Worth Recommending

Rating: 6/10 (11 August 2010)

Sherlock Holmes is entertaining enough, as many Hollywood products are, but it overall leaves us viewers wanting more. Or, that is, wishing more had been done, especially in the way of plot and character. The whole thing is a bit disjointed, and we the audience can never seem to emotionally attach ourselves enough to the film to really root for Sherlock and Watson.
As for plot, it seems the directors just couldn't settle on one path. The film starts out in London but eventually finds itself in an old, Western saloon. It mixes overly elaborate, highly complex schemes with bare-knuckled, Western-styled brawls. At times, I had trouble determining whether I was watching a 19th century crime investigation or a 18th century fight contest.
As for characters, my two largest qualms are with Holmes and his antagonist, Lord Blackwood. Downey plays a fantastic Holmes, but that is to be expected: the man can adapt himself to any role. But the character that we see on the big screen is far different from the traditional Sherlock Holmes. This film presents him as a witty, slightly crazed, bad-ass action hero, rather than a classy, shrewd, quirky detective. What is he, a UFC fighter? And what about Lord Blackwell: is he a ghost? We see far too little of this nemesis, considering how much havoc he reeks during the whole film. It seems we may see more of him in "Sherlock Holmes II."
However, the scenery is incredible: backdrops, buildings, furniture, streets, wardrobes, even makeup. Moreover, the cinematography is splendid from beginning to end. I was instantly drawn into the film from the movie's opening where some brilliant pulley-shots and zooms are used. Slow motion is employed in many of the ever-so frequent fight scenes, during which Sherlock explains how he'll defeat a villain before we actually view the fight in real time. Visually — and intellectually, to explain how devastating Sherlock's attacks are — this works well.
Another interesting technique is used during which we watch an intricate montage of pictures and clips while Sherlock recollects past evens in an attempt to making sense of Lord Blackwood's magic. It's one of those requiem, through-the-mind's-eye pieces: a fragmented, fast-paced sequence that is meant to visually represent thoughts pulsing through the brain. More of this technique is applied again at the film's end to reveal how Blackwood's magic was actually quite unmagical, and I rather enjoyed learning these answers in such an aesthetically-pleasing fashion.
I rate Sherlock Holmes as a 6/10. It's definitely worth recommending to moviegoers who enjoy a faced-paced, action-packed flick. It's visual appeal and cinematographic prowess make for a fun experience. And, of course, Robert Downey Jr. is all too good an actor for any die-hard Holmes-traditionalist to avoid watching this newest Sherlock film just because of its lack of adherence to the character's literary roots. Just don't expect to forget that you're watching a movie — this one can't quite capture our emotions enough for that to happen. But enjoy the beautiful picture and impressive explosions.