGOMG) and the next day rises from the grave. London starts to freak so Holmes and, reluctantly, Watson begin the investigation. In the end, Holmes reveals how the bad guy did everything, front to back, which is eluded to throughout the film, but never enough for the audience to figure out. Typical ending to a Holmes novel, but good none the less. It's this satisfaction that made the stories so great to begin with.

Downey's delivery of pretty much every line is classic. At least it feels that way. I don't know, I didn't think the dude had it in him, then I saw Iron Man and was pleasantly surprised. Now, I can't get enough of him and this movie further reinforced that feeling. Jude Law was fantastic as usual, but Watson was never a truly interesting character, especially under the shadow of Holmes.

The soundtrack really stuck out to me in this one. Typical Hans Zimmer, but it really fits the setting well. I think it will be nominated for an Oscar this year. In fact, it will probably be the only one that this film will be nominated for.

3.5 out of 5 Smoking Pipes. The story was good. The special effects were as good as they could be, but you see the superimposition of the London skyline in a lot of action scenes, which was disappointing. The acting out of Downey and Law was everything I wanted it to be. Overall the movie was FUN, and should be seen for that reason alone, but not for much else. Had a great time, but I don't see myself going on a second date...at least not until the DVD comes out. And even then, I'll probably be waiting for the price to drop a bit.